Gay channel
 

A new gay channel is about to start full time over on sky digital. I know that this topic has caused controversy in the past but what are the chances that NTL will carry this channel in the near futer.

Re: Gay channel
 

Have you actually contacted ntl & asked them, & if so, what did they say?

Re: Gay channel
 

i think you would have to ask an NTL employee about the channel, they only add channels which the majorty would watch, a priority list, i dont think it will see the light of day on NTL.

Re: Gay channel
 

hi and :welcome: to the site , i reckon that is your best option , ring ntl and ask :)

Re: Gay channel
 

I think at least it will have to gain popularity on Sky before ntl take it on, like all the other launched channels :)

Re: Gay channel
 

We are limited space as it is and when we free more space our main proiritory is to add established channels that have asked us for carriage like FX etc. I don't think you'll ever see this channel on ntl, well not for many years anyway!

Re: Gay channel
 

have some channel operators already reserved space on the ntl platform??
and was that FX i was in there, wanting carriage??

Re: Gay channel
 

I agree $ky. ntl seems not to like gay channels as it has decided not to put any on thus far so I see no chance of them changing theri mind and putting through any in the future.

Re: Gay channel
 

I have had customers before asking if this is a channel that will be available so it would seem there is a demand albeit small'ish

Re: Gay channel
 

What's the most asked for channel? I'd rather see FX added before the Gay channel. but wouldnt mind it added before Trouble reloaded and Bravo +1 added.

Re: Gay channel
 

A number of broadcasters have reserved space on the ntl platform for launching channels at a later stage and so ntl are making no more channels spaces available at this time due to bandwith limitations! It will be highly unlikely that a such a specialist channel like Gay TV would be added before the such of Trouble Reload, FX, Bravo +1 etc.

Re: Gay channel
 

I'd imagine that FX has been asked for a lot of times.

However, I am not totally surprised that people are asking for some sort of gay station given that ntl has chosen not to allow carriage to any thus far, the only 'niche' that ntl has ignored as an entirety.

Re: Gay channel
 

So, who's going to step forward and be the first to accuse NTL of being homophobic for not showing it??? :D

Re: Gay channel
 

And who will prove that ntl have stopped gay channels being launched?

Re: Gay channel
 

Well they've never carried any yet and all other genres seem to be welocme on ntl... The evidence speaks for itself.

Re: Gay channel
 

There you go! I knew someone would!

Re: Gay channel
 

does it , why dont you ring ntl and ask them why not :confused:

Re: Gay channel
 

I have nothing against them carrying the channel, just wouldn't watch it.

Re: Gay channel
 

:sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:

Spice Nightly twice a week.

Done to death.

Re: Gay channel
 

Is 'Gay programming' strictly a genre? How exactly does a 'Gay' sitcom/drama/documentary/DIY show/sports programme differ from a 'non-gay' one?
Perhaps someone could clear this up for me?

Re: Gay channel
 

Better dressed :)

Re: Gay channel
 

well said!

Re: Gay channel
 

Just a question, why should someone who wishes to watch a gay channel have to pay a premium fee for it? and seeing as the spice channels are porn, doesn't count for a gay channel now does it. Not all gay people want porn you know!

Re: Gay channel
 

fair point i suppose :)

Re: Gay channel
 

Maybe because there might not be enough demand for it at the moment?

Re: Gay channel
 

Maybe Russ but still doesnt mean anyone who is gay has to pay the on demand fee to watch it, and as I said the spice channels are porn, not exactly gay tv is it? still just makes it a porn channel

Re: Gay channel
 

Most probably that will be the reason why NTL won't carry it, they won't make any money out of carrying it, if they're not going to charge an extra per monthly fee.

Re: Gay channel
 

Yeah so if gay people dont want porn whats th epoint in complaining? after all shows shown on 99% of the channels would be compatible with either sexual orientation.

