ITV4
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| ITV4 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Launched | November 1, 2005 |
| Owned by | ITV plc |
| Picture format | 16:9/4:3, 576i (SDTV) |
| Audience share | 1.1% (April 2008, [1]) |
| Website | www.itv.com/itv4 |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 28 |
| Satellite | |
| Freesat | Channel 117 |
| Sky Digital | Channel 120 |
| Astra 2D | 10758V 22000 5/6 |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media | Channel 117 |
| IPTV over ADSL | |
| Tiscali TV | Channel 29 |
| Internet Television | |
| itv.com | Any Page |
ITV4 is a UK television station which launched on November 1, 2005. The ITV plc channel has a male-oriented line-up, including sport, cop shows and US comedies and dramas, as well as classic ITV action series of the 1960s and '70s. The channel has an annual budget of just £15m, compared to £900 - 1000m for the ITV Network.[citation needed]
ITV4 is broadcast on Freeview, digital cable, IPTV and satellite television. It was expected that ITV4 would replace the existing Men & Motors channel, until ITV plc stated that the two channels would run alongside each other. Both channels were on Freeview until ITV plc took Men & Motors off Freeview (although it remained on other platforms) and replaced it with the live quiz channel ITV Play (which was later taken off air and replaced with ITV2+1). Some programming from Men & Motors was transferred to ITV4.
ITV4's launch night aired on Freeview channel 30. Although it was broadcast on the Astra 2D satellite used by Sky, so users could manually tune it in, it launched on Sky Digital channel 120, after ITV2 and ITV3 in the listings, on 7 November. Prior to this date, some sporting content was simulcast on Men & Motors in an ITV4 on M&M strand. ITV4 previously broadcast weekdays between 6pm and 6am and weekends between 12.30pm and 6am, with space on Freeview being used by the CITV Channel for the other hours of the day. However, on February 6, 2008, the channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day, with the CITV Channel moving to the slot left vacant by ABC1.
ITV4 was the first channel to launch the new on-screen look that rolled out across the rest of ITV plc's channels on January 16, 2006. Red Bee Media designed the new logos and presentation for the entire corporation that saw the end of the yellow and blue squared look designed for ITV1, ITV2 and the cube look for ITV3 with the sharp font.
On 6 February 2008, the channel began broadcasting from 9am every day - much earlier than ever before, however, on 17 March 2008, GMTV2 programming moved from ITV2 to ITV4 - broadcasting from 6am until 9.25am every day. The strand continues to be simulcast on the CITV Channel.
[edit] Some programmes shown on ITV4
In addition to these shows, a number of hits from the ITC catalogue are shown, such as The Saint and The Persuaders!.
In a change of pace, in June 2007, ITV4 aired The Winner.
Sporting coverage includes the UEFA Champions League, Formula One, full afternoon-long coverage of the British Touring Car Championship, live undercard boxing, Tour de France, World Poker Tour, the brand new Grand Slam of Darts and the Isle of Man TT.
ITV4 used to air the Late Show with David Letterman from the 1 November 2005 until it was dropped by ITV4 on the 27 October 2006 and replaced with Saturday Night Live from 4 November 2006.
[edit] External links
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