Gems TV (UK)

Last updated

Gems TV (Gemporia)
Country United Kingdom
Headquarters Worcestershire
Programming
Picture format 576i (SDTV 16:9)
Ownership
OwnerGemporia Ltd [1] (The Gemporia Partnership)
Sister channels
History
Launched8 October 2004 [2]
ReplacedFO Factory Outlet (Gems TV)
Snatch It! (Gems TV 2)
Closed16 September 2019
Replaced byDurga Petals
Former namesGems.tv (2004–2005)
Gems TV Gold (2005)
Gems TV (2005–2008)
GemsTV 1 (2008–2010)
Links
Website www.gems.tv
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview Channel 45

Gemporia is a British television and online retailer, licensed by Ofcom under the Gems TV name. The channel is mostly concerned with selling jewellery with a few lifestyle products from the homeware and beauty categories promoted in various slots across the schedule. [3] The channel is available on Sky, Virgin Media, Freesat, Freeview and online. The channel operations are based at Eagle Road Studios in Redditch, near Birmingham. As of February 2023, the channel broadcast 24 hours a day, live between the hours of 07:00-23:00 on television, via the GEMPORIA mobile app, and online at gemporia.com. The business derives from Gems TV in Thailand. In 2014 in Durga Petals on 16 September 2019 rebranded.

Contents

History

Gems TV is a British reverse auction jewellery shopping channel, officially the first reverse auction in the UK[ citation needed ] and was known as the first British channel just to sell gemstones. [4]

Gems TV first launched at 4 pm on 8 October 2004, after the channel was formed by Steve Bennett and founders of Eagle Road Studios and Thaigems. The channel replaced Factory Outlet on Sky channel 663. The reverse auction format for the channel was based around Eagle Road Studios now defunct sister channel, 'Snatch It!'.

The channel was an independent company until the merger of Eagle Road Studios and Thaigem, which formed 'Gems TV UK Limited'; the original founders left the company and in 2008 floated on the Singapore Stock Exchange and become a corporate company; Gems TV Holdings Limited.

The channel's original purpose was to sell affordable gemstone jewellery manufactured by its production facilities in Chanthaburi, Thailand. To reduce costs the parent company later reduced its own manufacturing and bought in jewellery from other suppliers.

On 1 February 2010, the manufacturing operations at the company's factory in Chanthaburi, Thailand were closed down to reduce costs and increase profit margins. This caused many employees to be made redundant. [5]

Sale

On 18 June 2010, Gems TV Holdings sold Gems TV (UK) Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary) to The Colourful Company Group Limited for £3 million. [6] As a result of the sale, Gems TV (UK) Limited was again under the ownership of Steve Bennett, one of the original founders of the company. [7]

After the sale of Gems TV to its original management, the channel returned to sourcing gemstone jewellery.

As of 2013, the channel was available for 24 hours a day, increased from 6 am to 2 am in 2012.

Channels and hours

On 21 July 2010, Gems TV began broadcasting on Fiver again and available on Freeview, where it had ceased broadcasting on 16 June 2010 before the sale of Gems TV UK Limited to The Colourful Company Group.

On 27 July 2010, Gems TV received an LCN slot on Freeview channel 43, timeshared with Quest on Mux A, in addition to the simulcast on Fiver. The channel extended its broadcasting hours from 8 am-2 am to 6 am-2 am. Hours were later increased to 24 hours a day, and live auctions are broadcast on Freeview 43 between 1 am and 11 am. On 31 October 2010, Gems TV ceased simulcasting as part of the teleshopping block on Fiver.

On 20 February 2011, Gems TV began simulcasting on STV in Scotland, under the name of Genuine Gemstone Jewellery. The teleshopping block was transmitted for 1 hour, from midnight.

On 24 February 2011, Gems TV temporarily secured airtime on The Big Deal which was broadcasting for 24 hours a day in post-digital switchover areas, and from 5 to 6 am in pre-digital switchover areas. Broadcasting hours expanded to 24 hours in the remaining parts of the UK on 2 March 2011, when an eighth full stream was created on Mux C. The broadcasts on The Big Deal ended in April 2011.

On 30 June 2011, Gems TV began broadcasting 24 hours a day on Freeview channel 43 after acquiring a new stream on Mux C. [8] As the main Gems TV service was available to Freeview users on 5* between 9 am and 1 pm through a commercial arrangement with Channel 5, channel 43 transmitted Jewellery Maker between 9 am and 1 pm and Gems TV at other times. The arrangement was later switched such that the 5* block carried Jewellery Maker and channel 43 carried Gems TV at all times.

