25 Facts About UKTV

1.

UKTV Media Limited, simply known as UKTV, is a British multi-channel broadcaster, which, since 2019, has been wholly owned by BBC Studios, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC.

FactSnippet No. 948,546
2.

UKTV's channels are available via a digital satellite or cable subscription in the UK and Ireland.

FactSnippet No. 948,547
3.

UKTV channels have broadcast in 16:9 widescreen format since 31 January 2008, although some programmes originally made in 4:3 format are screened in the compromise 14:9 semi-letterbox format.

FactSnippet No. 948,548
4.

The new graphics for the BBC and UKTV were both designed by the same company, Lambie-Nairn.

FactSnippet No. 948,549
5.

In January 2003, UKTV launched a lifestyle channel for Freeview called UK Bright Ideas.

FactSnippet No. 948,550
6.

In 2007, UKTV G2 was renamed 'Dave' and began broadcasting on Freeview, replacing UKTV Bright Ideas, seen as an experiment in branding for the network.

FactSnippet No. 948,551
7.

On 11 June 2008, UKTV announced that it was beginning the process of rebranding its channels from generic, UKTV-prefixed names to individual and separate brands, after the successful launch of Dave.

FactSnippet No. 948,552
8.

UKTV Drama became the crime drama channel Alibi, and a new general entertainment channel called Watch was launched.

FactSnippet No. 948,553
9.

On 14 June 2011, UKTV announced it would be launching Really on Freeview channel 20 on 2 August 2011.

FactSnippet No. 948,554
10.

UKTV announced on 18 March 2013 that it would reintroduce its company brand in celebration of its 21st year.

FactSnippet No. 948,555
11.

In 2003, UKTV announced plans of an experiment which examined the effect of different break patterns on advertising.

FactSnippet No. 948,556
12.

UKTV teamed up with a number of advertisers to measure the effect of reductions in advertising spots, programme trailers and the number of breaks overall.

FactSnippet No. 948,557
13.

In February 2004, UKTV reduced the length of its ad breaks in a bid to retain viewers and attract advertisers after results of its research show that shorter breaks produce higher advertising recall levels.

FactSnippet No. 948,558
14.

UKTV's move was similar to a solution suggested by PHD executive strategy director Louise Jones at 2003 Marketing Week TV United Conference, with a view to cleaning up breaks.

FactSnippet No. 948,559
15.

UKTV's channels are available via satellite and cable in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

FactSnippet No. 948,560
16.

The logo on the UKTV branded channels has now been replaced by a new design.

FactSnippet No. 948,561
17.

UKTV said that this female skewing channel would be still targeted at a 25 to 44 age range but introduced a new logo for the free-to-air era which included the letter W in a slanted rectangle.

FactSnippet No. 948,562
18.

On 15 October 2007, UKTV G2 rebranded as Dave, becoming the first in the network not to use UKTV or any UK branding.

FactSnippet No. 948,563
19.

UKTV said the name of the channel was chosen because "everyone knows a bloke called Dave".

FactSnippet No. 948,564
20.

UKTV Gold was relaunched as G O L D on the morning of 7 October 2008 as it transitioned exclusively to comedy programmes, with the entertainment programming moving to Watch .

FactSnippet No. 948,565
21.

UKTV has had many former channels which have been replaced by others.

FactSnippet No. 948,566
22.

UKTV People +1 was a Sky-exclusive timeshift service for UKTV People that launched on 12 January 2005.

FactSnippet No. 948,567
23.

In October 2020, UKTV Media took over the licence of the Freeview channel CCXTV, a channel which had been set up by Ideal Shopping Direct Ltd as a sister channel to their Create and Craft shopping channel.

FactSnippet No. 948,568
24.

UKTV launched its first HD channel; Good Food HD on 31 August 2010.

FactSnippet No. 948,569
25.

UKTV announced on 29 July 2011 that they would be launching three new HD channels, Dave HD and Watch HD launched in October 2011, and Alibi HD launched in July 2012.

FactSnippet No. 948,570