5USA
 Logo used since 2016 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080pHDTV(Sky Glass only) 576iSDTV |
| Timeshiftservice | 5USA +1 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Networks UK & Australia |
| Parent | Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | 16 October 2006 |
| Former names | Five US (2006–09)[1] Five USA (2009–11) |
| Links | |
| Website | channel5 |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 21 |
| Streaming media | |
| FilmOn | Watch live |
| Sky Go | Watch live |
| Virgin TV Go | Watch live(UK only) Watch live(+1) (UK only) |
5USAis a Britishfree-to-airtelevision channelowned byChannel 5 Broadcasting Limited,[2]a wholly-owned subsidiary ofParamount Global,which is grouped underParamount Networks UK & Australiadivision. It was launched on 16 October 2006 asFive USand was the second digital terrestrial television channel in the UK to be launched byRTL Group(the owner at the time) as part of their multi-channel strategy, the first being Five Life (now5Star). 5USA concentrates on showing imported movies and programmes from theUnited States.
History[edit]
The channel's original broadcast hours were from 4:00p.m. to 1:00a.m., however it extended its hours starting at 12:00p.m. in June 2007. On 1 November 2015, the channel began broadcasting from 7:00a.m. until 3:00a.m. The channel changes its programme slots and shows from time to time.
British comedianRussell Kanewas the 'face of the channel', presenting short clips between some programmes which acted as space fillers to comply with advertising regulations in the UK (UK regulations allows fewer minutes of advertising than in the US) until 16 February 2009. The music used during the idents until February 2009 were "The Dress Looks Nice on You","Chicago","Jacksonville"and"The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts",all performed bySufjan Stevens.
On 28 August 2007, Five US launched a timeshift channel – Five US +1 – available only on Sky.[3]On 22 January 2009, it was announced that Five US would be rebrandedFive USAon 16 February. It became 5USA in March 2011 as part of a corporate rebranding.[4][5]
Ratings[edit]
The channel's highest ratings to date were on 12 February 2008 for the second part of theCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationandWithout a Tracecrossover. The show averaged 2.58 million viewers between 10:00 and 11:00p.m. equating to a multichannel share of 13.9%. Those numbers made the show the most-watched multichannel programme in its slot – beating every other channel (digital and analogue) aside fromBBC One,and is currently one of the highest ratings for a multichannel in the United Kingdom.
Former logos[edit]
-
Five US logo
(16 October 2006 - 16 February 2009) -
Five USA logo
(16 February 2009 - 7 March 2011) -
5USA logo
(7 March 2011 - 11 February 2016)
Notes[edit]
- ^1Series nine through fourteen were aired first-run on Channel 5. From the eighteenth series, 5USA obtained the first-run rights to the series.
- ^2Series one through three and the first two episodes of the fourth series were aired first-run on 5Star. From the third episode of series four, 5USA obtained the first-run rights to the series.
- ^3Universal Channelhas first-run rights toLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitin the United Kingdom, as of 2014. Universal Channel is currently airing the sixteenth series. Channel 5 had second-run rights to all series, up until the twelfth series. From the thirteenth series, aired in 2015, 5USA has second-run rights to the series. Universal Channel UK closed down on 27 January 2020 and their programming was moved to Sky Witness.
- ^45USA has finished airing episodes to this first-run or second-run series and is currently rerunning episodes in their schedules, as of 2015.
References[edit]
- ^"Television Broadcast Licensing Update October 2006".Ofcom. Archived fromthe originalon 4 September 2009.Retrieved12 October2009.
- ^"Ofcom | TV Cable and Satellite".static.ofcom.org.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 15 March 2023.Retrieved15 March2023.
- ^Joanne Oatts (5 July 2007)."Five launches +1 services".Digital Spy.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2008.Retrieved5 July2007.
- ^"Five US Rebranded to FiveUSA".Entertainment Interactive.Archivedfrom the original on 28 August 2017.Retrieved28 August2017.
- ^"New brand identity for Five US".Digital Spy.22 January 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 24 January 2009.Retrieved22 January2009.
