| GOLD | |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1 November 1992 |
| Owned by | 1992-1997: BBC Thames Television 1997-2011: BBC Worldwide Virgin Media 2011-present: BBC Worldwide Scripps Networks Interactive |
| Picture format | 16:9, 576i (SDTV) |
| Audience share | 0.4% 0.1% (+1) (June 2011, BARB) |
| Slogan | "Stick Something Funny On" |
| Formerly called | UK Gold (1992–2004) UKTV Gold (2004–2008) G.O.L.D. (2008–2010) |
| Sister channel(s) | Alibi Blighty Dave Eden Good Food Home Really Watch Yesterday |
| Website | GOLD |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Top Up TV | Channel 17 (11:00–14:00), and on-demand via Top Up TV Anytime |
| Satellite | |
| Sky | Channel 110 Channel 133 (+1) |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media | Channel 126 Channel 127 (+1) |
| WightCable | Channel 46/112 |
| UPC Ireland | Channel 120 Channel 153 (+1) |
| Smallworld Cable | Channel 113 Channel 137 (+1) |
| IPTV | |
| TalkTalk TV | Channel 16 |
| Internet television | |
| Sky Go | Watch live (UK & Ireland only) |
GOLD is the original channel of the UKTV network, broadcasting to the United Kingdom and Ireland. It launched on 1 November 1992 as UK Gold, and is currently available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and terrestrial subscription via Top Up TV. It shows repeats of classic programming from the BBC and other broadcasters. The channel's main rival is the ITV plc owned ITV3, which mainly airs the archive ITV programmes, and has a higher audience share than GOLD.
Contents |
The channel launched on 1 November 1992 as a joint venture between the BBC, through commercial arm BBC Enterprises, and outgoing ITV London weekday franchisee Thames Television. The channel, named UK Gold, was to show repeats of the 'classic' archive programming from the two broadcasters. The rights to the BBC programmes previously were held by the BSB entertainment channel Galaxy, prior to the merger with Sky Television plc to form BskyB in November 1990. The channel was initially broadcast on an analogue transponder from an SES satellite at 19.2°E which was less well suited for UK reception. As a result, the channel used to be notorious for being marred with interference, known as 'sparklies', in large parts of the UK. Another initial drawback was the cutting of programming down to fit commercial time slots, and the intensive use of commercial breaks. Reception improved however with the channel added to BSkyB's basic subscription package in 1993, and the launch of the channel on cable services.
The channel's success led to the launch of the UKTV network on 1 November 1997, owned by BBC Worldwide and Flextech, and consisting of three other channels: UK Arena, UK Horizons and UK Style, focusing on the arts, factual and lifestyle programmes respectively. The UKTV network would expand to include numerous more channels as the years progressed.
The UK Gold brand was expanded in October 1998 with the launch of the digital only channel UK Gold Classics, broadcasting some of the older comedy serials that were being lost from the UK Gold schedule, as the channel moved towards more modern programming. UK Gold Classics was not to last however, and was rebranded as UK Gold 2 on 2 April 1999, which acted as a time shift of the original channel, showing the daytime programmes from UK Gold in the evening on UK Gold 2. In 2003 however, UK Gold 2 was rebranded and repositioned as UK G2, with some programming transferring to the new channel.
On 8 March 2004, the channel was rebranded as UKTV Gold in line with the other channels in the UKTV network. At approximately the same time, Granada run archive channel Granada Plus closed to make way for ITV3. The channels had always been the main rivals to GOLD due to the direct mix of archive BBC and ITV programming. ITV3 currently has a higher viewer share; often put down to the fact that the terrestrial platform Freeview shows ITV3 but not GOLD.
GOLD began transmitting in widescreen on 31 January 2008, although some programmes made in 16:9 format are screened in the compromise 14:9 semi-letterbox ratio for a short while, before the 16:9 format became standard later in the year. The channel has been criticised by some, particularly in recent years, for featuring many recent programmes as opposed to 'classics' as was the original concept, with some shows appearing on the channel mere months or weeks after their first television broadcast.
