DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY THE SPOTLIGHT CHANNEL HAS BEEN REMOVED

[hermit60]

I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY A NICHE MUSIC CHANNEL, SPOTLIGHT TV HAS BEEN REMOVED. IT WAS THE ONLY CHANNEL PLAYING 50S, 60S, 70S, 80S AND COUNTRY MUSIC . NO OTHER CHANNEL COMES EVEN CLOSE. EVEN THE NOW CHANNELS TEND TO PLAY THE SAME MUSIC OVER AND OVER

[nigea99 · Accepted solution]

I think this link helps:

https://spotlight-tv.co.uk/our-future 

[Chodley]

That's a really interesting page. I assumed on modern platforms that the viewing data was colllected from much more representative data using box and SmartTV metrics. Comical that it still uses that old method frankly, and sorry to see what must have happened to Spotlight.

[ozsat]

It is still available on most Internet connected Freeview televisions.

[Chrisee]

@hermit60 they stopped broadcasting over satellite see here for more info https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/country-music-channel-spotlight-to-exit-sky-and-freesat

[rscott]

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@Chodley wrote:

That's a really interesting page. I assumed on modern platforms that the viewing data was colllected from much more representative data using box and SmartTV metrics. Comical that it still uses that old method frankly, and sorry to see what must have happened to Spotlight.

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It's a pretty misleading summary - the BARB group does include some without TVs, but that group use streaming devices instead, so are a perfectly valid part of the sample.

[PauLia]

The Spotlight channel had many Irish music shows, most of them now have disappeared.  On a Monday on channel 181, which is called channel 7, the Michael Commins show and Ireland West music show can be seen, just one day a week.  There are 3 other music shows on a Monday beginning at 6 pm, but theser 3 are all  very old.  But before Spotlight, many of the Irish and Country & Western music shows were shown on the Showcase channel, and before that on another channel.   The up-to-date shows have been shown over the years on different channels, so why Sky have you decided to not show them any more.  You have alot of very disappointed viewers, many of who many years ago first went to Sky  because of the Irish music channels they could watch.  

[Mark39]

@PauLia perhaps you missed the previous replies. It's not Sky's decision. It would make more sense to ask the channels themselves.

[TimmyBGood]

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@PauLia wrote:

The up-to-date shows have been shown over the years on different channels, so why Sky have you decided to not show them any more.  You have alot of very disappointed viewers, many of who many years ago first went to Sky  because of the Irish music channels they could watch.  

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Contrary to popular knowledge, Sky owns and operates very few of the hundreds of channels which are listed in the Sky EPG.

Sky Showcase (+1 available)
Sky Max
Sky Atlantic (+1 available)
Sky Comedy
Sky Witness (+1 available)
Sky Replay
Sky Sci-Fi
Comedy Central (+1 available) (joint venture with Paramount Global)
Comedy Central Extra (joint venture with Paramount Global)
Pick
Challenge
Blaze (part-time +1 available) (joint venture with A+E Networks UK)
Sky Arts
Sky Crime (+1 available)
Sky Documentaries
Sky History (+1 available) (joint venture with A+E Networks UK)
Sky History 2 (joint venture with A+E Networks UK)
Sky Nature
Crime & Investigation (+1 available) (joint venture with A+E Networks UK)
Sky News
Sky News Arabia (joint venture)
Nickelodeon (+1 available) (joint venture with Paramount Global)
Nick Jr. (+1 available) (joint venture with Paramount Global)
Nick Jr. Too (joint venture with Paramount Global)
Nicktoons (joint venture with Paramount Global)
All Sky Sports Channels
All Sky Cinema Channels

Every other channel is the responsibility of its own owners, and it's their choice to continue or cease broadcasting: typically this is a financial decision, as it was in the case of Spotlight and Showcase (not 'Sky Showcase', which is different)

[TimmyBGood]

@PauLia 

Incidentally there's information here which may be of interest:

https://www.philmackcountry.com/ 

[PauLia]

Thank you for this info, I do know about Freeview channel 271.   There was a comment on the Bob Brolly Facebook page that although the shows can be seen on Freeview 271 the shows are all very old.  I have just looked at their website and it looks as though this is indeed true, shows of tours from 2014, none later than 2016.  Sky channel 181 has Ireland West and Michael Commins, which seem to be the present time.  We await the future with interest.

[boucergirl2]

Hi

not sure if anyone knows.  I totally found it by accident.  They play country music on sky channel 186 Ayozat ch. Thursday morning 1am for 2hrs (pure country and big T).  Then Fri morning 1am Phil's international country show.

it's the best we can get for now until Sky sort themselves out and give us country fans a music channel. 

[Daniel0210]

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@boucergirl2 wrote:

until Sky sort themselves out and give us country fans a music channel. 

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@boucergirl2 

There is nothing for Sky to sort. If a company thinks it's financially viable to set up a music or any other channel they can and then they'll have to pay Sky for it to be broadcast on Skys platforms. As this hasn't happened it suggests the financial implications are too costly for the viewing figures it would generate. 

[GD1]

@boucergirl2  You do know that Sky do not control every you see on TV?  Also that Sky don't own satellites or control them? They can't just create channels at will.

   Many other companies have launched Country Music channels and all have failed due to lack of viewers and low advertising in thre UK.

It's not up to Sky to pander to every musical genre, there's a cost involved for these channels to run

You should be aware there was a dedicated Country Musc Channel many years ago but failed due to low viewership.

The best you'll be able to hope for is Country Music strands on existing (Non Sky) channels, or seek out the Genre online.

[bob1234]

The link given in the answer, admittedly a long time ago, is now available to buy so it looks as though they may have disappeared.

However if you just want music it may be better to get a smart speaker, if you have a subscription to prime there is a vast collection of music just ask for what you want, 50s music, country etc etc. There is an additional subscription which gives even more music. This is using an Echo device from Amazon but I believe Google is similar. The latest Amazon device is the "Echo Pop" which is supposed to be good audio quality.