ITV Choice
{{Short description|Cable and satellite channel}}
{{About|the international TV channel previously known as ITV Granada|the UK regional service|ITV Granada}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = ITV Choice
| logo = ITV Choice logo, 2022.png
| logo_size = 175px
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1997|df=y}}
| closed_date = {{plainlist|
- {{End date and age|2019|08|20|df=y}} (Malta, Middle East and Asia)
- {{End date and age|2020|06|04|df=y}} (Africa)
}}
| picture_format = {{plainlist|
}}
| owner = ITV plc
| country = United Kingdom
| area = Asia
Africa
Middle East
| language = English
| headquarters =
| former_names = {{plainlist|
- Granada UKTV (1997–2008)
- Granada TV (2008–2010)
- ITV Granada (2010–2013)
}}
| website = {{url|itvchoice.za.com}}
| sat_serv_1 =
| sat_chan_1 =
}}
ITV Choice (formerly Granada UKTV, Granada TV and ITV Granada) was a British-based television channel owned and operated by ITV plc.
History
File:ITV Granada (Middle East & Asia).pngFile:ITV Choice.svg
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.[https://books.google.com/books?id=9IlKAQAAIAAJ&q=%22UKTV%22 Aviation Week & Space Technology], Volume 156, Issues 1-5, Penton Media, 2002, page 241 It was also carried by Sky Network Television in New Zealand between 1999 and 2002.[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0112/S00050/new-year-programme-changes-for-sky-televsion.htm New Year Programme Changes For Sky Television], 10 December 2001
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.itvplc.com/media/news/itv-worldwide-previews-entertainment-channel-in-asia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202101/https://www.itvplc.com/media/news/itv-worldwide-previews-entertainment-channel-in-asia|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2013|title= ITV Worldwide previews entertainment channel in Asia|publisher=ITV plc|date=23 June 2008}}
On 1 November 2010, it was rebranded as ITV Granada.[http://www.content-technology.com/asiapacificnews/?p=886 GRANADA TV rebrands to ITV GRANADA], C+T, 3 November 2010 The channel was renamed again as ITV Choice on 25 March 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.asiatoday.com/pressrelease/itv-granada-rebrand-itv-choice|title=ITV Granada to rebrand as ITV Choice|publisher=Asia Today|date=8 February 2013|access-date=8 February 2013}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/08/itv-pulls-pay-tv-channel-from-multiple.html|title=ITV pulls pay TV channel from multiple countries|date=20 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111105016/https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/08/itv-pulls-pay-tv-channel-from-multiple.html|access-date=18 January 2020|url-status=usurped|archive-date=11 November 2019}} On 18 March 2020, it was announced that the channel would cease broadcasting in Africa on 4 June of that year.[https://www.channel24.co.za/TV/News/itv-choice-will-no-longer-be-available-on-dstv-from-4-june-20200318 ITV Choice will no longer be available on DStv from 4 June], 18 March 2020 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.{{Cite web|date=2022-12-09 |title=ITV Studios sells 1000+ hours of content in APAC |url=https://advanced-television.com/2022/12/09/itv-studios-sells-1000-hours-of-content-in-apac/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |language=en-GB}} In October 2023, it was renamed as Entertain by ITV Studios.{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2023/10/16/itv-studios-to-launch-new-fast-channels-internationally/|title=ITV Studios to launch new FAST channels internationally - Digital TV Europe|accessdate=20 March 2024}}
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{{cite web|url=http://www.lyngsat.com/abs1.html|title=ABS 1 at 75.0°E|publisher=LyngSat|access-date=15 January 2009}}
- Australia on Samsung TV Plus{{Cite web |title=All Channels {{!}} Samsung TV Plus {{!}} Samsung Australia |url=https://www.samsung.com/au/tvs/smart-tv/samsung-tv-plus/all-channels/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Samsung au |language=en-AU}}
- Malaysia on Astro (channel 735, from 21 December 2009{{cite web|url=http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/200912175467/astro-adds-granada-tv.html |title=Astro adds Granada TV |publisher=Rapid TV News |date= 17 December 2009|access-date=8 February 2013}} until 16 January 2017){{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- New Zealand on Sky Television (from January 1999 until 1 January 2002)
- Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom (channel 82, from 6 December 2010){{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- Malta on GO Channel 305 and Melita Cable (channel 309){{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- The Middle East on Star TV's Star Select service, Orbit Showtime Network OSN channel 47 and Arab Digital Distribution{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- Hong Kong on now TV (channel 517, from 7 September 2010) and Star TV (from January 1997 until 1 January 2002){{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- Indonesia on Skynindo (channel 27) and TelkomVision (channel 503){{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- India on Airtel digital TV (from 5 January 2012){{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- 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){{cite web|url=http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/23456|title=Granada TV to Launch on StarHub|publisher=WorldScreen.com|date=25 November 2009|access-date=8 February 2013}} and Singtel TV (channel 337, from 1 July 2015 until 19 August 2019)[http://www.digitaltveurope.net/391492/itv-re-launches-channel-in-singapore/ ITV re-launches channel in Singapore], Digital TV Europe,
1 July 2015
- Thailand through Cable Thai Holding.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
- Africa on DStv (from 5 May 2015 until 4 June 2020){{cite web | url=https://advanced-television.com/2015/03/20/itv-choice-heading-to-africa/ | title=ITV Choice heading to Africa | publisher=Advanced Television | date=20 March 2015 | access-date=2 May 2019 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.itv-choice.com}}
{{ITV}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ITV Choice}}
Category:ITV television channels
Category:Defunct television channels
Category:English-language television stations
Category:Television channels and stations established in 1997
Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2020