 | |
| Country | United Kingdom Ireland |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom, Ireland |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 1080iHDTV (downscaled to16:9576i for theSDTV feed) |
| Timeshift service | Universal TV +1 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | NBCUniversal International Networks (NBCUniversal) |
| Sister channels | CNBC Europe E! Movies 24 Sky Sci-Fi |
| History | |
| Launched | 18 October 1999; 25 years ago (1999-10-18) |
| Closed | 27 January 2020; 5 years ago (2020-01-27) |
| Replaced by | Sky Comedy |
| Former names | Hallmark Entertainment Network Hallmark Channel (1999–2010) Universal Channel (2010–2018) |
| Links | |
| Website | www.universaltv.co.uk (archived, now redirects toSky.com) |
Universal TV was a British and Irishpay television channel owned by theNBCUniversal International Networks division ofNBCUniversal. It was devoted primarily to imported drama series, mostly from the United States, and operated under various names between 1999 and 2020.
The channel launched in October 1999 and was previously owned by the privately backedSparrowhawk Media Group, until late 2007 when it was bought out by NBCUniversal. It previously licensed programming and branding fromCrown Media Holdings, and was previously known as theHallmark Entertainment Network and the Hallmark Channel (Crown Media had sold off their international assets in 2005).
Coinciding with the launch of Hallmark Channel HD, Hallmark Channel became16:9widescreen capable on 28 June 2010.
In June 2009, a memorandum leaked to the television trade newspaperBroadcast stated that NBC Universal planned to rebrand the Hallmark Channel as aUniversal Channel in October 2009. The "Hallmark Channel" brand was licensed to NBC Universal fromCrown Media (which operates the USHallmark Channel) and was due to expire. An NBC Universal spokesperson denied such a rebrand would happen.[1]
On 2 September 2010, Universal Networks International confirmed plans to rebrand the Hallmark Channel as the Universal Channel in the UK. On 18 October, the pay-TV channel and its timeshift and high definition variants became the Universal Channel, Universal Channel +1 and Universal Channel HD.[2]
The Universal Channel gave UK premieres to cop showRookie Blue and legal dramaFairly Legal in early 2011. It also airedShattered, which starsCallum Keith Rennie as a homicide detective suffering from multiple personality disorder.
On 1 December 2010, Universal Channel launched a specific feed which targets Ireland. Universal Channel in Ireland airs localised advertising. The Irish feed does not includesubtitles.[3]TV3 act as the Irish variation's advertising sales agents.[4]
On 31 July 2013, Universal Channel unveiled a refreshed branding and new slogan it launched on 5 August, "100% Characters". The brand reflected "that great characters are the magnets that draw viewers back to their favourite shows - week after week".[5]
On 3 May 2018, NBCUniversal unveiled a new name and branding for its Universal Channel chain,Universal TV, launching first on the United Kingdom feed. The rebranding was intended to make the network a "destination brand that celebrates world-class, high-quality, character-driven content".[6]
In December 2019,BT TV announced that Universal TV would be leaving the UK market along withVH1 and that the channel will close.[7]
The channel closed down its operations on 27 January 2020, withSky Comedy taking its place on EPG guides.
Sources:[8]
Universal TV HD, ahigh-definitionsimulcast, launched on Sky (as the Hallmark Channel HD) on 28 June 2010 at 7pm.[13][14] Showing US shows like theLaw & Order titles,CSI andWithout a Trace in high definition.[15]
Universal TV HD was also launched onBT TV on 1 September 2016.
In July 2005, there were rumours that Sparrowhawk were going to launch a sister channel to the Hallmark Channel, called Hallmark 2.[16] This was denied by a spokesperson for Hallmark who said that "a second channel from Hallmark will not be launching 'anytime soon'".[16]Movies 24 was launched instead.
