ITV Choice

ITV Choice
Country	United Kingdom
Broadcast area	Asia; Africa; Middle East
Programming
Language(s)	English
Picture format	576i (SDTV); 1080i (HDTV);
Ownership
Owner	ITV plc
History
Launched	1997; 27 years ago
Closed	20 August 2019; 5 years ago (Malta, Middle East and Asia); 4 June 2020; 4 years ago (Africa);
Former names	Granada UKTV (1997–2008); Granada TV (2008–2010); ITV Granada (2010–2013);
Links
Website	itvchoice.za.com

ITV Choice (formerly Granada UKTV, Granada TV and ITV Granada) was a television channel owned and operated by ITV plc.

History

The channel was launched in 1997 by Granada Media under the name Granada UKTV, and offered cable and satellite services in Middle East, Malta and Asia.^[1] It was also carried by Sky Network Television in New Zealand between 1999 and 2002.^[2]

The service was expanded and relaunched as Granada TV during 2008, when ITV announced plans to offer the channel to cable and satellite operators in Asia.^[3]

On 1 November 2010, it was rebranded as ITV Granada.^[4] The channel was renamed again as ITV Choice on 25 March 2013.^[5]

On 20 August 2019, it suddenly ceased broadcasting in many markets across the Middle East, Malta and Asia, while transmission in South Africa was unaffected.^[6] On 18 March 2020, it was announced that the channel would cease broadcasting in Africa on 4 June of that year.^[7] Tipping Point was the last programme to be broadcast on the channel before closure in Africa.

In December 2022, an ITV Choice branded FAST channel was launched on the Samsung TV Plus platform in Australia in December 2022, which airs various ITV Studios-owned programmes.^[8] In October 2023, it was renamed as Entertain by ITV Studios.^[9]

Programming

It primarily carried ITV and other UK programming, produced by ITV Studios and other independent production companies. Key programmes include Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Dancing on Ice, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, The Jonathan Ross Show, Doc Martin, The Chase, Tipping Point, among others.

Availability

Asia and Middle East on Measat 3^[10]
Australia on Samsung TV Plus^[11]
Malaysia on Astro (channel 735, from 21 December 2009^[12] until 16 January 2017)^{[citation needed]}
New Zealand on Sky Television (from January 1999 until 1 January 2002)^[2]
Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom (channel 82, from 6 December 2010)^{[citation needed]}
Malta on GO Channel 305 and Melita Cable (channel 309)^{[citation needed]}
The Middle East on Star TV's Star Select service, Orbit Showtime Network OSN channel 47 and Arab Digital Distribution^{[citation needed]}
Hong Kong on now TV (channel 517, from 7 September 2010) and Star TV (from January 1997 until 1 January 2002)^{[citation needed]}
Indonesia on Skynindo (channel 27) and TelkomVision (channel 503)^{[citation needed]}
India on Airtel digital TV (from 5 January 2012)^{[citation needed]}
Singapore on mio TV (channel 23, from 15 July 2009 until 25 March 2013), StarHub TV (channel 523, from 1 December 2009 until 30 December 2013)^[13] and Singtel TV (channel 337, from 1 July 2015 until 19 August 2019)^[14]
Thailand through Cable Thai Holding.^{[citation needed]}
Africa on DStv (from 5 May 2015 until 4 June 2020)^[15]^[7]

References

^ Aviation Week & Space Technology, Volume 156, Issues 1-5, Penton Media, 2002, page 241
^ ^a ^b New Year Programme Changes For Sky Television, 10 December 2001
^ "ITV Worldwide previews entertainment channel in Asia". ITV plc. 23 June 2008. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
^ GRANADA TV rebrands to ITV GRANADA, C+T, 3 November 2010
^ "ITV Granada to rebrand as ITV Choice". Asia Today. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
^ "ITV pulls pay TV channel from multiple countries". 20 August 2019. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
^ ^a ^b ITV Choice will no longer be available on DStv from 4 June, 18 March 2020
^ "ITV Studios sells 1000+ hours of content in APAC". 9 December 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
^ "ITV Studios to launch new FAST channels internationally - Digital TV Europe". Retrieved 20 March 2024.
^ "ABS 1 at 75.0°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
^ "All Channels | Samsung TV Plus | Samsung Australia". Samsung au. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
^ "Astro adds Granada TV". Rapid TV News. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
^ "Granada TV to Launch on StarHub". WorldScreen.com. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
^ ITV re-launches channel in Singapore, Digital TV Europe, 1 July 2015
^ "ITV Choice heading to Africa". Advanced Television. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

External links

Official website

[1] Aviation Week & Space Technology, Volume 156, Issues 1-5, Penton Media, 2002, page 241

[NZ-2] New Year Programme Changes For Sky Television, 10 December 2001

[3] "ITV Worldwide previews entertainment channel in Asia". ITV plc. 23 June 2008. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.

[4] GRANADA TV rebrands to ITV GRANADA, C+T, 3 November 2010

[5] "ITV Granada to rebrand as ITV Choice". Asia Today. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.

[6] "ITV pulls pay TV channel from multiple countries". 20 August 2019. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.

[channel24.co.za-7] ITV Choice will no longer be available on DStv from 4 June, 18 March 2020

[8] "ITV Studios sells 1000+ hours of content in APAC". 9 December 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.

[9] "ITV Studios to launch new FAST channels internationally - Digital TV Europe". Retrieved 20 March 2024.

[10] "ABS 1 at 75.0°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 15 January 2009.

[11] "All Channels | Samsung TV Plus | Samsung Australia". Samsung au. Retrieved 1 February 2023.

[12] "Astro adds Granada TV". Rapid TV News. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.

[13] "Granada TV to Launch on StarHub". WorldScreen.com. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.

[14] ITV re-launches channel in Singapore, Digital TV Europe, 1 July 2015

[15] "ITV Choice heading to Africa". Advanced Television. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

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