However if Gay porn is to be shown, then hetro porn must be shown of the same level, i.e if its hardcore for one its Hardcore for the other.

There should be no favouritism either way.

I love Rock Punk and Heavy metal music, I dont demand Heavy metal TV do I? No I watch whats available and choose not to watch stuff I dont like. I dont demand Rock Chick Porn (although it would be fantastic :D ).

Re: Gay channel
 

What happened to the gay programs that channel 4 were showing a couple of years ago?Did they not get the support?

However they did seem to be of the where to find Gay clubs and what to wear variety so maybe they weren't challenging enough.

Re: Gay channel
 

one of the smaller channels on sky digi has a program called summat like queer eye straight guy or summat , dont know if it is on ntl though :D :D :D

Re: Gay channel
 

You don't need to demand Heavy Metal tv Timewarrior, seeing as thats avaialbe and known as Kerrang!

Anyways I wasn't complaining about porn I was just simply pointing out that just because someone is gay it doesn't mean they want to watch porn 24/7

Re: Gay channel
 

exactly its nonsense to suggest that.

thats on living tv..........

Re: Gay channel
 

The question was are ntl homophobic as they don't have gay channels. I merely pointed out, again, that there is gay programming available.
We were days away from launching Purple Radio about two years ago. They had some technical issues they couldn't fix in time, so they never launched.

Re: Gay channel
 

Forgive me for asking an ignorant question, but what exactly is a "gay channel"???? ntl may not carry any "gay channels", but then I don't see any "hetrosexual channels" either :confused:

Re: Gay channel
 

I would have thought yourself mate ;)

Arent you the champion of equality and everyone getting fair share of publicity and air time?

Re: Gay channel
 

A gay channel is a channel where only happy programmes are shown. ;)

Re: Gay channel
 

And all I pointed out was that they are porn channels that show nothing but porn, and I am sure if the spice channel was 100% gay porn I don't think it would be on NTL - but its up to NTL what they carry, but if they carried as many channels or more exclusive ones like $ky then they would have more customers

Re: Gay channel
 

The channels available to Sky customers are not neccasarily provided by Sky. Lots of channels pay a third party (ntl, BT, Globecast for examples) to put them up on the satellites, then the channels pay Sky for an epg listing and encryption if wanted.
On the other hand, ntl have to buy and maintain all equipment required to recieve and pass on to the customers each and every channel.

Not quite as straightforward as you seem to think.

Re: Gay channel
 

Ok I accept your point about channels paying sky to shove them on the satellites, but seeing as NTL get their programs from the same satellites (as we were informed when we got cable installed many years ago when it was nice and friendly C&W!) how come they don't carry them? there are loads of freebie channels on sky and yes they maybe crap but it would be nice to have the choice to watch them or not - anyways this is going OT and I don't wanna do that!

Re: Gay channel
 

I assume that it comes down to demand amongst NTL customers. Does this chan have a big subscription level?

Re: Gay channel
 

GTV hasn;t gone on air as yet. It is proposed to be an entertainment channel aimed at gay people broadcasting from teatime till the early hours. I understand it will show some soft-core porn overnight. The channel is due to launch on satellite shortly.

Yes, the channel is to be a premium channel, like most of the Asian channels, for example, are.

There are two gay channels available but neither are on ntl. Gaydate TV is the gay version of the The Dating Channel, which is for heterosexual people. ntl chooses to take hetero dating channel but not the gay version even though they are made by the same company. People might conclude that ntl have intentionally chosen not to take the gay version, only the hetero version, and that the decision was anti-gay.

The other is Gaydar Radio which broadcasts on Sky, the intenret, on DAB in London and Brighton but NOT on cable (either ntl or TW).

There is currently no all-porn gay channel in the UK. There was one a few years ago on satellite but, as per usual, no cable company was willing to take the channel even though it was happy to broadcast the hetero porn channels.

Re: Gay channel
 

NTL do indeed source the majority of their programmes from the satellite feed.

