Wire TV
 

When putting together a list of cable exclusive channels, I became more curious about Wire TV which was described as cable's flagship channel.

It was on air between 1992 and 1995 and this before I first got access to cable so I never had access to the channel. Does anyone remember the channel and what type of programming did the channel feature? I know it showed sport during the evening and that it was linked and presented live from a shopping centre.

I also believe that there were opt-outs for local cable companies to show their own programmes. What programming was shown during those opt-outs?

Re: Wire TV
 

I don't remember much, but they used to show matches from the 'GM Vauxhall Conference' (now the National League) on Tuesday nights. Karren Brady, then MD at Birmingham City also used to present a football panel show called The Brady Bunch (or maybe The Brady Brunch; I can't remember exactly, it's 25 years ago!)

Re: Wire TV
 

I have it listed as launching on 4th May 1993.

They also got the rights in 1994 to show Wimbledon tennis highlights each evening.

There is a clip sometimes show on 'It'll be Alright on the Night' where a phone-in viewer had problems understanding the quiz format.

Re: Wire TV
 

OK - I found this in a copy of Interspace from 1993 regarding the Intelsat satellite which was used for cable distribution: Wire TV - The Cable Network, is due to launch on 4th May from transponder 74 (11.502GHz horizontal polarization). Test transmissions consisting of captioned colour bars commenced on 26th April with audio located at 6.65MHz and 7.02/7.20MHz, with a blank subcarrier located at 7.38MHz. Actual programming tests commenced on 28th May.

In initially started in the clear so anybody with a motorised dish in the UK could watch but they soon removed the video syncs causing an unstable picture. Sync inserters were in common use by enthusiasts at this time.

Re: Wire TV
 

I didn't know that.

I know they showed live and recorded GM Conference football and fights featuring Lennox Lewis. What other sport did the channel show?

Also, was it branded as Sportswire or did the sports coverage still sue the wire TV branding?

Re: Wire TV
 

Re: Wire TV
 

Thanks for that, and they got the rights to the 1996 Cricket World Cup. However, Wire TV closed down and Sportswire did not launch so the rights ended up with Sky with highlights in the BBC.

What other sports rights did Wire TV show?

And what other programmes did they show during their daytime hours because sport was shown, I believe, in a four-hour evening block, and what was shown during the local out-outs?

Also, I believe the channel was only on air between 1pm and 11pm. What was shown during the channel's downtime and did it share with other channel(s)?

Re: Wire TV
 

Re: Wire TV
 

When I fist got cable, Wire TV’s highlight seemed to be a fishing programme.

The channel really was the pits - I only watched something that was on there once and never went there again!

Maybe it had better days previously, in which case how could they let it deteriorate so badly?

Re: Wire TV
 

There were few channels in those days that sharing capacity was rare unless the same company has 2-3 different channels to feed. Most capacity overnight on non 24-hour services carried colour bars or blank screens.

Re: Wire TV
 

With what other channels did Wire TV share its bandwith?

Re: Wire TV
 

I don't think it did. It broadcast a static image when there were no programmes scheduled.

Re: Wire TV
 

Like I've said before - it depends on what cable area you were in and what channels they carried.

If the cable company had space on a channel they may have used that space for another channel which did not have overlapping times.

When Granada Plus closed if left Men & Motors still on late at night as they did share capacity. But some cable companies fill the gap with stuff like Animal Planet. All the cable companies did there own thing.

The fact something may get added on the satellite feed to downtime did not mean cable operators would carry it.

Re: Wire TV
 

Sometimes Wire TV did continue beyond 11pm if they were showing live sport.