Dave (TV channel)

Dave
Launched October 1998
Owned by UKTV
(BBC Worldwide/Scripps Networks Interactive)
Picture format 576i (16:9 and 4:3) (SDTV),
1080i (HDTV)
Audience share 0.8%
0.3% (Dave ja vu)
(June 2011, BARB)
Slogan "The Home of Witty Banter"
Country United Kingdom
Ireland
Formerly called UK Gold Classics
(1998-1999)

UK Gold 2 (1999-2003)
UKG² (2003-2004)
UKTV G2 (2004-2007)
Sister channel(s) Alibi
Blighty
Eden
GOLD
Good Food
Home
Really
Watch
Yesterday
Timeshift service Dave ja vu
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview Channel 19
Channel 25 (ja vu)
Satellite
Sky Channel 111 (HD)
Channel 158 (ja vu)
Cable
Virgin Media Channel 128
Channel 129 (HD)
Channel 191 (ja vu)
UPC Ireland Channel 122
Smallworld Cable Channel 114
IPTV
TalkTalk TV Channel 40
Internet television
TVCatchup Watch live (UK only)

Dave (formerly UKTV G2) is a television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland owned by UKTV. The channel is available on satellite, cable, IPTV and Freeview platforms. The channel took the name Dave in October 2007, but it had been on air under various identities and formats since October 1998.

Contents

History

UK Gold Classics and UK Gold 2

UK Gold Classics, UKTV's first digital-only channel, was launched in October 1998; around this time UK Gold began to move towards newer programmes instead of older ones; the 'classics' lineup included a number of early shows, including some black-and-white programmes, which had been acquired in the early years of the UK Gold service.

The 'Classics' format lasted just seven months, however; from 2 April 1999, the channel was renamed to UK Gold 2, and screened morning programmes from UK Gold time-shifted to the evening of the same day.

UKG2 and UKTV G2

The UK Gold subsidiary channel was again relaunched with a completely new programme line-up and renamed UKG² on 12 November 2003. The channel was promoted as being an edgier alternative to UK Gold; like that channel, the output was mainly comedy from the BBC with some shows produced inhouse. A fair amount is similar to the comedy output of UK Play/Play UK before that channel's closure; however, unlike Play, the channel did not include music videos.

Along with the rest of the UKTV network, the "UK" prefix was changed to "UKTV" on 8 March 2004 and therefore the channel name changed to UKTV G2. The continuity announcer, 'Colin Murnane' had been known to make fun of the extreme length of the full name saying that "it's for watching rather than saying", "more laughs than letters in its name" or "more letters than Postman Pat" "Ucktavagahtoo for watching not pronouncin" and according to DigitalSpy said "just what this channel needs a show with two more letters. This is QI on UKTVG2 on th B O X".

Initially, the channel broadcast in the evenings only, but during the 'G2' era the decision was made to expand hours into the daytime; to expand the programming line-up, comedy was joined by popular-factual and magazine shows which were already running on UKTV People (now Blighty) such as Top Gear and Airport.

Programming history

Some shows available on Dave include Mock the Week, Top Gear, Red Dwarf, QI, Have I Got News for You, Little Britain, Dragons' Den and stand up comedy shows, among many others.

On 7 October 2005, it was announced that they would show sports programming. This new line-up was called UKTV Sport and included a new show by the same name. UKTV Sport also had its own logo and DOG. There was talk that this could lead to a channel but it never happened.[1]

In February 2006, they picked up the rights to show highlights of the RBS Six Nations rugby union championship, with a highlights show broadcast on the evening of the games previously shown live on the BBC. On 16 March 2006, they announced a deal to air extensive coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup as a sub licensing of the BBC's rights to the tournament.[2] UKTV G2 simulcast the BBC's live matches, including the opening match between Germany and Costa Rica, England's game with Paraguay and the final. The channel also showed highlights of every match in the tournament.

Dave and Freeview launch

In September 2007, UKTV announced that they would relaunch and rename UKTV G2 to Dave on 15 October.[3] UKTV said the name of the channel was chosen because "Everybody knows a bloke called Dave".[4][5] The rebrand included the channel being available free-to-air on digital terrestrial platform, Freeview, replacing UKTV Bright Ideas which only averaged 0.1% of the audience share.[6] The move to Freeview saw Dave launch in the bandwidth previously used by UKTV History which was moved to the time limited (7am to 6pm) bandwidth once occupied by UKTV Bright Ideas. Dave is available daily, from 7am to 3am, on all platforms. It uses the tagline "the home of witty banter" and uses Ralph Ineson as an announcer, along with David Flynn (now with GOLD), Phill Jupitus, Iain Lee and Radio 1 DJ Greg James, who announce during the prime-time schedule.