But they still have to receive the programme, regig it from DVB-S to DVB-C, multiplex it, and send it down the cable to your house. Now not only does the equiptment to do all this cost money to maintain, and the engineers looking after it need their fat salaries paying ;), but there's also limited space available on dcab. If NTL put a (satellite) FTA channel on the list, it goes in place of one that could potentially pay for an EPG spot.

It's not all black and white.

Re: Gay channel
 

No

Re: Gay channel
 

and you lament others for having a bais :rolleyes:

back to the topic, one of the only reasons i see NTL not being interested in the channels is this demand, enough demand is not there to sufficiently warrent a launch, a few hundred people out of the many thousands on the network wont cover the costs.

sky has space to fill, and channels are happy to pay them, thats the advantage of a monopoly there is not no competition to create a push to add channels, even if they (NTL TW) dont compete in all uk areas.

Re: Gay channel
 

Kronas,

How do you know that sky has space to fill??

Have you actually asked them?

I hate it when people make assumptions without at least checking.

Re: Gay channel
 

I think you make some good points, but I'm not sure that this particular arguement holds. I think the reasoning behind this is again down to demand and availability of broadcast space. The Dating Channel launched first and likely at a time when ntl could afford to offer it carriage, Gaydate TV came along later.
Also, assuming that demand and limited space play a part, as a manager of ntl, if you had to choose one or the other, surely you'd plump for the channel with potentially greater viewing figures (working on the assumption that there are more heterosexuals in the population)

Re: Gay channel
 

OK, I have responded to this type of thread before, but for those that never saw it over on the other forum.

ntl isn't homophobic in it's channel selection policy. There is no policy of not launching gay channels. All channels are treated equally, and we launch channels based on customer demand, contractual negotiations and other relevant factors. The channels also have to actually want to launch on ntl. We spoke with two gay channels last year who didn't want to launch on cable at that time.

There is no 'evidence' that ntl won't launch gay channels, as has been implied in this thread. I am involved in the process for selecting channels to launch, and there is absolutely no discrimination against any channel genre.

There is a lot of speculation on this forum at all times about ntl, and I don't actually have the time to respond to most of it, but I wanted to set the record straight on this point as it is completely untrue.

Sam

Re: Gay channel
 

The number of channels, and the amount of available space on the satellite platform is nothing whatsoever to do with Sky. They only have a limit of 899 EPG spaces.

The amount of bandwidth available, and used, is down to the satellite operators, like Astra. There are details on many websites (such as DS), but it's generally agreed that there's plenty of space for a while yet.

Re: Gay channel
 

What a can of worms I have opened!. Although I would love NTL to carry this channel. I dont for one second think that they are homophobic. It probably all comes down to money, NTL being a business and in the business of making money.

Re: Gay channel
 

Maybe if this question gets asked enough, it might get answered...

WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT A 'GAY' CHANNEL???? :confused: (apart from the sexual orientation of it all...) ?

Hallelujah! :D

Glad someone realises that it's down to money and as Sam B says above, some channels just don't want to pay to launch on Cable, yet.

Re: Gay channel
 

I'd love to know the answer to this also, as I thought homosexual people wanted to be accepted and treated equally, yet they need their own TV channel?

I wouldn't say "ours" are hetrosexual only!

Re: Gay channel
 

Gay tv viewing I would imagine deal with gay issues that are not given any airtime at the moment. For example issues like health advice for young gay men and woman, a portal for young gay people to help them come to terms with there sexualality, and how best to deal with telling friends and family, advice about safe areas we can go out and be safe. I wish I would have such a valuble tool when I was coming out. It was a very scary time for me, but i got through it ok. Not all my friends had such a good time of it.

Re: Gay channel
 

What are you trying to say

Re: Gay channel
 

Today Gay TV started test transmissions on Sky. Here's a couple of screen grabs...

