Sky Portfolio Changes

[JAS84]

Sky Showcase took Sky One's channel number, but technically the other channel that launched at the same time, Sky Max, is it's actual successor.

If their Sky One is continuing, I wonder if they'll end up giving it Max's idents?

[JetixFann450]

Again, I'm still in the mindset that Sky Max is merely just a renaming of Sky One, given the fact that the transmission of Sky Max broadcasted at 106 before moving next to Comedy Central and Dave, with some of it's programming moved to other channels (Futurama to Sky Comedy, The Simpsons to Sky Showcase)

[Brekkie]

They obviously know linear isn't the way people watch much of Sky's content now but their strategy just seems messy now and Sky Showcase isn't always aggregating the content into one place in the way you'd expect. Yes, of course some nights they'll be clashes but the other whilst Sky Atlantic were showing Westworld, surely a flagship programme, Showcase had a JFK documentary which didn't seem to be on any other channels. Content on Sky Max and Sky Comedy feels less prominent than when it was on Sky One too.

[Steve Williams]

They obviously know linear isn't the way people watch much of Sky's content now but their strategy just seems messy now and Sky Showcase isn't always aggregating the content into one place in the way you'd expect.    Yes, of course some nights they'll be clashes but the other whilst Sky Atlantic were showing Westworld, surely a flagship programme, Showcase had a JFK documentary which didn't seem to be on any other channels.  Content on Sky Max and Sky Comedy feels less prominent than when it was on Sky One too.

The obvious reason why Westworld, or any other Sky Atlantic show, isn't on Sky Showcase is because that would mean it would be available on Virgin, and if it's just on Sky Atlantic it isn't.

[JAS84]

Yup. Showcase shows programmes from Max, Witness, Comedy, sometimes Sports or Cinema. But never Atlantic.

[Kunst]

Also, Showcase probably highlights purposely the channels from less prominent EPG positions, than the main three

[Steve Williams]

Yup. Showcase shows programmes from Max, Witness, Comedy, sometimes Sports or Cinema. But never Atlantic.

Yes, and as mentioned it's all about the on demand these days, but I was baffled about the scheduling of the recent series of The Flight Attendant on both Showcase and Max. I know the linear ratings hardly matter, but having started at 9pm like last series, it ended up at midnight!

[Brekkie]

Surprised that is happening with Sky but sadly it's increasingly common with US drama. E4 have been bumping shows to 2am for a while and see ITV2 have now done it with All American, bumped from 7pm. I guess with Sky's strategy there isn't much room for content to move sideways too.


As for Atlantic must admit I thought it had been added to cable alongside the recent changes. Does the VIP channel still exist?

[Ash101]

To be fair, The Flight Attendant seemed to be bumped back 1 hour then back 2 because they also launched The Midwich Cuckoos and The Lazarus Project on a Thursday.

But were many watching it like that, or was it just binged within the first few weeks?

[ConorM98]

We have a trailer for Sky Sci-Fi.
I love the graphics and also the custom mono version of the Sky font for the new channel. Also the channel having a voice in the form of a moving talking green rectangle, like AI, is a nice touch.
The Ident Gallery Player : Sky Sci-Fi : 2022 Presentation : Pre-launch promo

[Neil Jones]

As for Atlantic must admit I thought it had been added to cable alongside the recent changes. Does the VIP channel still exist?

Closed in 2019.

Atlantic also appears on Now, so its not totally exclusive to the satellite platform.

[Steve Williams]

To be fair, The Flight Attendant seemed to be bumped back 1 hour then back 2 because they also launched The Midwich Cuckoos and The Lazarus Project on a Thursday.

But were many watching it like that, or was it just binged within the first few weeks?

Probably not many, but it is all very strange as it seems that Thursday 9pm is the official slot for new dramas, because as you suggest they had The Flight Attendant at Thursday 9pm, then The Midwich Cuckoos started in that slot and The Flight Attendant moved to 10pm, and then The Lazarus Project started in that slot so The Midwich Cuckoos moved to 10pm and The Flight Attendant moved to 11pm, meaning there were three hours of back-to-back new drama and then nothing the rest of the week. Almost as if all new dramas must go at 9pm on Thursdays even if the one before hasn't finished yet.

[Rex]

Sky Sci-Fi's schedule just popped up. Star Trek, Futurama, Fringe, Quantum Leap and Stargate SG1 have all been given daytime slots on the channel.

'From' is the 9pm programme for launch night

[JetixFann450]

Interesting to see Futurama getting an outing on a Sky channel again, I assumed that once it was over on Sky Showcase, we would never see it again, but as a few months have shown, Sky basically just don't know what to do with it. Good to see they've found a decent place to schedule it, as it ties into what Futurama is meant to be (sci-fi animated comedy)

[Ghost]

Interesting to see Futurama getting an outing on a Sky channel again, I assumed that once it was over on Sky Showcase, we would never see it again, but as a few months have shown, Sky basically just don't know what to do with it. Good to see they've found a decent place to schedule it, as it ties into what Futurama is meant to be (sci-fi animated comedy)

It’s actually coming back to Sky Showcase from Monday, as well as on Sky Comedy. Strange to see it going from not being on at all to being on three channels at once (though that’s not a bad thing).