On 4 November 2020, the channel moved to channel 44 on Freeview as part of a move up where every channel from channel 24 to 54 on the platform moved up one place to allow BBC Four to move to channel 24 in Scotland due to new Ofcom rules regarding certain PSB channels requiring greater prominence on EPGs.

As of February 2023, as part of a wider business review and restructure, GEMPORIA took the decision to reduce their live broadcasting hours to 07:00-23:00 daily, playing repeats of shows from earlier in day during the hours of 23:00-07:00.

Sister channels

In addition to the service licensed as Gems TV, The Gemporia Partnership has a number of other channels:

Jewellery Maker

Jewellery Maker was the first new sister channel since Gems TV and Rocks TV merged. The channel was launched on 1 May 2010, selling jewellery-making kits at fixed prices, the first channel of its kind in the UK. As of 2013 the channel was broadcast live from 9 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm daily, with its shows rebroadcast during its downtime. From February 2014, Jewellery Maker now has three shows a day the morning show 9 am -1 pm the designer inspirations show 1 pm -5 pm and the evening show 5 pm-9 pm, designer inspirations are repeated throughout the night from 9 pm -09.00 am or you can watch the shows on YouTube along with having a channel on the same site.

In 2022, the channel is broadcast part-time on Freeview channel 71 between 8 am and 1 pm (which will become Freeview channel 72 on 26 January 2022) [9] with the programming continuing on Shopping Quarter until Gemporia Lifestyle comes on air.

Gemporia Lifestyle

Gemporia Lifestyle was launched on 8 July 2020 [10] and can be found as a segment on the Shopping Quarter service run by The Gemporia Partnership on Freeview channel 72 (which will become Freeview channel 73 on 26 January 2022) [11] from 5 pm each night [12] The channel features presenters such as Hattie Greenwood, Kati Elliott and Toby Cavill [13] selling homeware, fashion and beauty products as well as Gemporia founder Steve Bennett who sells products such as shampoos, pet care [14] and vitamins.

Gem Collector

Gem Collector was launched on 8 October 2010. The channel shared the same studio as Jewellery Maker and broadcast live reverse auctions of loose gemstones between 7 pm and 12 am daily. Like Jewellery Maker, it was the first channel of its kind in the UK.

On 31 December 2010, Gem Collector ceased broadcasting as a separate channel and merged with Rocks TV to create Gems TV Extra, which relaunched on 2 January 2011. The Gem Collector brand is still used on Gems TV Extra for branded hour programmes.

Under the former management and ownership of Gems TV Holdings, Gems TV did have 2 sister channels, named Gems TV 2 and often referred to as Deals Of The Day and, until November 2009, a second sister channel, Gems TV 3.

As of January 2022, Gem Collector can be found as a part-time channel on the Shopping Quarter service. [15]

Former sister channels

Gems TV 2

Gems TV 2 launched on 12 May 2005, after replacing Gems TV's former sister channel, Snatch It!. During the closing down of Snatch It!, it was announced that the new channel was going to be called Gems TV Silver, after a successful trial of sterling silver jewellery a few months previous. However, it wasn't until launch that it was decided that Gems TV would become known as Gems TV Gold and the new channel to be simply known as Gems TV. After a few months into the new venture, it became apparent that the venture wasn't as successful as Gems TV Gold. It was then decided Gems TV Gold reverted to Gems TV and the second channel becoming known as Gems TV 2 and that both channels would show a mixture of gold and sterling silver jewellery. Since launch, the channel has used the same reverse auction format as Gems TV 1 and broadcast live between 8 am and 2 am. In late 2008/early 2009, the channel reduced its live hours to 3 pm to 11 pm. During its downtime, it simulcasted Gems TV 3. It was not until 2009 that Gems TV was officially referred to as Gems TV 1 and its hours were extended to 7 am to 2 am, despite the reduction of the live broadcasting hours on Gems TV 2.

On 31 July 2009, Gems TV 2 ceased all live output and moved the pre-recorded 'Deal Of The Day' material from Gems TV 3 to Gems TV 2. It was then often referred to as the 'Deals Of The Day' channel. Officially, Gems TV 2 ceased broadcasting in January 2010, after the channel began simulcasting Gems TV 1.

On 8 September 2010, Gems TV 2 was replaced with Jewellery Maker on Virgin Media channel 756.