To ensure that all Freeview viewers receive the channel on number 19, UKTV briefly placed a re-tuning notice on the programme's information.

From 31 January 2008, the channel began broadcasting in widescreen, along with the other UKTV channels.[7]

In April 2009, they aired 3 new instalments of Red Dwarf, titled Back to Earth. This marked the channel's first foray into scripted original programming. During the airing of the Red Dwarf mini-series, the Dave DOG in the top left corner of the screen had the word 'Lister' added after it in the same font after the show's lead character; during the show it is even suggested that the station is named after him. Back to Earth brought record breaking viewing figures, not just in the context of the channel's past, but for digital television in general.[8]

In June 2009, the logo was updated to incorporate the 'circle' logo branding of all the new UKTV channels (for example Blighty, and Really). At this time, the voice of Dave became Nigel Grover, aka, Scott Saunders, who had previously worked at a number of local radio stations.

Dave HD

On 29 July 2011, UKTV announced that it had secured a deal with BSkyB to launch three more high-definition channels on Sky.[9] As part of Virgin Media's deal to sell its share of UKTV, all five of UKTV's HD channels will be added to Virgin's cable television service by 2012.[10] Dave HD launched on 10 October 2011 on Sky and Virgin Media,[11] two days before Watch HD, while Alibi HD will launch in 2012. All three channels will be HD simulcasts of the standard-definition channels.

Timeshift

A one-hour timeshifted service of the channel - then known as UKTV G2 - began to operate on 1 November 2004, under the name UKTV G2 +1. As UKTV G2 at the time was an evenings-only service, the timeshift also operated in the evenings only, using the satellite and cable capacity which, during daytime, was used by the now-defunct UKTV Bright Ideas. The sharing arrangement meant that when UKTV G2's hours extended into daytime, the timeshift remained evenings-only.

At the time of the Dave relaunch, UKTV Bright Ideas closed, freeing up the space to allow UKTV G2 +1 to expand its hours to follow those of the parent channel fully; due to the main channel's relaunch as Dave, UKTV G2 +1 became Dave +1.

The timeshift was initially available on the Virgin Media and Sky platforms; from 22 January 2009, following UKTV's acquisition of a further Freeview broadcast slot, Dave +1 was made available on the digital terrestrial platform.

On 24 February 2009, Dave +1 was renamed Dave ja vu (a play on the phrase déjà vu) on all platforms; this was carried out to "strengthen the brand's positioning as the home of witty banter"[12] according to UKTV bosses.

During the channel's World Cup 2006 coverage, UKTV was not permitted to timeshift the World Cup matches; for this reason, UKTV G2 +1 (as it was then known) became a full-time 'mirror' of the main channel's schedule during the tournament, returning to its one-hour delay the day after the competition concluded.

On 14 June 2011, UKTV announced that Really would launch on Freeview on 2 August 2011,[13] to facilitate this Dave ja vu's broadcast hours on the platform were reduced from 8am-4am to 2am-4am.

Reception

Within just one month of its launch, Dave had become the tenth largest television channel in the UK. The broadcaster puts daily averages at around 3 million viewers, although, much of the growth may be attributed to its presence on Freeview; nonetheless, it is performing significantly better in pay TV homes than UKTV G2 ever did. Over the month since its launch, Dave averaged a 1.32% share in multichannel homes and a 3.2% share in the 16-34 male demographic.[14]

Dave's positive reception is proven by an attraction of 4 million viewers throughout 18 November 2007 for its coverage of "Car of the Year", pushing it to second place in multichannel behind ITV2.[14]

The shows with the highest ratings are Mock the Week (over 420,000 viewers), Jo Brand's Big Splash (417,000) QI (over 400,000), Top Gear (350,000) and Dragons' Den (about 300,000).

The first episode of Red Dwarf: Back to Earth attracted 2,060,000 viewers.[15] The highest rating original commission before this had been Red Bull X-Fighters (about 185,000).

Sponsorship

As a commercial television channel, Dave raises revenue through advertising and sponsorship. Since 28 May 2010, all motoring on "Dave" has been sponsored by We Buy Any Car, whose adverts feature prominently at the start and end of each advertising break as well as on its website[16].