Re: Gay channel
 

I don't know because i have never seen one, but I guess the difference is as stated above, but would you say the same about the Asian channels? :erm:

Re: Gay channel
 

Personally i dont understand how people are so negative. A gay channel would be for gay people so i dont understand why people take issue with it being a "gay" channel.

Its 2004 and it seems that intolerance and ignorance is still rife.

There's a lot of hypocrisy and double standards about such things on this board.

Re: Gay channel
 

So if there was a gay-orientated channel, does that mean we'd finally see the back of rubbish like Gimme Gimme Gimme??

Re: Gay channel
 

Hey do not mock Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, Russ, I thought the earlier, Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie shows were quite funny and you do not have to be gay to like such a comedy programme.

Re: Gay channel
 

That's a very funny show.

Just cos it has a gay bloke in it doesnt mean its aimed at the gay community

:erm:

Re: Gay channel
 

Gay TV...Where Men Come First <sniggers> Genius, pure genius.

And what was that about Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie? Just becuase there is a gay character in it, doesn't mean that only gay people watch it Russ. Come on, it's 2004 man.

Re: Gay channel
 

I think it's always been a load of old pap, and that's nothing to do with it having a 'camp' feel. Surely to try and diversify like this is asking for trouble. What next, a channel for us slapheads??

I'm not saying only gays watch it but that's the 'hook' of the show, like Will and Grace, it's an openly camp gay man living with a woman.

And Neil ain't as bald as me ;)

Re: Gay channel
 

Why is it asking for trouble ?

You need to loosen up a bit Russ.

It takes all sorts to make the world spin.

Re: Gay channel
 

Sorry...my brain ain't functioning too well tonight...I get mixed up easily you know!

Well I have to say, as a straight man, given the choice of watching My Family or Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, the camp gets my vote! Or should I say, I'm in the camp camp? :dunce:

Re: Gay channel
 

Because all kinds of minorities will then be asking for their own channel.

I have a weekly massage for that :)

Couldn't agree more.

Re: Gay channel
 

Gay people are not in the minority as you would like to believe Russ.

Re: Gay channel
 

I think the one set of people that really do need their own channel, are the deaf.
The main reason being that they need subtitles and sign language, which are often neglected on other channels.
All tho subtitles are optional on mainstream channels, unfortunatly sign language still has to be added to the stream so non deaf viewers have to view it too.
Not that, this should mean there shouldnt still be a gay related channels too.

Re: Gay channel
 

You don't know what I believe. I'm saying that if a channel was specifically set up to cater for one section of society, then I'm sure it'll only be a matter of time before others will want their own. Whatever next, a channel for ethnic minorities? No, what I believe we need is diversity on existing channels. We don't need any more, although the idea for the deaf makes a great deal of sense.

Re: Gay channel
 

funny thing is , sky seems to have most of everything covered as regards minorities ;)

Re: Gay channel
 

Exactly........i mean whatever next .....Channels for people who like football, fishing, pop music,asian music, country music, culture, nature, sex, Cricket, Boxing, Wrestling ??????????????????????????????????

Its a dangerous path to follow letting everyone have all these specialist channels.


:erm:

Re: Gay channel
 

There you go again but a slight re-word Russ, 'minorities' to 'one section'. I thought there were channels for ethnic groups? :confused:

Re: Gay channel
 

Just wondering Russ why you refer to gay people as one section of the society, given that everyone is just the same on the inside, so there are no sections in society. And anyway I am sure a lot of heterosexual people would watch the channel to find out more about what its like to deal with coming out issues etc Also seeing as we have to have TV5 on which I am sure lots of people watch seeing as french is the 2nd language in this country (yeah right) why not allow the channel to be carried!

Re: Gay channel
 

Are there?

Do programmes not already cover that on existing channels, such as the tripe-fest Trisha?

