Granada Sky Broadcasting Reviews Channel Lineup Following ITV plc Merger

London, Early January 2005 — Granada Sky Broadcasting (GSB), the joint venture responsible for distributing a range of popular television channels on satellite and cable platforms, has confirmed it is undertaking a strategic review of its overall channel portfolio in the wake of the recent merger between Carlton Communications and Granada plc, which formed the newly unified ITV plc.

The merger, completed late last year, brought together two of the UK’s largest commercial broadcasters under one roof. This consolidation has placed Carlton Communications’ channel Carlton Cinema firmly under the ownership and management of GSB, alongside other key channels in the lineup including ITV2, ITV3, ITV News, Men & Motors, Granada Breeze, Shop! The Value Channel, and Wellbeing. The addition of Carlton Cinema extends GSB’s reach into niche film programming, complementing the existing entertainment and lifestyle offerings.

A spokesperson for GSB stated:
"With the formation of ITV plc, we now have an unparalleled opportunity to streamline and strengthen our channel portfolio to better serve our audience and advertising partners. We are actively reviewing all channels to ensure they align with our strategic objectives and deliver maximum value moving forward."

Industry insiders speculate that the review may result in the consolidation or repositioning of overlapping channels, especially given the challenges faced by niche channels such as Granada Breeze and Wellbeing, which have historically catered to more specialized audiences.

The Men & Motors channel, known for its male-oriented content including automotive programming and lifestyle, remains a strong performer within the portfolio, while ITV2 and ITV3 continue to build on their reputation for entertainment and drama respectively. Meanwhile, the addition of Carlton Cinema adds a classic film angle to the bouquet.

There has been no official word on potential channel closures or rebranding, but analysts expect the review to consider audience ratings, advertising revenue, and brand synergy in the coming months. The evolving digital television landscape and competition from emerging platforms have also been noted as factors influencing the review.

GSB’s channel lineup has played a significant role in expanding the reach of ITV’s content beyond its flagship terrestrial channel, offering viewers greater diversity in entertainment, lifestyle, and news programming.

Further announcements regarding any changes to the GSB suite of channels are anticipated later this quarter.

GSB Channel Portfolio (Current):

ITV2
ITV3
ITV News
Men & Motors
Granada Breeze
Shop! The Value Channel
Carlton Cinema
Wellbeing
For more information, please contact Granada Sky Broadcasting press office.

Write a tweet with the 2 companies that own the company

Granada Sky Broadcasting, owned jointly by @itvplc and @SkyUK, is reviewing its channel lineup following the recent ITV plc merger. Changes may be on the horizon! #TVnews #ITV #Sky

Write an article Febuary 5 2005, It mulls launching a CITV channel, and throws the fates of 3 of it's channels into question

Granada Sky Broadcasting Mulls Launching Dedicated CITV Channel, Puts Fate of Three Channels in Question

February 5, 2005 – London — Granada Sky Broadcasting (GSB) is reportedly considering the launch of a dedicated CITV channel aimed at younger viewers — a move that could significantly reshape its existing channel portfolio. The potential new venture comes as GSB evaluates its current offerings in the wake of ITV plc’s recent formation and ongoing strategy to consolidate and strengthen its television assets.

Insiders suggest that if a standalone CITV channel is launched, it would serve as a dedicated home for children’s programming within the ITV ecosystem, building on the brand's longstanding reputation on the terrestrial ITV network.

However, industry observers note that this strategic pivot may come at a cost to some of GSB's existing niche channels. Sources close to the broadcaster indicate that the future of three channels — Granada Breeze, Wellbeing, and Shop! The Value Channel — may be under review, with the prospect of downsizing, rebranding, or even closure.

Granada Breeze, which has targeted a predominantly female audience with lifestyle and leisure programming, and Wellbeing, focused on health and fitness content, have reportedly seen modest audience figures compared to GSB’s entertainment and drama channels. Meanwhile, Shop! The Value Channel, GSB’s dedicated shopping channel, faces increasing competition from other retail broadcasters and online platforms.

A GSB spokesperson said:
"We continue to assess our portfolio to ensure it meets the evolving needs of our viewers and commercial partners. The concept of a dedicated CITV channel is very much under consideration, but no final decisions have been made. We are carefully evaluating the performance and strategic fit of all our channels as part of this process."

The prospect of a CITV channel is exciting for children’s entertainment fans, providing a single destination for popular shows and potentially increasing viewer engagement across digital platforms.

With the UK digital television market growing ever more competitive, GSB’s review underscores the importance of focused, brand-aligned programming to capture and retain audiences across multiple demographics.

Further announcements regarding channel line-up changes and the future of CITV programming on satellite and cable platforms are expected in the coming months.