Programming

Name of show Original channel(s) Original run
A Bit of Fry & Laurie BBC Two
BBC One
1989-1995
Absolute Power BBC Two 2003-2005
Airport BBC Two
BBC One
1996–2008
Al Murray's Compete for the Meat Dave 2011
Alan Davies' Teenage Revolution Channel 4 2010
Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask Dave 2011-present
And Then You Die Dave 2007-2008
Argumental Dave 2008–present
A Question of Sport BBC One 1970–present
Bang Goes the Theory BBC One 2009-present
Banzai E4 2001–2004
Batteries Not Included Dave 2008
Black Books Channel 4 2000-2004
Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia BBC One 1995
Billy Connolly's World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales BBC 2002
Billy Connolly's World Tour of New Zealand BBC 2004
Billy Connolly's World Tour of Scotland BBC 1994
Car Duels UKTV G2 2006
Car of the Year UKTV G2/Dave
Carpool Dave 2010–2011
Chandon Pictures Movie Extra (Australia) 2007-2009
Clarkson's Car Years BBC Two 2000
Comedy Connections BBC One 2003–2008
Comedy Exchange Dave 2010
Cooking in the Danger Zone BBC Two 2008
Crash
Dave's One Night Stand Dave 2010–present
Dead Ringers BBC Two 2002-2007
Dragons' Den BBC HD
BBC Two
2005–present
Driving Wars Dave 2011-present
Everest ER BBC One 2009
Extreme Lives
Factory Spike (United States) 2008
The Fast Show BBC Two 1994–2000
FC Dave Dave 2008
Fifth Gear Channel 5 2002–present
Full Circle with Michael Palin BBC 1997
Full Metal Challenge Channel 4 2003
Game On BBC Two 1995-1998
Gavin & Stacey BBC Three
BBC Two
BBC One
2007-2010
Gears and Tears BBC One 2010
Genius BBC Two 2009-2010
GT Racer Treasure HD (United States) 2008–2009
Hardliners 2010-2011
Harry Enfield and Chums BBC One 1994–1997
Harry Enfield's Television Programme BBC Two 1990–1992
Have I Got News For You BBC One
BBC Two
1990–present
HeadJam BBC Three 2004
Helicopter Heroes BBC One 2007-present
High Altitude BBC Two 2009
Hole in the Wall BBC One 2008-2009
Ideal BBC Three 2005–present
Improvisation My Dear Mark Watson (Pilot) Dave 2011
I'm Alan Partridge BBC Two 1997–2002
James May's 20th Century BBC Two 2007
James May's Big Ideas BBC Two 2008
James May on the Moon BBC Two 2009
James May's Toy Stories BBC Two 2009-2011
James May's Top Toys BBC Two 2005
Jeremy Clarkson Meets the Neighbours BBC 2002
Jeremy Clarkson's Extreme Machines BBC Two 1998
Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld BBC Two 1995–1996
Jo Brand's Big Splash Dave 2011
Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire BBC HD
BBC Two
2009
Lead Balloon BBC Four
BBC Two
2006–present
Little Britain BBC One
BBC Three
2003–2006
Last Man Standing BBC Three 2007-2008
Live at the Apollo BBC One 2004–present
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends BBC Two 1998–2000
Man Stroke Woman BBC Three 2005-2007
Man v. Food Travel Channel (United States) 2008-present
Mechannibals BBC Two 2005
Men Behaving Badly ITV1
BBC One
1992–1998
Mitch and Matt's Big Fish Good Food 2008
Mock the Week BBC Two 2005–present
Never Mind the Buzzcocks BBC Two 1996–present
Not Going Out BBC One 2006-present
Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure BBC Two 2006-2007
Peep Show Channel 4 2003-present
Psychoville BBC Two 2009-2011
Pulling BBC Three 2006–2009
QI BBC Four
BBC Two
BBC One
BBC HD
2003–present
Race Car Driver 2005-2007
Radical Highs BBC Two 1998-2000
Ray Mears' Bushcraft BBC Two 2004–2005
Ray Mears' Extreme Survival BBC Two 1999–2002
Ray Mears Goes Walkabout BBC Two 2008
Ray Mears' Wild Food BBC Two 2007
Ray Mears' World of Survival BBC Two 1997–1998
Red Bull X-Fighters Dave 2008-present
Red Dwarf BBC Two
Dave
1988–1999
2009
2012
Rich Hall's Fishing Show BBC Four 2003
Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive BBC Three 2006-2007
Rob Brydon's Identity Crisis BBC Four 2008
Robot Wars Extreme BBC Two 2001–2003
Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul/Harry & Paul BBC One
BBC Two
2007-present
Russell Howard's Good News BBC Three
BBC HD
2009-present
School's Out BBC One 2006-2007
Seaside Rescue BBC One 2004-2009
Shameless Channel 4 2004-present
Shark Tank ABC (United States) 2009-present
Shooting Stars BBC Choice
BBC Two
1995-2011
Should I Worry About...? BBC One 2004–2005
Smack the Pony Channel 4 1999–2003
Speed BBC One 2001
Spaced Channel 4 1999–2001
Speeders truTV (United States) 2007–present
Star Stories Channel 4 2006-2008
Stephen Fry in America BBC One 2008
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle BBC Two 2009-2011
Street Cred Sudoku UKTV G2 2005-2007
That Mitchell and Webb Look BBC Two 2006–present
The Accidental Angler BBC Two 2006
The Armstrong and Miller Show BBC One 2007-2010
The Bubble BBC Two 2010
The Catherine Tate Show BBC Two 2004–2007
The Gadget Show Channel 5 2004–present
The Graham Norton Show BBC HD
BBC One
BBC Two
2007–present
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson BBC One 2009-present
The Mighty Boosh BBC Three 2004–2007
The Smoking Room BBC Three 2004–2005
Three Men in a Boat BBC Two 2006–2011
Top Gear BBC Two
BBC HD
2002–present
Top of the Pops 2 BBC Two 1994–present
Total Wipeout USA ABC (United States) 2008-present
Trawlermen BBC One 2006-2010
Traffic Cops BBC One 2003-present
Tribe BBC Two 2005–2007
Turn Back Time BBC 2006
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK version) Channel 4 1988–1998
World Rally Championship Dave 2007–2010
World's Most Stupid Criminals Channel 5 2003
Would I Lie To You? BBC One 2007–present
Zimbani (pilot) Dave 2010

