Sale of Channel 5

Rick_ · 25-02-2014 10:58AM #1

Looks as if Discovery/Sky are going to make a joint bid for Channel 5. If they do end up getting it, I wonder what they will end up doing with the channel. I would imagine Sky would handle the news and some programming, and the rest would be up to Discovery. What will become of 5 USA and 5*, and if Sky's part of the deal is more than we think, what will happen to Pick and Challenge? Channel merges, new channels...? Interesting times ahead. Final date for bids is on Thursday.

mike65 · 25-02-2014 12:02PM

Hard to know what might happen to be honest, the channels prime time hours are so reliant on US imports - esp the CSI franchises. When they lapse whoever takes over will have some big gaps to fill.

watty · 25-02-2014 12:19PM

Again?

byte · 25-02-2014 11:37PM

I didn't know it was for sale?

Fred Swanson · 26-02-2014 12:04AM

This post has been deleted.

Rick_ · 26-02-2014 11:18AM

Yes, it is for sale again. Desmond wants out it seems, and he also wants up to £700m for it, even though he only paid £104m a few years ago.

Bidding closes tomorrow and Discovery/Sky are seemingly going to make a joint bid. Discovery for the main duties of the channel with Sky only involved in the advertising part (with their Sky Media brand) and news programmes/bulletins.

Will be interesting to see if they do get it and what they end up doing with it.

mike65 · 26-02-2014 12:33PM

ITV have said they are not interested.

26-02-2014 01:22PM

Paddy C wrote: »

Yes, it is for sale again. Desmond wants out it seems, and he also wants up to £700m for it, even though he only paid £104m a few years ago.

Bidding closes tomorrow and Discovery/Sky are seemingly going to make a joint bid. Discovery for the main duties of the channel with Sky only involved in the advertising part (with their Sky Media brand) and news programmes/bulletins.

Will be interesting to see if they do get it and what they end up doing with it.

We may finally see it on the Irish Sky epg if Discovery/Sky take over!

watty · 26-02-2014 05:48PM

Eu & UK competition Authority though should examine Sky bid.

Sky as a Pay TV platform provider I think should be forbidden to own channels. They should be forced to divest of Sky Sport & Sky1 to start with.

Probably nothing has been done as ALL Sky Sport Channels together are under 2% viewing time as is Sky1 and these are the most successful pay TV channels. But as anyone that wants to watch certain sports knows the % viewing time hides some nasty problems.

lertsnim · 26-02-2014 06:46PM

zorro2566 wrote: »

We may finally see it on the Irish Sky epg if Discovery/Sky take over!

I wouldn't be putting any money on that to happen for a long time if ever.

Elmo · 27-02-2014 12:06AM

Discovery:- I don't really see their reasoning. Do Discovery own channels outside their genre? Perhaps to diversify, maybe UKTV's Yesterday, Blight and Eden are too much competition in that market.

Sky:- I noticed that pick have are slowly changing. They are repeating better programmes over the last number of weeks and are largely sponsored by Sky's other products NOW TV and Sky Promos. Challenge needs to change slightly. If they do buy the could close both channels or be forced to sell both channels, though the regulators would really need Sky to divest more of their interest other than PICK and Challenge. Sky could aggressively go after the FTA market by real investing in both channels and using their +1s. Invest 700million into those channels, better use of money IMO.

BT:- Rumours that Desmond saw them as a buy were circling after they bought UEFA, and as they are planning to show some of the matches FTA Channel 5 might fit with that strategy.

I think it is way over priced.

stereomatic · 27-02-2014 12:44AM

Will this affect their freesat position (remaining on freesat and channel number) and programme content

lertsnim · 27-02-2014 05:49AM

Elmo wrote: »

Discovery:- I don't really see their reasoning. Do Discovery own channels outside their genre?

They recently took a controlling stake in Eurosport.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/discovery-buys-controlling-eurosport-stake-202822105.html

Capt'n Midnight · 28-02-2014 09:35PM

stereomatic wrote: »

Will this affect their freesat position (remaining on freesat and channel number) and programme content

Maybe that's why they bought them, lots more ads for SKY

5 do a fair few documentaries so some Discovery overlap, it'll have a lot of WWI stuff come November no doubt

lertsnim · 15-04-2014 03:09PM

Done deal according to this link,
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/discovery-bskyb-purchase-channel-5-350m-1444931

Richard Desmond has reportedly sold TV station Channel 5 to Discovery Communications and BSkyB in a £350m deal.

Broadcast magazine reports the deal was agreed in principle last week but was signed and sealed on Monday 14 April 2014.

Full details have yet to be revealed but Discovery is thought to have a 70% share in the channel with broadcasting group BSkyB taking the remaining 30%.

So what will this mean for Channel 5? A new direction to attract more advertisers? Could it appear on Irish Sky and cable EPG's?

JDxtra · 15-04-2014 03:28PM

Interesting move by Discovery. Have they done this in any other markets? I thought they only had channels branded as Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC, DMAX etc. Not a generic entertainment channel.

icdg · 15-04-2014 03:58PM

Well DMAX is an entertainment channel in some markets, though the UK version is mainly factual. I guess this has to be seen in the context of Discovery's move beyond their factual roots. Some of their channels, particularly TLC, are now more reality TV. They've also just bought a interest in Eurosport and there's talk they'll try to get in on the next Premier League auction though that'd be a big change in strategy for Eurosport as the cost involved in acquiring those rights would almost certainly mean a move from basic to premium tier.

But as for Channel 5, expect no immediate change in the ROI situation though having two owners used to operating in both UK & ROI may mean they will at least investigate a change with their rights holders.

Elmo · 15-04-2014 04:33PM

It is strange why didn't BSkyB and Discovery merge their Free-To-Air channels and re-market them?

Pick, Quest and Challenge (and their +1s). Re-brand them as Channel Something, E Something and More Something.

kn · 15-04-2014 04:53PM

I suppose Discovery will bring some of their excellent documentaries on Channel 5?

mike65 · 15-04-2014 05:39PM

Do Discovery do excellent?

lertsnim · 15-04-2014 05:42PM

Not for more than a decade anyway. It's all "reality" nonsense these days.

icdg · 17-04-2014 11:28AM

If ever there was a deal, it may have fallen through:

m.hollywoodreporter.com/entry/view/id/312888

mike65 · 30-04-2014 11:36PM

Viacom are the new owners subject to the usual t&c's

01-05-2014 02:30AM

mike65 wrote: »

Viacom are the new owners subject to the usual t&c's

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/30/richard-desmond-sale-channel-5-viacom

Rick_ · 01-05-2014 02:14PM

Yes, all done and dusted. Viacom now own Channel 5. What will they do with the spin-offs, on air look, content, etc.... Will be interesting to see what will become of it all...

channelsurfer2 · 01-05-2014 03:54PM

could have implications for 5* and 5USA if they decide to have a mix of FTA and pay tv channels with some of the stuff moving off FTA.

icdg · 01-05-2014 06:59PM

Nothing at first, I'd wager. In the longer term they may look for synergies with the MTV Networks channels.

byte · 01-05-2014 10:30PM

I think I'd have rather Sky and Discovery had bought it.

Mind you, apart from sporadic viewing of The Gadget Show or Fifth Gear (haven't seen that in ages though), I guess I'm not really a target audience.

watty · 02-05-2014 08:46PM

Is anyone a target Audience? Or are they just missing the Target?

EdmondShiels3 · 16-05-2014 12:10AM

Will Channel 5 become available in Ireland now it is owned by viacom?

lertsnim · 16-05-2014 01:38AM

I'd imagine their current tv rights would make that difficult .

Sale of Channel 5

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