Come on, you know exactly what I mean!! Of course there are sections of society, there are those who follow religion, those who follow football etc

Re: Gay channel
 

Not exactly sections Russ, Religion is a faith, football is an interest, being gay is a way of life

Re: Gay channel
 

Do we HAVE to have TV5 or was it added because it was cheap anyway?
Personally I like TV5 even tho I don't speak french. The news has a different bias from Uk news, plus they show the dead, when people have been involved in terrorist attacks etc. If there is one channel that needs subtitles its TV5, shame they show french subtitles instead of english for some programs.

Re: Gay channel
 

I'd consider religion to be a way of life and I know a lot of football fans who'd consider their interest to be a way of life too.

If you want to be pedantic, you could use the word 'interests' instead of sections.

Re: Gay channel
 

The God Channel for example?

Re: Gay channel
 

Very sure of it. :)


So Gay people follow other gay people like its some sort of hobby? :confused:

Re: Gay channel
 

Then add....

Homosexual
Bi Sexual
White supremacy
Black Supremacy
Muslim supremacy
People that like Voyuerism
People that like bondage
People that like pain
people that like lolitas

People that collects model railways
People that trainspot
People that are addicted to Star trek
People that Liberal
People that are communist
People that are Capitalist
People that hate politics
People that love politics


Exactly where do you draw the line?

And can someone tell me what would be different about gay programming schedules that couldnt and arent already shown on current TV?
Does someone really want to sit and watch 24 hours of tv that is repeated every hour? Maybe just maybe the reason is that on channels such as discovery they already cover a lot of issues that would deal with a young homosexual person growing up.

You know what, I'm Hetrosexual and I ****ing wish to god I had TV help to help me deal with all the ******* problems I had when I grew up! Who helped me? My mates and myself. Does that not happen in Gay friendships? Are your friends all "different" to hetro friends? do you have to make out that the whole world is against you and that life is such a struggle? FFS life is a struggle for EVERYONE not just people with uhhhhhh "issues".

If your Gay and want to come out then fine, if you dont then dont, either way myself and probably a VERY large percentag eof the rest of the human race couldnt give a toss either way.

You DO NOT need Gay TV programmes, it'll end up being trashy eurocrap as usual.

Re: Gay channel
 

That's NOT what I mean and you know it!

This is what I mean! :)

Re: Gay channel
 

Firstly who says they NEED a gay channel? People WANT a channel there's a difference.

Also there are Gay channels but they are not being shown on NTL, thats the real problem

Re: Gay channel
 

Theres channels that get shown in the USA and the rest of Europe that we cant get in the UK, I dont think that unfair.

Its hard to get a channel that shows Hardcore pornography (at a reasonable time). Do I go on about conspiracies? Do I say that the Cable company is persecuting hetro sexual hard core porn fans?

Wheres the problem?

Re: Gay channel
 

Which I believe was the point of this whole thread. :tu:

Re: Gay channel
 

But its not just Gay channels that are available on sky that arent on NTL, do any other people complain about this? No they dont do they? why does it have to be such an issue? why does NTL have to be "anti gay" because it chooses not to show Gay channels?

It it anti satanist because it doesnt show satanic channels?

Re: Gay channel
 

Um... well they kind of are, actually...

Re: Gay channel
 

Making all these comparisons between gay interests and the other 'interests/groups/ways of life/whatever' is missing the point a little. As already stated, it all comes down to demand, and in the league table of interests etc within ntl's viewership, gay(ness? can't think of another adjective to describe the interests of gay people) obviously doesn't rank high enough to feature.

Re: Gay channel
 

Well said that person!


I understand that I come across as homophobic. Thats not my intention, my intention is to say that it really isnt such an issue. Life isnt fair, you dont always get what you want, deal with it and move on.

You cant go around accusing companies of discrimination because they dont provide what YOU want.

