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Channel One (British and Irish TV channel)

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This article is about the television channel. For the bank account formerly known as Virgin One, see The One account.
Virgin 1
Country United Kingdom
Ownership
OwnerVirgin Media Television

Virgin 1 is the flagship television channel broadcast by Virgin Media Television. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 9pm on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky Digital, replacing Ftn. Some media sources have claimed that the channel is intended to be Virgin Media's attempt to create a rival to Sky One with the advantage of having a wider reach of viewers. The channel will initially have a £40 million budget as well as being funded through advertising revenue.

The channel is broadcast 24 hours on cable and satellite complemented by the Virgin 1 +1 service (not available on Freeview). As Ftn only broadcast for 12 hours on Freeview, Virgin 1 is broadcast on Freeview only from 6:00 pm until 6:00 am.

History

Virgin 1 was launched on 1 October 2007 on all platforms (Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky Digital) replacing former Virgin Media Television channel Ftn. The network had previously expressed their interest in running a general entertainment channel, to concide with the relaunch of NTL:Telewest to Virgin Media. Some media sources claimed that Virgin 1 was intended to be in direct competition with BSkyB's Sky One[1], which has an average of around 0.9% of the market compared to Virgin 1's 0.5%. Virgin 1's sister channel Living has 1.0% audience share combined with its timeshifted service. It was announced in the summer of 2007 that Virgin Media Television was to launch the new channel.[2] At first the company stated that all of their other channels, including Ftn would still run as normal, but because of Ftn having a key Freeview primetime slot which would increase any channels audience share this was later changed.[3] As a result of the launch of Virgin 1, Ftn closed, leaving its EPG positions on Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview to Virgin 1.[4]

BSkyB dispute

On March 1, 2007, at 00:00 GMT, Sky's basic channels, which included Sky One (along with Sky Two, not previously available to Telewest customers, Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Travel and Sky Travel Extra), were removed from the Virgin Media cable television services after a dispute between Virgin Media and BSkyB. This was due to the expiry of their previous carriage agreement, and both companies inability to reach a new deal.[5][6] This, in turn, was another reason for launching the channel

Virgin Central, an on-demand service, has recently gained the rights to begin showing episodes of the television show Lost (already shown on Sky One), and other shows including Alias and The OC. This service extends the on-demand service previously known as Teleport TV. Teleport TV remains available, offering recently-broadcast shows and other shows and series.

On 2 March 2007 The National Consumer Council accused Sky and Virgin of "behaving like children" and stated that at the end of March 2007 it would consider whether or not to raise a super-complaint against them "that will help to knock heads together".[7] On 5 March 2007 Virgin Media threatened to take legal action against BSkyB if the matter remained unresolved in 30 days.[8] On 12 April 2007 Virgin Media filed a legal case in the High Court against BSkyB under the UK Competition Act 1998 and Article 82 of the EC Treaty. BSkyB claimed that Virgin Media made little effort to further arbitration.[9]

Launch night

On the launch night, the channel started of at 18:00 by showing three hours of looped previews accompanied by a countdown until the official launch at 21:00.

The schedule after the previews for the primetime shows on the channels launch night were as follows:

Time Programme Name Notes
18.00 Previews Previews shown on loop until official launch
21.00 Criminal Minds This show attracted 347,000 viewers
22.00 The Riches This show attracted 419,000 viewers
23.15 Penis Envy This show attracted 158,000 viewers

Programming

See also: List of programmes broadcast by Virgin 1

The schedule for Virgin 1 currently consists of a mixture of American and British comedy, drama and factual programming. The channel is pitched towards its female-targeted channel Living and the male-targeted channel Bravo. The channel also shows commissioned content from Living, Bravo, Challenge and Trouble as well as its own commissioned content such as Crime Invasion.

Current Programming

Coming soon

Former programming

V Funny Sunday

V Funny Sunday is a programming block which airs on Sunday evenings which currently features classic comedy from the United States. The block is thought to have taken inspiration from the US network Fox (owned by Sky One parent News Corp) which also airs a comedy block on Sunday evenings (known as LOL Sunday).

From 11th November the V Funny Sunday programming block changed both in programming and when it would air, moving from a starting time of 9pm to the earlier time of 7pm. Both Help Me Help You and Boston Legal were replaced by The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and That 70s Show.

From 2 December the V Funny Sunday programming block was changed and shortened to 2 hours, with Seinfeld being removed from its 9pm slot to make way for factual programming such as Crime Invasion and the ....Envy series.

7 October to 4 November

11 November to 24 November

2 December to present

Virgin 1 Website

Virgin 1 Online
File:Virgin1.png
Type of site
Portal
Available inEnglish
OwnerVirgin Media
Created byVirgin Group
URLwww.virgin1.co.uk
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional

The URL virgin1.co.uk (also virgin1.virginmedia.com) is the address of the main website for Virgin 1. The website that accommodates the channel. The website offers online streaming, competitions, TV Guide, programme information, videos as well as social networking facilities. Other features include an Editor's Pick, newsletter and my virgin 1.

The URL 'www.virgin1.co.uk' was created in September 2007, before the launch of the channel, with the main aim to get buzz about the new channel. It initially only featured a taster video. Before featured on website highlighting the new shows that would broadcast on Virgin 1. When the channel launched a new website at the URL 'virgin1.virginmedia.com' commenced, although the original now redirects to the new site.

Another website for Virgin 1 also exists as part of the main virginmedia.com website. It features information on all of the channels programmes and short previews of television shows such as The Riches and Crime Invasion and games.

References

  1. ^ "Virgin 1 Freeview channel to rival Sky One". Tech.co.uk. 11 June, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Virgin Media Television announces Virgin 1". Virgin Media Press Office. 12 June, 2007. Retrieved 2006-08-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Launch of Virgin 1 on Freeview". Freeview.co.uk. Retrieved 2006-08-24.
  4. ^ "Virgin 1 launch date announced". Digital Spy. 18 September, 2007. Retrieved 2006-09-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ James Welsh (2007-03-01). "Sky One, Sky News pulled from Virgin". Digital Spy.
  6. ^ "BSkyB channels taken off Virgin". BBC News. 2007-03-01.
  7. ^ "Consumer body angry at BSkyB row". BBC. 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2007-03-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Virgin TV in BSkyB legal threat". BBC. 2007-03-05. Retrieved 2007-03-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Virgin TV in BSkyB court action". BBC. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2007-04-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Virgin 1 schedule (2 October)". Radio Times. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "October on Virgin 1". Idigitalsales. 18 September, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Virgin 1 to explore UK crime invasion". C21 Media. 24 August, 2007. Retrieved 2006-08-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ a b "Virgin 1 schedule (1 October)". Radio Times. Retrieved 2007-09-19. Cite error: The named reference "1oct" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. ^ "Virgin 1 to air 'cockumentary'". Digital Spy. 23 August, 2007. Retrieved 2006-08-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b "Virgin 1 to get £40 million investment". Digital Spy. 24 June, 2007. Retrieved 2006-08-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Virgin 1 acquires music series". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  17. ^ "Virgin 1 Week 49.pdf" (PDF). idigitalsales. Retrieved 16 November 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. ^ "Virgin 1 commissions Death Row Dogs". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
  19. ^ "Virgin 1 Week 51.pdf" (PDF). idigitalsales.
  20. ^ "Virgin 1 goes for bold look with new identity". Brand Republic. 29 August, 2007. Retrieved 2006-09-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Virgin 1 to air new lottery". Broadcast. 5 December, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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