Upcoming content

Dave Weekly podcast

In August 2011, Dave launched a regular comedy podcast called The Dave Weekly hosted on joindave.co.uk and accessible via iTunes.[18] Presented by Ben Shires, the podcast comprises of interviews with comedians like Russell Kane, Jo Brand, Adam Buxton, Paul Foot and Alex Horne along with occasional features.

References

  1. ^ Conlan, Tara (7 October 2005). "UKTV to launch sport channel | Media | MediaGuardian". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/oct/07/broadcasting.digitaltv. Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  2. ^ "Broadcasting — News — UKTV lands huge World Cup rights deal — Digital Spy". http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds30513.html. Retrieved 2007-11-04. 
  3. ^ "It's Dave — not Bright Ideas and evening History — ukfree.tv — independent digital TV and switchover advice". http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051303. Retrieved 2007-11-04. 
  4. ^ "'Dave' channel targets young men". BBC News. 20 September 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7005061.stm. Retrieved 27 December 2010. 
  5. ^ Leigh Holmwood (20 September 2007). "UKTV to launch channel called 'Dave' | Media | MediaGuardian". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/sep/20/television. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  6. ^ "Terrestrial — News — UKTV considers G2 Freeview launch — Digital Spy". http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a70407/uktv-considers-g2-freeview-launch.html. Retrieved 2007-11-04. 
  7. ^ "UKTV goes widescreen". UKTV. http://uktv.co.uk/uktv/stepbystep/aid/598215. Retrieved 2008-01-24. 
  8. ^ "Back To Earth Natterings". http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/06/26/back-to-earth-natterings/. 
  9. ^ "UKTV enters VoD market with landmark HD content deal with Sky". UKTV. 29 July 2011. http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/646048. 
  10. ^ "Virgin Media sells £239m stake in UKTV". Financial Times. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:-cz51SAczqUJ:www.ft.com/cms/s/0/04a841ee-c729-11e0-a9ef-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1VI55De3n. 
  11. ^ "Virgin TV just got even bigger". Virgin Media. http://my.virginmedia.com/customer-news/articles/UKTVNew/. Retrieved 4 October 2011. 
  12. ^ "UKTV launches Dave ja vu — Brand Republic". http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/883914/UKTV-launches-Dave-ja-vu/. Retrieved 2009-06-06. 
  13. ^ "UKTV secures free to air slot for Really, its cutting edge lifestyle channel". UKTV. 14 June 2011. http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/645227. 
  14. ^ a b Welsh, James (2007-11-21). "UKTV celebrates Dave's growth". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a80331/uktv-celebrates-daves-growth.html. Retrieved 2008-01-12. 
  15. ^ "Television — News — New 'Red Dwarf' pulls in over 2 million". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a152469/new-red-dwarf-pulls-in-over-2-million.html?rss. Retrieved 2009-04-11. 
  16. ^ "Webuyanycar.com to sponsor motoring on Dave". http://www.creativematch.com/news/webuyanycar-com-to-sponsor-motoring/98862/. Retrieved 2011-11-24. 
  17. ^ http://uktv.co.uk/dave/article/aid/630663
  18. ^ "The Dave Weekly Podcast on iTunes". http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-dave-weekly/id458044498. 

External links