On 8 October 2010, Gems TV 2 ceased simulcasting Gems TV and was replaced by the new Coloured Rocks channel; Gem Collector.

Gems TV 2 was previously only available on Sky, Virgin Media and via a live stream on the Gems TV website.

Gems TV 3

Gems TV 3, known on air as 'Deal(s) Of The Day', was transmitted only on Sky 670 and relaunched on 14 January 2009. The channel was launched using the original Gems TV 2 EPG slot after Gems TV had previously purchased a 3rd EPG slot in the Shopping section of the EPG of 642 from TV Warehouse 1. The company then moved both Gems TV 1 and Gems TV 2 up the EPG from 646 and 660 to 642 and 646 before Sky reshuffled the Shopping section and moved all the channels down 10 slots to make more room in the Kids section. The Deal of the Day format was previously available between 2004 and 2005. Its format was different from its sister channels. Gems TV 3 used a fixed priced format to show a number pieces of jewellery for 24 hours, on a loop from 8 am till 8 am the following day or until the stock had run out. The channel was simulcast on Gems TV 2 when its live reverse auctions were off air, allowing the channels content to be available to Virgin Media viewers. A live stream was also available on the website. The channel was also known as the 'Deal Of The Day' channel.

On 1 August 2009, Gems TV 3 started replicating Gems TV 1 24 hours a day, and the 'Deal Of The Day' content moved over to Gems TV 2. On 2 November 2009, Gems TV 3 was removed from Sky channel 670.

TGGC Outlet

TGGC Outlet was first launched in July 2008 as Rocks TV. The channel used the same reverse auction format as Gems TV. Until 18 June 2010 the channel was competed with Gems TV. On 2 January 2011, Rocks TV was rebranded as Gems TV Extra and the channel also merged with Gem Collector. The channel relaunched as TGGC Outlet on 15 December 2012. The channel broadcast live auctions between 11 am and 7 pm. The channel was available on Sky channel 656 and online until 15 July 2013.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bid Shopping</span> British teleshopping network

Sit-Up Ltd., traded as Bid Shopping, was an English broadcaster which launched in 2000. It operated a portfolio of falling price shopping television channels to over 12 million homes in the UK.

U&Dave is a British free-to-air television channel that mainly broadcasts comedy-oriented factual programming. It is owned by UKTV, a subsidiary of BBC Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITV3</span> British free-to-air television channel

ITV3 is a British free-to-air television channel owned by ITV Digital Channels, a division of ITV plc. The channel was first launched on Monday 1 November 2004 at 9 pm, replacing Plus. ITV3 is the sixth-largest UK television channel by audience share and the largest after the five main terrestrial services, the position which was previously held by its sister station ITV2. The channel is known for repeats of ITV dramas, and including sequential reruns of Agatha Christie's Poirot, Classic Coronation Street, Classic Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Inspector Morse and A Touch of Frost, amongst others, as well as formerly showing repeats of Kojak, Numb3rs, Columbo, Cagney & Lacey and The Bill.

TeleG was established as the first daily digital Gaelic TV channel in Scotland on 31 October 1999, and was available on the Freeview platform until 23 May 2011. The channel was based in Stornoway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gems TV</span> Thai television shopping channel

Gems TV was a jewellery manufacturer and reverse auction TV shopping network headquartered in Chanthaburi, Thailand. It began its operations in October 2004 in the UK, and then expanded to Germany, America, Japan and China. Gems TV was formed from the merger of Thaigem Limited and Eagle Road Studios, which formed Gems TV UK Limited, which eventually became a subsidiary of Gems TV Holdings Limited when the company expended to other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TJC (TV channel)</span> British home shopping channel and retailer

The Jewellery Channel, known otherwise as TJC, is a British home shopping channel and online retailer specialising in jewellery, home, beauty, fashion, gemstones and other lifestyle accessories. It is one of the main TV shopping channels in the UK. The channel launched on 4 April 2006, and currently broadcasts 24 hours a day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JML Direct TV</span> Series of British television shopping channels owned by John Mills Limited

JML Direct TV was a television shopping channel owned by JML Direct Limited that mainly broadcasts infomercials featuring various products from the company. The channel was broadcast on Sky and Freesat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ideal World</span> British free-to-view shopping channel

Ideal World is a British TV shopping channel, broadcasting on DTT, satellite and online, with transactional websites, previously hosted from studios in Peterborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel One (British and Irish TV channel)</span> Former television channel