In 2008, UKTV began a process of rebranding and expanding its channels, removing "UKTV" from their name, following the rebranding of UKTV G2 as Dave in October 2007. On 7 October 2008, UKTV Gold became G.O.L.D., exclusively showing comedy, both old and new. This is reflected by its new slogan, which now represents Gold as a backronym—"Go On Laugh Daily".[1] Unlike the complete name change for Dave, the Gold name was retained as having a resonance with viewers. The same day also saw the rebranding of UKTV Drama as Alibi, and the launch of a new channel, Watch. In Spring 2010, the channel dropped the acronym and is now known simply as GOLD.
In October 2011, Virgin Media, owner of half of GOLD and the rest of the UKTV network, sold their share to Scripps Networks Interactive, with the remaining half still retained by the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.
Alongside the main channel, a time shift channel is also operated: GOLD + 1. The channel, previously named UK Gold + 1 and UKTV Gold + 1 when corresponding to the name on the main channel, shows all programming from the channel one hour later. The channel UK Gold 2 also used to be a time shift, showing the daytime schedule from UK Gold in the evening prime time slot. This service ended in 2003.
For the first few years, idents on UK Gold featured an animated golden retreiver mascot named "Goldie" posing with the UK Gold logo. Goldie was never name-checked as such on air, possibly owing to the death of the Blue Peter dog Goldie some weeks before launch, although the late-night music video slot "Dog House" was originally listed as "Goldie's Video Bites" in initial pre-launch listings. The Goldie idents were kept until 1993, when they were replaced with a form-up of the first logo against a blue background. A re-branding in 1994 saw UK Gold adopt a more fitting identity: idents were based on the forging of gold bars, with the station's logo appearing to have been stamped into gold. Variations on this theme were used until 1997, when the channel received a revamp as part of the formation of the UKTV network.[2]
The new network's corporate identity saw all its channels logos simplified to a boxed "UK" followed by the name (e.g. "Gold") in the Gill Sans font, which had also been adopted by the BBC. The new network-wide ident theme would involve the splitting of the screen for different purposes. UK Gold's new idents depicted objects such as apples or leaves falling through the top half of the screen, with only the gold coloured ones reaching the bottom half of the screen. These idents were briefly adopted for UK Gold 2 when it launched in 1998.[2]
In 1999, the theme changed again, this time with idents featuring fireworks making shapes in the air. The fireworks theme was carried on in a new set of idents, alongside another network-wide re-branding of the logo in 2001, adopting a bolder font and merging UK into a single composite character. A range of live-action idents showing everyday activities from unusual perspectives appeared in 2002. The 2003 to 2007 idents showed channel hopping viewers with their TV set "off stage" being brought to a halt by the appearance of a golden light accompanied by the channel's ident jingle. This new identity also featured a series of shifting yellow, orange and red blocks which suggested a gold bar at the centre of the screen.[2]
On 4 April 2007, UKTV Gold unveiled a new on-air identity centred around a branded golden space hopper, playing to contemporary trends toward 1970s nostalgia, and emphasising the station's re-run content. 12 new live action idents featured the branded space hopper, either with people on them bouncing around normally serious scenes, or let loose to bounce around the natural environemnt, aired from 5 April 2007 to 7 October 2008.[1]
On 7 October 2008, following the rebranding, GOLD’s current presentation debuted, featuring cartoon objects making a giant chain, in Heath Robinson fashion, which triggers an event to herald the next programme. The GOLD logo features in the centre, with the channel slogan usually appearing alongside in the sequence. Programmes are announced by sole channel continuity anouncer David Flynn, who has had the position since June 2009.[2]
The output of the channel is mainly British comedy programmes including repeats of BBC shows and sometimes feature length films.
Programming of general entertainment now unused or superseded since 1992. Classic programming on this channel until 7 October 2008 except comedy.
An analogue teletext service known as GoldText used to be available on the channel, but has since closed down.
|
||||||||