Film 24 (channel)

Last updated

Film24
Film24.PNG
Programming
Picture format 576i (4:3, SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerFilm24 Limited (2007-2010)
Sony Pictures Television (2010-2011)
History
Launched2007
Closed4 April 2011
Replaced by Sony Entertainment Television

Film24 was a British television channel, that was available on Sky channel 157. The company had offices at Pinewood Studios and produced content for the TV channel as well as programmes for international TV, the Internet and mobile distribution. Before its sale in 2010, the channel averaged around a million viewers a week. [1]

Contents

History

Film24 was an independent multi-platform content business, based at Pinewood Film Studios, that produced programmes and short features about the film industry and films themselves to satisfy the ever-growing consumer demand for film consumption and the audience's fascination with the movie business. Content was available primarily on Sky. The Channel was founded by one of the UK’s top headhunters - the late Nicky J Davis.

Film24, the TV channel, launched in July 2007 as a channel about film, not airing films, but with original programming covering large and small films and DVD releases, new talent, regional cinema, films in production and behind-the-scenes programmes reporting and explaining every aspect of the film industry. [2]

In the latter half of 2009, the COO, Andrew Burns, brought in a new programming strategy, focusing on acquiring programmes. This new direction saw an increase in celebrity programming, demonstrating the Hollywood lifestyle and reality television shows.

Film24 also showed comedy, factual documentaries, sports, as well as awards shows, with the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards airing in 2010. The Screen Actors Guild Awards were transmitted live in the UK. Viewing figures increased to a million a week

In September 2009, Film24 commissioned Starstruck Media to relaunch flagship programme Film Xtra . Originally, thirteen 15 minute programmes were agreed, but the programme was soon made into a half-hour feature, and continued to look at new cinema releases, home entertainment releases, and news from the world of film. [3] The programme was presented by former CBBC and Top of the Pops presenter, Adrian Dickson. A spin-off series, that was broadcast post the 9 p.m. watershed - FXU, started in January 2010, presented by Tim Fornara.

Also in September, Film24 acquired the rights to computer games shows Playr and Playr Guides.

In December 2009, Film24 announced plans to significantly increase its spend on new programmes. [4]

In early 2010, the channel showed a number of Southern Television programmes such as Freewheelers , The Flockton Flyer and the TV version of Dick Barton , some of which later turned up on Talking Pictures TV who own the rights to the Southern TV library as well as a significant number of films that were also shown on the channel. It also completed a number of output deals with a number of major Film studios and distributors

Film24 Sale

The channel's principal shareholder was Lord Paul's Caparo Group. In May 2010, Angad Paul (CEO of Caparo Group) withdrew promised development funding, without any notice, following serious financial problems at Caparo,[ citation needed ] forcing the channel into financial difficulties.

On 22 June 2010, Canis Media, who were contracted to schedule the channel announced that it had been asked to review options for the potential sale of the Film24 EPG by Film24’s board [5]

On 7 September 2010, Canis Media announced that the sale of the Film24 EPG was "near to completion" and the new owner would be unveiled shortly. [6] On 28 October 2010, it was reported that Sony Pictures Television were on the brink of a deal to buy Film24 as their first entry into the UK channel market. [7] [8] On 19 November 2010, Sony Pictures Television acquired the EPG slot for Film24 for an undisclosed sum.

On 8 November 2015, Angad Paul (CEO of Caparo Group) committed suicide by jumping from his 8th floor London penthouse two weeks after his family's steel company Caparo Group was forced into Administration. [9]

Related Research Articles

Sky UK British telecommunications company

Sky UK Limited is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services, fixed line and mobile telephone services to consumers and businesses in the United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of Sky Group and from 2018 onwards – part of Comcast. It is the UK's largest pay-TV broadcaster with 12.7 million customers as of end of 2019 for its digital satellite TV platform. Sky's flagship products are Sky Q and the internet-based Sky Glass, and its flagship channels are Sky Showcase, Sky Sports and Sky Atlantic.

Sony Pictures Television Inc. is an American television production and distribution studio, established on September 16, 2002, and replaced Columbia TriStar Television, TriStar Television, Columbia Pictures Television, Screen Gems, and Pioneer Telefilms. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Entertainment and a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation.

Rapture TV

Rapture TV was a previously free-to-air satellite television station operated from the United Kingdom, founded in 1997. Focusing mostly on electronic dance music and extreme sports, it is notable for the number of times it has "failed" financially only to be relaunched.

True Movies British television channel

True Movies was a British free-to-air television channel. It was also distributed in Africa on DStv. It is the first channel from Moving Movies Ltd., majority-owned by CSC Media Group.