Channel One was a British free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Living TV Group. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 21:00 on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky as Virgin1, replacing Ftn. The channel broadcast 24 hours on cable, satellite and Freeview; a one-hour time-shift, Channel One +1, broadcast on cable and satellite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quest (British TV channel)</span> British and Irish television channel owned by Warner Bros Discovery

Quest is a British and Irish free-to-air television channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It provides factual, lifestyle and entertainment programmes and other imported material, as well as films and sports coverage. It is operated by Warner Bros. Discovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeview (Australia)</span> Digital terrestrial television platform in Australia

Freeview is the brand name of the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia intended to bring all of free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters onto a consistent marketing platform, to compete against subscription television, in particular Foxtel. The strategy coincided with the expansion to 3 digital channels for each FTA network and the phasing out of analogue television in Australia. Important services from Freeview include its free-to-air channels with an enhanced EPG across all channels. Freeview also certifies televisions, set-top boxes and personal video recorders (PVR) which meet its standards.

Freeview is the collection of free-to-air services on the digital terrestrial television platform in the United Kingdom. The service was launched at 5 am on 30 October 2002 and is jointly operated by its five equal shareholders – BBC, ITV, Channel 4, BSkyB and transmitter operator Arqiva.

TGGC Outlet was a British reverse auction clearance jewellery shopping channel. The channel was available on Sky and online. The channel's operations were based at Eagle Road Studios in Redditch, near Birmingham. The channel broadcast live from 11am to 7pm and used a clearance format and is the sister channel to Gems TV and Jewellery Maker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewellery Maker</span> British jewellery shopping channel

Jewellery Maker is a British jewelry shopping channel launched on 4 May 2010 and is a sister channel of Sewing Quarter. The presentation and format of the channel are similar to the crafting channel Create & Craft. Jewellery Maker is available on Freesat, Freeview, Sky, and online. The channel broadcasts live from 8 am to 10 pm and rebroadcasts the live shows during downtime. The channel's website live streams all programming. The website also provides video tutorials and workshops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gem Collector</span> British website and former television channel

Gem Collector is an eCommerce website. Previously it was a British reverse auction loose gemstone shopping channel. It is the first channel of its kind in the UK. The channel was available on Sky and online. The channel operations are based at Eagle Road Studios in Redditch, near Birmingham. The channel broadcast live between 19:00 and midnight daily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemporia</span> British online jewellery retailer

Gemporia is a British television and online jewellery retailer. The main television channel operated by the business is Gems TV, a reverse auction jewellery shopping channel, the first dedicated reverse auction channel in the UK. The channel is accessed through free-to-view satellite and terrestrial television, a dedicated mobile app, and a website. The channel operations are based at Eagle Road Studios in Redditch, near Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That's Manchester</span> Local TV station in Manchester, England

That's Manchester is a local television station serving Greater Manchester. It is owned and operated by That's TV and broadcasts on Freeview channel 7 from studios at The Flint Glass Works in the Ancoats suburb of Manchester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local TV Limited</span> Local television network in the United Kingdom

Local TV is a local television network in the United Kingdom, operating nine channels serving the Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, London, Liverpool, North Wales, Teesside and Tyne and Wear areas.

High-definition television in Australia is available via cable, IPTV, satellite and terrestrial television. The first high-definition broadcasts began in 2001 and since then the number of channels available to view has grown to a maximum of 27 that can be viewed on pay-TV service, Foxtel.

References

  1. ↑ "About Us | Gemporia".
  2. ↑ "Most significant events in our corporate history". Gems TV. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  3. ↑ "Gemporia Ways-to-watch".
  4. ↑ "About Us | Gemporia".
  5. ↑ "Gems TV Outsources Gemstone Jewellery Supply". Gems TV. 2 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "Resolutions Adopted At The Extraordinary General Meeting Held On 18 June 2010". 18 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ Mathieson, SA (31 March 2005). "Web warriors reveal their battle tactics". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "Freeview 24/7 for GemsTV". ShoppingTelly. 29 June 2011. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  9. ↑ "Freeview channel reshuffle: Retune time for all viewers". 26 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Gemporia Lifestyle First Birthday: What's on and when".
  11. ↑ "Freeview channel reshuffle: Retune time for all viewers". 26 January 2022.
  12. ↑ "Live Auction Schedule | Gemporia".
  13. ↑ "Getting to Know... Toby Cavill".
  14. ↑ Health and Wellbeing with Steve Bennett on Gemporia 14 January 2022
  15. ↑ "Live Auction Schedule | Gemporia".
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.