ITV Choice

This article is about the channel formerly known as ITV Granada. For the ITV regional franchise, see ITV Granada.
ITV Choice
Launched 1997
Owned by ITV plc
Picture format 576i (16:9 SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
Language English
Broadcast area Asia
Cyprus
Malta
Middle East
Formerly called Granada UKTV
(1997–2008);
Granada TV
(2008–2010);
ITV Granada
(2010–2013)
Website itv-choice.com
Availability
Satellite
TelkomVision (Indonesia) Channel 503
Astro (Malaysia) Channel 735
OSN (Middle East
& North Africa)		 Channel 217 (HD)
DStv Channel 123
Sky Net (Myanmar) N/A
Hitron (Papua New Guinea) Channel 113
Cable
PPCTV (Cambodia) Channel 44
Hathway (India) Channel 329
MediaNet (Maldives) Channel 527
GO (Malta) Channel 305
Melita Cable (Malta) Channel 309
CJ TVing (South Korea) N/A
IPTV
Sky C&C (Mongolia) N/A
Omantel (Oman) N/A
MOD (Taiwan) Channel 78
TOT iptv (MeTV)(Thailand) Channel 331

ITV Choice is a satellite and cable television channel owned and operated by ITV plc. It is available in the Middle East, Cyprus, Malta, and across Asia, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. It will be launched in Africa on DStv on 5 May 2015.[1]

The channel was launched in 1997 by Granada Media under the name Granada UKTV, and was available in New Zealand until 2002, when it was dropped by Sky Network Television.[2]

It primarily carries 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 and others.

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.[3]

ITV Granada logo from 2010 to 2013.

ITV Choice broadcasts on the following platforms: in Hong Kong on now TV channel 517, in Indonesia on Skynindo channel 27 and TelkomVision channel 503, in Malaysia on Astro channel 735, in Malta on GO (Malta) Channel 305 and Melita Cable channel 309, in the Middle East on Star TV's Star Select service, as well as on Orbit Showtime Network OSN channel 47 and Arab Digital Distribution in the Middle East, in Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom channel 82 and in Thailand through Cable Thai Holding to thousands of homes. It is also available on satellite ABS 1 across Asia and Middle East.[4] The channel broadcasts on Star TV's Star Select service and Arab Digital Distribution in the Middle East, on Melita Cable and GO in Malta, and now on a range of cable platforms across Asia.

On 15 July 2009, the channel became available in Singapore on the mio TV IPTV service (channel 23) and became available on StarHub's cable TV service (channel 523) on 1 December 2009.[5]

In addition, on 21 December 2009, a deal was reached with Astro All Asia Networks in Malaysia, allowing Astro to add its channel to its basic subscription pack[6] on channel 735.

Granada TV was launched in Hong Kong on 7 September 2010 on PCCW's Now TV platform, Channel 517. On 1 November 2010, it was rebranded as ITV Granada. On 6 December 2010, the rebranded channel launched its service in Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom's MOD (or TV over IP) platform, Channel 82. It was launched in India on 5 January 2012 by the leading DTH Broadcaster Airtel digital TV.

The channel was renamed ITV Choice on 25 March 2013,[7] and ceased to be carried on mio TV. On 30 December of the same year, StarHub dropped ITV Choice, meaning that the channel is no longer available in Singapore.

References

  1. ↑ ITV Choice heading to Africa
  2. ↑ New Year Programme Changes For Sky Television, 10 December 2001
  3. ↑ "ITV Worldwide previews entertainment channel in Asia". ITV plc. 23 June 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "ABS 1 at 75.0°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Granada TV to Launch on StarHub". WorldScreen.com. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Astro adds Granada TV". Rapid TV News. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  7. ↑ "ITV Granada to rebrand as ITV Choice". Asia Today. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.

External links