Now (British TV channel)
 Logo of "Now" | |
| Ownership | |
|---|---|
| Owner | British Satellite Broadcasting(laterSky) |
| Sister channels | The Movie Channel The Sports Channel Galaxy The Power Station The Computer Channel |
| History | |
| Launched | 28 March 1990 |
| Closed | 1 December 1990 |
| Replaced by | Sky News Sky Arts |
Now(referred to by some news outlets asThe Now Channel)[1][2]was a British television channel transmitted as part of theBritish Satellite Broadcastingservice during 1990.
History[edit]
The Now channel was originally designed to be a live 24-hour news channel similar toCNNandSky News,with its content provided byITN.[3]Between the awarding of the franchise and the launch of the channel, ITN withdrew its involvement with BSB after failing to reach an agreement on how to provide its news service[4]and the Now channel's remit was changed to a mix of daytime lifestyle shows, current affairs programming, and arts programmes at weekends. The channel was promoted under the slogan "The Channel For Living". Now was broadcast throughout BSB's short spell on air from March to December 1990 on theMarcopolo satellites.
On 2 November 1990, BSB merged withSkyto formBritish Sky Broadcasting,it was decided to streamline the channels available on both services. Now was replaced withSky News,which Sky Television had broadcast on theAstra 1Asatellite.
Now ceased broadcasting on Saturday 1 December 1990 at 1.00am – the first of the five BSB channels to close. As there were still arts programmes yet to be shown on Now, BSkyB broadcastSky Artsas a weekend-only opt-out of the Sky News service on the Marcopolo satellite. Once all shows were broadcast, Sky Arts was closed, though the name itself eventually returned in March 2007 when the channel Artsworld, which was taken over by BSkyB in June 2005, was relaunched.
Programming[edit]
Nowfeatured a mix of talk and chat shows, documentaries, news, current affairs and arts programming. As with all of BSB's other channels, Now carried shortBSB Newsbulletins throughout the day.
One of Now's most memorable programmes wasNow Sir Robinfronted by ex-Question Timepresenter SirRobin Day,which later transferred to Sky News. The programme covered the week's political happenings and confrontations. Now broadcast a number oftheatreandclassical musicperformances during its short period on-air. Arts programming featured on most nights.
Sky Arts (Original)[edit]
| Programming | |
|---|---|
| Picture format | 4:3(576iSDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | British Sky Broadcasting |
| History | |
| Launched | 2 December 1990 |
| Replaced | Now |
| Closed | 31 December 1992[5] |
| Replaced by | Sky Soap Sky Travel |
Originally, Sky Arts was planned as a full channel on theAstra 1Asatellite at the beginning of theSky Televisionservice in 1989. Promotional material broadcast during the launch indicated the channel would appear later that year along withDisney Channel.[6]Neither channel launched at the time,Disneydue to disputes with Sky, whilst arts programming (such as an early broadcast of the operaCarmen) was instead broadcast on Sky One.
Following the merger ofBritish Satellite Broadcastingand Sky Television to formBritish Sky Broadcastingin 1990,[7]Now was replaced withSky News.[8]However, contracts were still in place to transmit some shows intended for the Now channel, so occasional weekend opt-outs from Sky News took place forMarcopolo satelliteviewers (which was owned by BSB prior to the merger and which carriedNow). This opt-out was entitled Sky Arts.[9][10]
Around six months later, all outstanding programmes had been broadcast. This meant that the full Sky News service was broadcast on both Marcopolo and Astra and Sky Arts ceased to broadcast.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^Oversight, United States Congress House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and (1988).Explosion at the Pacific Engineering Ammonium Perchlorate Plant: Local Impact and Recovery Activities: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, Second Session, June 8, 24, 1988.U.S. Government Printing Office.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Baran, Stanley (2 September 2003).The Known World of Broadcast News: International News and the Electronic Media.Routledge.ISBN978-1-134-95952-5.
- ^Archived atGhostarchiveand theWayback Machine:"BSB contract award | December 1986".YouTube.
- ^Peter Chippindale,Suzanne Franks and Roma Felstein,Dished!: Rise and Fall of British Satellite Broadcasting(London: Simon & Schuster Ltd, 1991)
- ^"TV History".UK Free TV.Retrieved17 August2007.
- ^Sky Opening and Eurosport First Day, 1989.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-17.
And still to come in 1989, Sky Arts, plus the ultimate in family entertainment, introducing The Disney Channel!
- ^Sweney, Mark (12 November 2014)."BSkyB to be rebranded as Sky after takeover of European sister companies".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved4 February2016.
- ^"James Murdoch To Replace Nicholas Ferguson As Sky Chairman".International Business Times.Retrieved4 February2016.
- ^Chris WathanThe BSB/Sky MergerArchived21 November 2009 at theWayback MachineAnalogue/Sat
- ^About BSkyB – Murdoch on Astra...versus BSB on Marco PoloIrish Cable & Digital Guide
External links[edit]
- Sky television channels
- Defunct television channels in the United Kingdom
- Television channels and stations established in 1990
- Television channels and stations disestablished in 1990
- 1990 in the United Kingdom
- 1990 in British television
- 1990s in the United Kingdom
- 1990s in British television
- History of television in the United Kingdom