Current GSB Channels Potentially Affected:

Granada Breeze
Wellbeing
Shop! The Value Channel
For updates on this developing story, stay tuned to industry news outlets.

Write an article March 3, ITV4 launches in a few months, CITV sometime next year, Shop!, Breeze, Cinema and Wellbeing are all being looked at, and so is ITV News, as ITN want to focus on the core ITV1 bulletins

Granada Sky Broadcasting Prepares for ITV4 Launch, CITV to Follow Next Year; Several Channels Face Review

March 3, 2005 – London — Granada Sky Broadcasting (GSB) has confirmed plans to launch the new entertainment channel ITV4 in the coming months, with a dedicated CITV children’s channel expected to debut sometime next year. Meanwhile, a comprehensive review is underway that could reshape the future of several existing channels in the GSB portfolio.

ITV4 is slated to cater primarily to a male audience, featuring a mix of sport, drama, and classic ITV programming, bolstering the broadcaster’s multi-channel offering as it competes increasingly in the digital arena. The channel’s launch is anticipated to strengthen ITV plc’s presence in a crowded marketplace and offer advertisers targeted options.

Additionally, a standalone CITV channel, long-awaited by fans of ITV’s children’s programming, is planned for rollout next year, providing a dedicated home for youth-oriented shows and potentially increasing visibility for the brand.

At the same time, GSB executives are reviewing the future of several current channels — including Shop! The Value Channel, Granada Breeze, Carlton Cinema, and Wellbeing. Sources say the review considers audience figures, brand alignment, and the competitive landscape.

Granada Breeze and Wellbeing, both lifestyle-focused channels, have struggled to find significant traction, while Shop! faces stiff competition from other shopping broadcasters and digital retail platforms. Carlton Cinema, now fully under the GSB umbrella following the ITV plc merger, is also being assessed for its ongoing viability amid shifting viewer habits.

Adding to the list of channels under scrutiny is ITV News. According to insiders, ITN, the independent news provider for ITV, is keen to concentrate its resources on the core ITV1 news bulletins rather than maintaining a separate dedicated news channel under GSB. This could signal an end or substantial overhaul for the ITV News channel, which currently offers around-the-clock national and international news coverage.

A spokesperson for GSB said:
"ITV4 represents an exciting new chapter in ITV’s multichannel strategy, and CITV’s launch next year will enhance our children’s programming offering. As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the best possible content to viewers and our partners, we continue to evaluate other channels to ensure they fit strategically within our portfolio."

Industry analysts believe these developments reflect ITV plc’s broader goal to streamline its channel lineup, focus on core strengths, and better target audience demographics as digital television continues to expand in the UK.

Further details on channel closures or rebranding are expected in the coming weeks as GSB finalizes its multi-channel strategy for 2005.

Key Upcoming Launches:

ITV4: Launching in the next few months
CITV: Planned launch sometime in 2006
Channels Under Review:

Shop! The Value Channel
Granada Breeze
Carlton Cinema
Wellbeing
ITV News
Stay tuned for updates on ITV’s evolving multichannel lineup.

Hiroshima Home TV

On September 18, 1964, the station makes a license request as Setonaikai Broadcasting (unrelated to the current TV station of the same name). At the time, at least 42 companies wanted to apply for the third commercial television station in the prefecture, and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications appointed Nagano Isuo to coordinate these applications.[1]: 30  The company gained a preliminary license on November 18, 1969, on the founders' meeting on December 25, the name Hiroshima HOME Television was selected (Setonaikai Broadcasting in Kagawa started in April that year.)[1]: 30 

In 1970, the station bought land to build its facilities,[1]: 30  in Shiroshima Kita-cho, Hiroshima City, building took place between March and September 23.[1]: 32  Test broadcasts were conducted from October 1; on December 1, at 6:50am, the station signed on its regular service for the first time, the first program being a morning bulletin from ANN News. At the time, the network carried programming from Nippon Educational Television (NET TV, current TV Asahi); the original abbreviation was UHT (UHF Hiroshima-Home Television).