I'd also like to point out that I am aware of how difficult coming out can be as I saw and talked my cousin through it. My advice was if your unsure keep it private, if you are prepared to have people gossip do it. Either way what difference will it make to you and your partner and your family? He did it, he regretted it in a way, it hasnt changed his life, he doesnt feel relieved he's exactly how he was. Homosexual. end of story.

Re: Gay channel
 

Tristan why are gay people in the minority? do you want to come to Manchester and check out the Village? certainly not a minority there, and there are millions and millions of gay people in the world

Re: Gay channel
 

I do hope your not equating a Gay channel with a hardcore porn channel?
Being gay is not just about who you have sex with?
Also yes you could say there was a conspiracy to stop showing hardcore porn in peak time hours. I for one do not like to have to pay to watch sex between consenting adults.
Paying to watch sex is just as sad as paying a prostitute to have sex.

Porn should be free for all.

Re: Gay channel
 

Homosexuality? Perhaps there's just not enough demand for a channel on the subject/interest/way of life/perssuasion (delete as appropriate) to warrent them investing in it, rather than it being any kind of homophobe issue?

Do they not say it's something like 1 in 4? That's a minority. And going to Manchester's Gay Village is like saying go to London's Chinatown.

Re: Gay channel
 

Hell yeah free porn!!

No it wasnt my intention to link hardcore porn into being gay. I was just saying that as a fan of porn that I dont feel discriminated against because I cant have what I want. Strange annalogy I know but......well yeah odd.

Re: Gay channel
 

Perhaps someone could educate me on this, but I thought that if you chose one thing with which to define the difference between heterosexuals and homosexuals it would be exactly this.

In which other ways would you define being 'gay' and does that then mean that all 'gay' people exhibit these definitions?

Re: Gay channel
 

I disagree, I think people who 'think' this are blatantly ignorant with the world they are living in today.

Re: Gay channel
 

I think he means minority as in

Re: Gay channel
 

Alan being gay isnt just about having sex with someone of the same sex, its actually about loving and caring, genuinely having feelings for this person, the same way in which someone who is heterosexual has those feelings about the opposite sex.

Re: Gay channel
 

Okay, sorry, just my interpretation of the word sex ;) Thats enough debating for one day for me! :)

Re: Gay channel
 

I'll leave it to someone who is a gay to reply to that, but I think you'll find the sexuality spectrum includes all colors.

Re: Gay channel
 

Here's the definition of minority::
1. The smaller in number of two groups forming a whole.
2. A group or party having fewer than a controlling number of votes.

3. An ethnic, racial, religious, or other group having a distinctive presence within a society.
4. A group having little power or representation relative to other groups within a society.

so homosexual persons are in the minority, techincally speaking - within the UK. Meaning, there are more hetrosexual people, than homosexual people. But, that does not mean to say that there are only a few. I believe the figure 1 in 10 persons are homosexual - so that's around 6,000,000 gay people in the country. Of course the figure is probably completely wrong, but you get the idea.

In respects to a Gay Channel, well in the UK there are no gay lifestlye channels (of course there are GayDate TV and Gaydar Radio, but they're not really lifestyle).

There obviously is not a demand for a gay channel on ntl at the moment. 1.3million digital customers, 10% is 130,000. But, many gay people many not care about a gay channel on ntl. It all depends on the demand for the channel. Someone has already posted that ntl don't discriminate when chosing channels, so ntl won't discriminate (ntl aren't that bad! They do have moral standards!)

well that's all i'm saying :D

Re: Gay channel
 

But who says they are smaller? Nobody knows how many gay people they are to straight people, but because being gay is considered to be 'wrong' by alot of people (still in this day and age) people are automatically assuming there are more straight people to gay people. :confused:

Re: Gay channel
 

Well the old 'I'm not homophobic but..' ploy won't wash. Just because there isn't a demand doesnt mean they shouldnt show a gay lifestyle channel. The horse racing channels may have some demand, but there are pleanty of animal rights activists who would not like that sort of channel on the system.