Ftn
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| Ftn | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | 15 January 2003 |
| Closed | 1 October 2007 |
| Owned by | Virgin Media Television |
| Audience share | 0.2% (0.0% for Ftn+1) (August 2007, [1]) |
| Replaced by | Virgin 1 |
| Timeshift service | Ftn+1 |
| Availability (at time of closure) |
|
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 20 |
| Satellite | |
| Sky Digital | Channel 153 Channel 154 (+1) |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media | Channel 122 Channel 123 (+1) |
| UPC Ireland | Channel 129 |
Ftn (Flextech Television Network) was a television channel from Virgin Media Television (formerly known as Flextech) transmitting free-to-air on Freeview and Virgin Media, and as a subscription channel on Sky Digital. The channel was broadcast between 6pm and 6am daily. It launched at 6pm on 15 January 2003, six hours after neighbouring Freeview channel, UKTV Bright Ideas, also partially owned by Virgin Media Television which itself closed down on 14 October 2007.
Ftn's schedule featured entertainment and reality programming, and also programming from other Virgin Media Television cable channels, such as Living, Living2, Bravo, Bravo 2, Trouble, and Challenge. This provided a preview to Freeview viewers of what the other Virgin Media channels offered, in a similar fashion to BSkyB's Sky Three, a channel also on Freeview.
Ftn +1 launched on Sky and Virgin Media on 9 August 2007. Despite being a one hour timeshift, Ftn +1 only broadcasted from 7pm until 1am, as Live Roulette TV which was shown on Ftn from 12am till 3am could not be rebroadcast an hour later for legal reasons.
[edit] Closure
It was announced in the summer of 2007 that Virgin Media Television was to launch a new channel, Virgin 1.[1] The new channel launched on Monday 1 October 2007.[2] The channel being intended to be Virgin Media's attempt to rival Sky One.
As a result of the launch of Virgin 1, it was revealed that Ftn would close, leaving its EPG positions on Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview to Virgin 1.[3]
Ftn closed on Monday 1 October 2007 at 6am, with Virgin 1 launching at 6pm but actually at 9pm on the same day.[4] At the same time Ftn’s timeshift channel Ftn+1 was replaced by Virgin 1’s +1 channel on Cable and Satellite.
[edit] References
- ^ "Virgin Media Television announces Virgin 1", Virgin Media Press Office, 12 June 2007. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
- ^ "Virgin 1 launch date announced", Digital Spy, 18 September 2007. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.
- ^ "Launch of Virgin 1 on Freeview", Freeview.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
- ^ "Ftn/Virgin 1 schedule (1 October 2007)", Radio Times. Retrieved on 2006-09-19.
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