In a ratings survey conducted by Video Research in January 1971, UHT achieved high ratings of 6,3% during the day and 12,3% during primetime hours. At the same time, the number of UHF-ready television sets in the prefecture increased to more than 544,000 units,[1]: 34  that same year, the station's fortunes were worth 1,345 billion yen.[1]: 36  In a survey in January 1973, its median all-day ratings were 8,4% and during primetime, 19,2%, becoming one of the most-viewed UHF stations of the time.[1]: 38  Profits that year exceeded 2 billion yen.[1]: 40 

Affected by the 1973 oil crisis which caused a slowing of the Japanese economy, as well as the intensification of competition with the start of a fourth commercial station, growth in revenue slowed in the middle of the decade.[1]: 48  However, in 1978, revenue was worth 3,248 billion yen, an 11,7% increase, surpassing 3 billion yen.[1]: 50  News gathering information abroad started in 1979 with dispatching of teams to Hawaii and Sichuan Province.[1]: 50 

Equipment was upgraded on October 27, 1983[1]: 165  and sound multiplex broadcasts start on November 14, 1985, the first full ANN affiliate to do so.[1]: 165  The station introduced its new corporate identity on April 1, 1986. Along with it, the main abbreviation changed to HOME.[1]: 58 

The station's mascot, Polpol (ぽるぽる), was created upon the station's 30th anniversary celebrations in 2000, tie-in merchandise was also released. The character is a yellow, pudgy character with a cute face. [2] Digital terrestrial broadcasts commenced on October 1, 2006; analog terrestrial broadcasts concluded on 24 July 2011. Write a forum conversation 23 May 2005, On Freeview it appears Shop! The Value Channel has just started a "firesale", everything must go, Is the channel closing? There are rumors of this Japanese channel joining Freeview, Could that be why Shop! is closing, It no longer broadcasts on other platforms and ever since Littlewoods pulled out of the venture in 2002, Granada Sky Broadcasting have been running it like Bid TV, but kind of dodgy. and sometimes orders get suddenly cancelled with no refund. but anyways today it appears a mega sale is happening, and GSB put the channel under review quite recently anyway

Forum Thread: Shop! The Value Channel – Firesale on Freeview? Closing Down?

User1 (May 23, 2005, 10:15 AM):
Has anyone else noticed that Shop! The Value Channel on Freeview seems to have started some kind of huge "firesale"? It’s like everything must go. Could this mean the channel is shutting down soon? It’s weird because it’s no longer broadcasting on Sky or cable platforms as far as I know.

User2 (May 23, 2005, 10:38 AM):
Yeah, I spotted that too. The “mega sale” is out of the blue. Makes me think GSB is trying to clear inventory before pulling the plug. I remember they put a bunch of channels under review recently — Shop! was definitely one of them.

User3 (May 23, 2005, 11:05 AM):
I read somewhere that GSB has been running Shop! more or less like Bid TV ever since Littlewoods left back in 2002. Some shady stuff has gone down too — like orders getting canceled at the last minute with no refunds. Nothing like a proper shopping channel.

User4 (May 23, 2005, 11:25 AM):
It wouldn’t surprise me if this channel is closing. Freeview is trying to get more variety and I’ve heard rumours that a Japanese channel might be coming to Freeview soon. Could that be related? Maybe GSB needs to clear the slot for this new channel.

User5 (May 23, 2005, 11:50 AM):
Interesting theory... Shop! hasn’t been big on other platforms for a while. If the channel’s only really left is Freeview and sales have been dodgy, GSB probably doesn’t see the point in keeping it going. The firesale looks like a last-ditch effort to make something before closing.

User6 (May 23, 2005, 12:10 PM):
I wonder how long the firesale will last? If the channel is ending, it would be nice if GSB made an official announcement. They’ve been pretty quiet about these things lately.

User1 (May 23, 2005, 12:30 PM):
Agreed — silent treatment isn’t helping. Meanwhile, I’m watching the sales hoping to snag a bargain, but still wary about placing orders!

End of thread, ongoing discussion expected as more news breaks.

Wrie a conversation talking about what has been happening with Shop! recently, including the review, Also the user reveals the JP channel coming

Forum Thread: What’s Going On With Shop! The Value Channel? And That New Japanese Channel Rumor

UserA (May 24, 2005, 9:00 AM):
So here’s a quick recap in case anyone missed it — Shop! The Value Channel has been under review by Granada Sky Broadcasting for a while now. I think the official announcements came around March, when it was confirmed that several channels were being looked at because of low ratings and changes in strategy. Shop! was one of them, along with Granada Breeze, Wellbeing, and Carlton Cinema.

UserB (May 24, 2005, 9:20 AM):
Yeah, I’ve been following that too. Shop! stopped broadcasting on Sky and cable last year, right? So the only place left was Freeview. And now with this sudden firesale airing on Freeview, people are pretty sure it’s a sign the channel is winding down, or at least rethinking its future.

UserC (May 24, 2005, 9:45 AM):
I heard that since Littlewoods backed out of the joint venture back in 2002, Shop! hasn’t really been doing well. GSB apparently started running it more like one of those late-night bargain channels, but with lots of complaints about dodgy order cancellations and no refunds. Not a great look for loyal shoppers.

