Screensport

Screensport
Screensport Logo (1987-1989)
Launched 29 March 1984
Closed 5 March 1993[1]
Owned by WH Smith Group
ESPN, Inc..[2]

Screensport was a pan-European sports television channel that broadcast from 1984 to 1993 before merging with Eurosport.[3]

History

Original Screensport logo (1984-1987)

Screensport was created on 29 March 1984[4] by R Kennedy.[5] Within a few months, US networks ABC and ESPN took a minority stake in Screensport, allowing access to coverage of British sporting events taking place around the world.[6] By late 1984, WH Smith Television Group also had a 15% stake in the company.[3]

Media Communications controlled the studios and transmission facilities in Knutsford, near Manchester, while its administration office was based in London. Apart from American sports, the station aired regular and weekly British sports including British speedway and stock cars. The channel also sponsored the Screensport Supercup in the 1985–86 season.

In 1985, the station started to expand its broadcasting area to include the Netherlands and Sweden, introducing new programmes and sports including ice speedway, Dutch ice hockey, and motor sport.

WH Smith era

Newer Screensport logo, used from 1989 until the channel was closed down in 1993 by new owners, Eurosport

The WH Smith Television Group took over the operation and management of the network when ABC and R Kennedy pulled out in January 1986.[7] By the end of 1986, the station had lost £700,000, and no longer broadcast in Sweden, which resulted in a loss of 100,000 customers.[7] In December 1988, ESPN increased its stake in the channel from 3.5% to 25.5% after purchasing shares from WH Smith for £4.4 million.[8]

By 1988, Screensport had increased its sports content, allowing the channel to broadcast for 18.5 hours each day. The schedule included ice hockey, skiing, golf, tennis, and yachting. By 1989, Screensport was renamed The European Sports Network, while WH Smith Television Group later renamed itself WHSTV.[2]

The channel also began broadcasting on the Astra 1A satellite in 1989, following a move of its operations from the north of England to central London, after taking full control of Molinare, a television service group, in May 1989,[9] which helped Screensport to operate as one channel under four different names: Screensport in English, TV Sport in French, Sportkanal in German, and Sportnet in Dutch.

In January 1993, Eurosport and Screensport proposed a merger to provide a single channel, as both channels were operating at a loss. The hope was that a merged channel would become financially profitable.[10] The merger took place on 1 March 1993.[3]

EBU

In 1987, Screensport filed with the Commission of the European Communities, alleging that the joint purchasing scheme for sporting events by Eurosport's former owners, Sky Television plc and the EBU, violated the competition (antitrust) law rules of the Treaty of Rome. After provisions were made for non-member access to the programming, the Commission granted the EBU a five-year conditional exemption from the requirements of the competition rules.[11][12][13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYqCTjreJiE
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Commission Decision of 19 February 1991 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Article 85 of the EEC Treaty (IV/32.524 - Screensport/EBU members)". Eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://www.answers.com/topic/screensport
  4. ↑ http://www.tv-live.org.uk/wp/index.php/other/defunct/screensport/
  5. ↑ Cable Television and the Future of Broadcasting. Edited by Ralph Negrine, 1985, ISBN 978-0-415-83924-2.
  6. ↑ Joint Ventures, Alliances, and Corporate Strategy Kathryn Rudie Harrigan. p. 169 ISBN 1-58798-195-5.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Shadow cast over cable TV". Jonathan Miller, Media Correspondent. The Times, December 1, 1986; p. 3.
  8. ↑ "Stake raised". The Times, December 7, 1988; p. 27
  9. ↑ "WH Smith in £4.4m TV bid". The Times, May 17, 1989; p. 26
  10. ↑ "Satellite channels to merge". The Times January 14, 1993; p. 40
  11. ↑ http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31991D0130:EN:HTML
  12. ↑ From Satellite to Single Market: New Communication Technology and European ... Richard Collins, ISBN 0-203-98424-2.
  13. ↑ "Screensport issues writ over TV pact". Melinda Wittstock. The Times May 15, 1991; p. 22

External links