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Challenge (TV channel)

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Challenge
Logo used since 2016
CountryUnited Kingdom
Ireland
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format16:9 1080p HDTV (downscaled to 576i on terrestrial TV)
Timeshift serviceChallenge +1 (2004–2020)
Ownership
OwnerLiving TV Group (1993–2010)
Sky Group (Comcast) (2010–present)
Sister channelsList of Sky UK channels
History
Launched1 September 1993; 31 years ago (1993-09-01)
1 February 2011; 13 years ago (2011-02-01) (Freeview)
ReplacedChannel One (Freeview)
Former namesThe Family Channel (1993–1997)
Challenge TV (1997–2002)
Challenge? (2002–2003)
Links
Websitewww.sky.com/watch/channel/challenge
Availability
Terrestrial
FreeviewChannel 48
SaorviewChannel 8
Streaming media
Sky GoWatch live (UK and Ireland only)
Samsung TV PlusSamsung TV Plus

Challenge is a British free-to-air television channel owned by Sky Group's Sky UK subsidiary, themselves owned by American conglomerate Comcast. The channel is dedicated to game shows from the UK, including acquired classic and contemporary shows.

Challenge is currently available on terrestrial television and FAST platforms, such as Samsung TV Plus, along with sister channel Sky Mix.[1] An Irish feed has been available since November 2013 on cable and satellite.[2] It later launched on DTT (Saorview) on 1 February 2023;[3] joining sister channel Sky News on the service.

History

[edit]

As The Family Channel

[edit]
See also: History of Freeform § The Family Channel
Family Channel UK ident (1995)

The Family Channel was a domestic version of the American cable network of the same name (now known as Freeform), then-owned by U.S. firm International Family Entertainment; which was the spin-off of the Christian Broadcasting Network that operated the channel. Prior to its launch, IFE sold a 39% stake in the channel to the UK-based Flextech (later to be known as Virgin Media Television, and the Living TV Group) in June 1993.[4] The Family Channel was then launched on 1 September 1993.

In April 1996, IFE sold its remaining 61% share to Flextech,[5][6] giving them full ownership of the venture and production studio in Maidstone.[7]

Relaunch as Challenge TV

[edit]

Flextech planned to relaunch The Family Channel as "The Challenge Channel" during the autumn of 1996, with daytime targeted towards housewives, and evening and weekend programming focused on game shows. However, Flextech decided to delay the relaunch so it would not compete with the October 1996 launch of Granada Sky Broadcasting's suite of channels; which included the potential competitor Granada Good Life.[8] Instead, The Family Channel began transitioning to the new brand by introducing a weekend game show strand known as Family Challenge Weekend.[9][10] On 3 February 1997, The Family Channel rebranded as Challenge TV, devoting the majority of its lineup to game shows.

On 28 March 2002, Flextech announced that they would rebrand Challenge TV as Challenge? on 20 May. In addition, Sky Digital (now known as Sky UK) customers could play some shows from home to earn a spot on the Challenge? leaderboard, with the highest scorers earning prizes. Flextech also announced that these interactive services would come to digital cable later in 2002.[11] One year later, on 30 June 2003, the question mark was dropped from the channel's name, subsequently rebranding it as simply Challenge.

On 13 December 2004, a one-hour timeshift of Challenge, known as Challenge +1, launched on Sky Digital.[12]

In May 2005, with the success of its recently-added gambling-related programmes, Challenge launched a dedicated strand titled Player. The block would air from 10:00 pm every night, and feature live poker, as well as scripted series and films.[13]

On 2 March 2006, Player was spun-off to its own channel, which became a sister channel to Bravo.[14] On September 28, Player was rebranded as Bravo 2.

On 1 July 2008, a new sister channel called Challenge Jackpot was launched as a joint-venture between parent company Virgin Media Television and Two Way Media.[15]

Under Sky UK

[edit]

On 7 April 2009, Virgin Media formally began the sale of its content operation.[16] On 13 July 2010, Sky UK and Virgin Media announced that the former had completed its acquisition of Virgin Media Television following regulatory approval in the Republic of Ireland.[17]

In March 2010, NetPlay TV, who acquired Two-Way Media in April 2009, terminated their agreement with to run Challenge Jackpot; the venture would be fully sold to NetPlay.[18]

On 15 September, Sky announced the closure of Bravo, Bravo 2 and Channel One. On Tuesday 1 February 2011, Challenge replaced Channel One's Freeview space on the Freeview multiplex; expanding the viewership of the channel by making it free-to-air around the United Kingdom.[19][20][21]

On 25 January 2011, it was announced that professional wrestling programming from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) would start broadcasting on Challenge from 3 February 2011.[22] In addition to airing Impact and Xplosion, Challenge aired reality series TNA British Boot Camp, and delayed broadcasts of TNA pay-per-view events. On 30 January 2014, for the first time, Impact was broadcast live in the United Kingdom on Challenge before it aired in the United States.[23]

