Last Flextech channel standing.
 

Challenge will soon be the last channel brand standing from the old Flextech operation when Sky Living becomes Sky Witness.

I wonder how long Challenge will last, the channel has been stuck in a rut for a few years now, with less classic game shows, no original commissions etc.

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

The problem is, as with all old British shows, is that they are dated in nature and are poor quality, picture wise. Anything pre digital and pre widescreen looks awful on a large modern tv.

I watch the old Millionaire eps, as at least they are from this century and a few bullseyes occasionally, but that's about it.

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

Personally, I have always thought that a re-vamped Challenge TV with brand new shows and audience participation would be an attractive proposition. You could even have prizes for some shows.

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

The thing is the "market" is already being covered by the main channels. Since the kids shows got relegated to other places and we've gone the American road of having all quiz shows on in the late afternoon/early evening, most people get their quiz "fill" that way and don't need to look elsewhere.

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

Challenge TV in its present form is antiquated. They cannot keep showing these old shows and expect to get much of an audience.

However, I do think that audience participation is the key to success. Unless they do this, they probably won't still be around in a couple of years or so.

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

Challenge is still one of Sky's best-performing channels.
https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/...ewing-summary/

If it's not broken...

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

I am amazed that people are still watching that! Ok, I stand corrected!

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

I think the fact that it's also FTA and on Freeview & Freesat will have helped to achieve this.

Maybe Sky have finally realised the advantages of having a mixed FTA/pay portfolio and this could be why there's speculation that Sky Arts & Real Lives are to go FTA??

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

Pick on Freesat is just a great big advert for Sky, showing stuff that was on Sky One a decade ago and running endless commercials for what’s currently on Sky Sports, Movies and Atlantic.

If you use the skip forwards button on my Freesat remote to dodge the adverts, two presses brings you precisely to the end of the branded goods section of the commercial break and onto the beginning of about a minute of Sky ‘coming soon’ stuff. That section is too short to use the skip button again, so you have to fast-forward, which means you see the Sky showreel, even if at 4x speed, even if you don’t hear it.

I have always thought that Sky has only ever valued FTA channels as a way of promoting their paywall content. The paywall stuff is what their business model rests on and I can’t see them doing anything to undermine it.

Re: Last Flextech channel standing.
 

I kind of agree, although I would say that Sky Arts and Real Lives are not channels of mass appeal, so I think Richard could be right in his assessment of this.

I think your points are also relevant, Chris, and Sky would not contemplate doing the same for any of its flagship channels that attract viewers to the satellite system (Sky One/Two and Sky Atlantic).