UserA (May 24, 2005, 10:10 AM):
Exactly, and the review initiated by GSB after the ITV plc merger is about streamlining their channel lineup, focusing on the stronger brands like ITV4, upcoming CITV, and the core ITV channels. So something niche like Shop! The Value Channel probably doesn’t fit their new strategy anymore.

UserD (May 24, 2005, 10:30 AM):
The interesting twist is the rumor about a Japanese channel launching on Freeview soon. I’ve seen whispers on other forums saying that Hiroshima Home TV — a broadcaster with a long history — is in talks to launch a cultural and lifestyle channel on Freeview.

UserB (May 24, 2005, 10:50 AM):
That could explain why Shop! seems to be clearing shop for good on Freeview — maybe GSB or Freeview are making room for this Japanese channel to enter the UK market. Considering GSB runs a joint venture with Sky and ITV, maybe they’re partnering up with overseas broadcasters for fresh content.

UserC (May 24, 2005, 11:15 AM):
If Hiroshima Home TV or some similar Japanese station launches here, that’d be quite a coup for Freeview. A chance to diversify their offerings with international programming. Makes sense to replace underperforming shopping channels with something unique.

UserA (May 24, 2005, 11:40 AM):
In any case, for anyone still watching Shop! on Freeview, it might be time to keep an eye out for official shutdown notices. The firesale might be your last chance to grab deals, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on it sticking around much longer.

UserD (May 24, 2005, 12:00 PM):
Definitely. This kind of lineup reshuffle is typical when broadcasters rethink their digital strategy — cut the weak, make room for new content. We’ll see some interesting changes later this year, that’s for sure.

UserB (May 24, 2005, 12:30 PM):
Thanks for the update all! Can’t wait to see what the new Japanese channel brings. Hope it’s something fresh and well-produced.

UserC (May 24, 2005, 12:45 PM):
Agreed! New channels mean new choices, and that’s always a good thing for viewers.

End of conversation.

Write a follow up with the confirmation, also the sale is now being promoted as a "going out of business sale", to last till either all stock is cleared out or July 1, whichever comes first

Forum Thread: Confirmation — Shop! The Value Channel Closing; “Going Out of Business” Sale Announced

UserA (June 10, 2005, 9:00 AM):
Alright everyone, it’s official now. Granada Sky Broadcasting has confirmed that Shop! The Value Channel is closing down. The current firesale has been rebranded as a “Going Out of Business Sale,” and it’s set to last until either all stock is sold out or July 1, whichever comes first.

UserB (June 10, 2005, 9:25 AM):
Thanks for the heads-up! So that explains the mega discount madness on Freeview lately. Makes sense they want to clear everything before shutting down the channel completely.

UserC (June 10, 2005, 9:50 AM):
It’s a shame, but after years of poor viewership and sketchy order problems, I guess it was inevitable. Anyone know if there’s any official transition announcements regarding replacement channels on Freeview?

UserA (June 10, 2005, 10:10 AM):
The rumor mill’s been turning — the Japanese lifestyle and cultural channel (likely Hiroshima Home TV or similar) is confirmed to launch on Freeview later this year. That would be the slot freed up by Shop!’s closure.

UserD (June 10, 2005, 10:40 AM):
From a business perspective, GSB is probably better off focusing on ITV4, CITV, and a streamlined portfolio anyway. Niche shopping channels just don’t perform well anymore, especially with online shopping gaining ground.

UserB (June 10, 2005, 11:00 AM):
True. Well, for anyone interested — jump on the sales while they last! Hopefully all orders go through smoothly this time without cancellations or refund issues.

UserC (June 10, 2005, 11:20 AM):
Agreed! It’s bittersweet, but new channels and better programming options sound promising. Thanks for the update!

End of thread.

Write a reply confirming the replacement, and the date it joins

UserE (June 10, 2005, 11:45 AM):
Just to confirm, the new Japanese channel replacing Shop! The Value Channel on Freeview will be Hiroshima Home TV. It’s scheduled to launch on July 15, 2005. Should be an interesting addition with its focus on Japanese culture, lifestyle, and entertainment. Looking forward to seeing how it shapes up!

[Upbeat, energetic voice-over with lively background music]

Voice-over:
"Prices have just been SLASHED at Shop!'s Going Out of Business Liquidation!

Everything must go – unbelievable deals on all your favorite products!

Hurry in now and grab incredible bargains before they're all gone!

Shop! — the biggest clearance SALE you’ve ever seen!

Don’t miss out — prices this low won’t last!

Shop! The Value Channel — clearing stock, closing down soon!". Write a conversation June 18 asking how the sale is progressing, Does it look like they will sell everything before the 1st or is that still the day they are closing