27-11-2021, 06:16 PM
TimGoodwin1991 post_id=55502 time= user_id=1249 Wrote:What do you remember from the day Channel 5 lauched in 1997? Did you watch any of the launch?
Also part of me thinks, was it necessary for this channel to launch?
Even though this channel was in the pipeline since 1987-88, why was this such a big deal after the launch of Sky's multichannels which can be said be more appealing?
These days you snap your fingers and channels launch, rebrand, die at the drop of a hat.
In 1997 that didn't happen.
So yes it was a big deal, because as above, most people did not have satellite or cable or whatever, it was purely terrestrial. reception (particularly on second sets). So a new channel was a big thing. That and the whole test transmissions, the retuning Channel 5 had to do because they were planned to launch in the part of the spectrum where most video players were tuned to (usually UHF channel 37) so interference from said units...
And also for competition against ITV. It should have got off the ground in I think 1992 and indeed had it been successful would have seen Thames (and others) behind the consortium. But that never happened and the licence was withdrawn by the ITC.