Teddington Studios British television studio in Teddington, London

Teddington Studios was a large British television studio in Teddington, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, providing studio facilities for programmes airing on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky1 and others. The complex also provided studio space for channel continuity. The site was run by the Pinewood Studios Group.

Fox (British and Irish TV channel) Pay television channel

Fox was a British pay television channel serving the United Kingdom and Ireland, owned by Fox Networks Group, a unit of Disney International Operations. It launched on 12 January 2004 as FX289, then changed its name to FX in April 2005, and rebranded to FOX in January 2013. Featuring a mix of comedies and drama series, the channel's programming targeted adults from 18 to 35 years old.

BBC iPlayer Television and radio streaming service

BBC iPlayer is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services delivered to UK-based viewers feature no commercial advertising. The terms BBC iPlayer, iPlayer, and BBC Media Player refer to various methods of viewing or listening to the same content. Viewing or recording live television broadcasts from any UK broadcaster or viewing BBC TV catch-up or BBC TV on-demand programmes in the UK without a TV licence is a criminal offence.

Freesat is a British free-to-air satellite television service, first formed as a joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008. Freesat offers a satellite alternative to the Freeview service on digital terrestrial television, with a broadly similar selection of channels available without subscription for users purchasing a receiver.

Babestation British adult television channel

Babestation, 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.com website.

MyTV was a British television channel which launched on 27 February 2006 as Eat Cinema, originally targeted at mainstream audiences.

BT TV British television service

BT TV is a subscription IPTV service offered by BT; a division of United Kingdom telecommunications company BT Group, and was originally launched as BT Vision in December 2006. As of the end of June 2019, BT TV had 1.9 million customers.

Rockworld TV

Rockworld TV was a British television channel which featured rock music, and was aimed to highlight "underground" lifestyles and artists.

Crackle is a video streaming platform owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Its library consists of original content and acquired programming. The service is available in 21 countries on connected devices including mobile, tablets, smart TVs, desktop, and gaming consoles. Crackle is also available as in-flight entertainment and in some hotel chains.

<i>Playr</i>

Playr is a TV show about video gaming that aired weekly in a number of locations around the world, including the UK, Canada, South America, Spain, South Africa and across Asia. The show mixed in-depth previews, news, reviews and features on video games and is notable for its entertaining approach to the subject. Playr was executive produced by Richard Wilcox, whose credits include GamesMaster, When Games Attack and Gamer.tv.

Left Bank Pictures is a British film and television production company. It was formed in 2007 and was the first British media company to receive investment from BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC.

Cellcast Group is a broadcasting company based in the United Kingdom. They operate channels on the Sky UK, Virgin Media, YouTube, Freesat and Freeview TV platforms in the UK and internationally via paid programming which consist of participatory television programming such as phone-ins, teleshopping and quiz channels. They are also a provider of software development services for the media industry such as second screen application development, production of digital on screen graphics, mobile gaming development, direct carrier billing and internet marketing.

Sky Living Loves was a British television channel owned by British Sky Broadcasting. It launched on 5 July 2010 and closed on 21 February 2012. It was the sister channel of Sky Living and Sky Livingit.

Great! TV British general entertainment channel owned by Narrative Entertainment UK Limited

Great! TV is a general entertainment channel in the United Kingdom owned by Narrative Entertainment UK Limited. It originally launched as Sony Entertainment Television on 7 April 2011. However, it was closed on 6 February 2018 and replaced by Sony Crime Channel. It was brought back for a second time on 10 September 2019 when it replaced True Entertainment. The relaunched Sony Channel had different idents and programming than the former due to inheriting some programming from its predecessor True Entertainment and on 25 May 2021, following Narrative Capital's acquisition of Sony's channels, it was rebranded as Great! TV.

PBS America British free-to-air television channel

PBS America is a British free-to-air television channel derived from the American public television broadcaster PBS. It is a joint venture between entrepreneur David Lyons and PBS Distribution, a joint venture of the broadcaster and the WGBH Educational Foundation which owns the international rights to the bulk of PBS's output.

References

  1. ↑ "Top 10 Programmes". BARB. 1 November 2015. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  2. ↑ Mitchell, Wendy (20 July 2007). "Film24 channel launches on UK's Sky platform | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  3. ↑ Archived 24 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Film 24 appoints Media Icon to handle sales". Campaignlive.co.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Canis handling Film24 Sky channel sale". Digital Spy. 22 June 2010.
  6. ↑ "Film24 sale 'near to completion'". Digital Spy. 7 September 2010.
  7. ↑ "Sony set for Sky EPG slot in move into UK market". Broadcast. 28 October 2010.
  8. ↑ "Sony launching first UK channel". Television Business International. 29 October 2010.
  9. ↑ Ward, Victoria. "Son of Lord Paul, the billionaire steel magnate, plunges to his death as the family business collapses". Telegraph. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.