On Monday 3 December 2012, Challenge launched on the free-to-air satellite platform Freesat.[24]

On 7 October 2013, the channel went through a revamp, which included a new logo, and a set of animated characters, named the "Challengers", as idents[clarification needed] to represent each type of show; such as Les Play for classics,[clarification needed] Ellie for lighter physical shows or Cecil the Geek for science shows.[25][26]

By 2017, Challenge would drop all wrestling programming.[27]

On 1 June 2020, Challenge +1 was closed on all platforms.[28][better source needed]

On 12 November 2020, Challenge broadcast football for the first time, when it showed the Northern Ireland v Slovakia UEFA Euro 2020 playoff final match.[29]

Programming

[edit]
Main article: List of programmes broadcast by Challenge

Current programming seen on Challenge, as of November 2024, includes The Chase (presently, the most frequently aired show on the channel), Bullseye, Family Fortunes, Catchphrase, and Bruce's Price is Right & Play Your Cards Right.[30][31] The channel has also produced its own original programmes, including revivals of Bullseye and Blockbusters.

Challenge has previously broadcast general interest programming (including the BBC blooper show Auntie's Bloomers from 2009 to 2011[32]), and was the former UK rights holder for U.S professional wrestling company TNA.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Samsung TV Plus | 100% Free TV | Samsung UK".
  2. ^ "Republic of Ireland Broadcasters - Challenge TV". medialive.ie. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Challenge to launch on Saorview". Rxtvinfo.com. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  4. ^ "UK media group Flextech. (invests in UK Family Channel) (Brief Article)". Broadcasting & Cable. 7 June 1993. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2016 – via Highbeam Research.
  5. ^ "Flextech absorbs Family's U.K. assets. (Flextech PLC; International Family Entertainment Inc.)". Archived from the original on 5 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Buy-up strategy covers all exits | Archive". Marketing Week. 5 April 1996. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  7. ^ "International Family Entertainment Agrees To Consolidate The Family Channel Uk into Flextech Plc. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 20 March 1996. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Family Channel hands relaunch task to TBWA | Archive". Marketing Week. 15 November 1996. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  9. ^ The times newspaper and the Guardian newspaper October 1996[better source needed]
  10. ^ "Family Channel". TV Live. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.[unreliable source?]
  11. ^ New-look "Challenge?" to go interactive May 20
  12. ^ "Living TV 2, Challenge +1 launch". Digital Spy. 13 December 2004.
  13. ^ "Chips with everything". TheGuardian.com. 16 May 2005.
  14. ^ "Player's on-air identity revealed". Digital Spy. 28 February 2006.
  15. ^ "Virgin to launch Challenge gaming channel". Digital Spy. 30 June 2008.
  16. ^ "Virgin Media begins sale of its content operations". Media Week. 7 April 2009.
  17. ^ "BSkyB and Virgin Media Complete Sale of VMtv". Virgin Media. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  18. ^ "Acquisition of Challenge Jackpot database". NetPlay TV. 25 March 2010. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  19. ^ Sweney, Mark (15 September 2010). "BSkyB to close Bravo and Channel One". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  20. ^ "BARB reported channels". overnights.tv. 17 January 2011.
  21. ^ Paul (26 January 2011). "Entertainment Interactive". Entertainment-iuk.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  22. ^ "WWE News, TNA News, WWE Payback Results (6/1)". WrestlingNewsSource.Com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  23. ^ "'More from Impact Wrestling on Challenge TV' promises wrestler". www.cable.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Challenge TV launching on Freesat". Join Freesat. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  25. ^ "Challenge and Pick get an exciting new look". Skymedia.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  26. ^ "An Exciting New Look On". Challenge. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  27. ^ "TNA loses TV deal with Challenge TV in the UK after five years, both companies issue statements on the decision". WrestleView. November 2016.
  28. ^ "Hi Andy, the +1 channels are becoming a little redundant with things like Catch Up & On Demand now. The decision was made to close the channel on June 1st, but please bare[sic] in mind everything available on +1 will still be available to download. Apologies for any inconvenience. ^CL". @SkyHelpTeam. Twitter. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  29. ^ "Sky Sports make Scotland and Northern Ireland Euro 2020 play-off finals available free-to-air". Sky Sports.
  30. ^ Challenge - Today's TV | TV Guide; Retrieved on 22 July 2024
  31. ^ [Challenge, today | Schedules | TV24.co.uk; Retrieved on 22 July 2024]
  32. ^ "Auntie's Bloomers - Part 1 (repeated 20/04/2009)". 23 April 2009 – via www.youtube.com.
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