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Country | United Kingdom |
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Broadcast area | United Kingdom Ireland |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 16:9 SDTV |
Ownership | |
Owner | Cellcast Group |
History | |
Launched | 3 December 2002 (programming block on Game Network) 20 February 2006 (channel) 2015 (website) |
Links | |
Website | Babestation.com |
Availability | |
Terrestrial | |
Freeview (UK) |
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Babestation (labelled Babenation on the Sky EPG) is an adult chat television channel and programme block which has aired on television in the United Kingdom since 2002. Since 2015, Babestation has also had a complementary website that includes more options than those available on the TV channel. The television version was the first show of its kind in the UK allowing viewers to communicate live with female presenters via a premium-rate telephone number or text messaging. It is broadcast daily, and since 2006 has had a dedicated channel on Sky. Its sister stations and websites are more hardcore in nature but the main programme shown on TV is also streamed on the Internet via the Babestation websites. [1] [2]
Babestation began in late 2002 as a post-watershed two-hour programme (11 pm – 1 am) on the computer game channel Game Network UK. Babestation featured two women taking calls (unheard by the TV audience) whilst the rest of the screen was filled with viewers' text messages and one presenter, who improvised and reacted to the messages. On some occasions, the three women on screen would take turns as presenter.
Babestation was a unique style of TV programme in Britain. Despite not being popular and having low production values, Babestation produced many clones that can all be seen as originating from its format including the now defunct Playboy TV Chat and Xpanded TV. Whilst these channels vary in content and demographic, the premise is generally similar – live, simulated sex interspersed with unscripted conversation, advertising a premium rate number to phone the women, which makes it a profitable business.
Charlie Brooker of The Guardian accused both presenters and viewers of being "thick" and referred to viewers as "begging them to blow kisses and jiggle about a bit". [3]
The programme proved profitable to the channel and Babestation's makers. In time, Babestation was given longer time-slots, and the number of presenters increased to four or five per night. Better technology allowed the director to put women on full screen instead of one-sixth, and hand-held cameras were introduced, replacing the poorer-quality static remote-controlled ones. Babestation was also sometimes broadcast on the Italian feed of Game Network. [4]
This, along with Game Network's waning commitment to video gaming programmes (Psychic Interactive was also given a large amount of airtime), caused Game Network to cease to exist in the UK. On 20 February 2006, the channel's name changed to Babestation, and on 28 February, the channel was moved by Sky to the new "Adult" section of channels. It is also available on Free-to-air channels under the Adult Section.