ABC1 (UK)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox television channel ABC1 was a television channel owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company, available to the viewers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ABC1 used the branding of the Disney-owned American network, ABC.

The channel had general entertainment programming with programming from the US parent channel, apart from the weekend morning programming block Playhouse Disney, which was aimed at children and also aired on Disney Channel in the United States of America.<ref name=ks/><ref name=ds>Template:Cite news</ref>

History

ABC1 channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004 but it only broadcast daily from 6am to 6pm<ref name=ds/> with the expectations to eventually broadcast 24/7 by 2010. The channel was not available on Freeview in Wales as the space on multiplex A was taken by S4C. The channel was ad-free for the first few months to build up viewers.<ref>(5 August 2004). Disney plans Freeview TV channel. BBC News. Accessed on 19 February 2014.</ref><ref>(5 August 2004). Disney plans ad-free start for new channel. BroadcastNow.co.uk. Accessed on 19 February 2014.</ref> In December 2004, it was expanded on Telewest's digital cable service,<ref>(7 December 2004). ABC1 expands on to UK cable. C21 Media. Accessed on 19 February 2014.</ref> and on 14 December on the NTL digital cable service.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In March 2005, ABC1 took its first advertisement from Procter and Gamble.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Unlike other channels in the UK and Ireland with advertisements generically every 15 minutes, ABC1's advertisement breaks were similar to channels in the US, with advertisements being run straight after a show's title sequence and before the end credits, with no further advertisement breaks during a show or between shows. Also in 2005, Sky started carrying the channel.<ref name = ds0>Template:Cite news</ref> In Summer 2006, a Playhouse Disney block was added to the schedule in the morning.<ref name=ks>Template:Cite news</ref>

It was announced on 7 September 2007, that ABC1 would close down, due to Disney deciding to concentrate on their other channels and lack of primetime availability on Freeview UK.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite being scheduled to close down on 1 October 2007, ABC1 stopped broadcasting early on all UK and Irish TV platforms at noon on 26 September 2007 after three years on-air. The channel was removed from the EPGs immediately afterwards.

On 30 October 2007, the channel's former Sky EPG slot was replaced with Playhouse Disney +, a 25-minute timeshift service of Playhouse Disney.

References

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External links

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