Living (TV channel)

Infobox TV channel
name = Living
logofile = Living logo.png logoalt = Living logo
launch = 1 September 1993
share = 0.6% (0.4% for +1)
share as of = June 2008
share source = [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/monthreports.cfm?report=monthgmulti]
owner = Virgin Media Television
picture format = 16:9, 576i (SDTV)
former names = UK Living (until 1997)
Living TV (until 2004)
LIVINGtv (until 2007)
sister names = Living2
timeshift names = Living+1
web = [http://www.livingtv.co.uk www.livingtv.co.uk]
terr serv 1 = Top Up TV
terr chan 1 = "Via Top Up TV Anytime"
sat serv 1 = Sky Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 112
Channel 113 (+1)
cable serv 1 = Virgin Media
cable chan 1 = Channel 110
Channel 111 (+1)| cable serv 2 = NTL Ireland
cable chan 2 = Channel 124
Channel 125 (+1)
cable serv 3 = WightCable
cable chan 3 = Channel 40/113

Living is a British television channel owned by Virgin Media Television. Originally launched as UK Living in 1993, the channel changed its name to Living in 1997, to dissassociate itself from the UKTV network that launched that year, later becoming LivingTV and in 2004 adopted LIVINGtv. The channel's programming is aimed mainly at women and families but is increasing its reach in a bid to become "the 6th Channel". With new shows such as "", "Close to Home" and "Boston Legal", the channel is now broadening its audience reach to a wider range of demographics including men aged 18-45.

The most watched shows on Living are Ghost Whisperer, America's Next Top Model, Grey's Anatomy and Most Haunted Live.

The channel also airs Yvette Fielding's "Most Haunted", in which Fielding and medium David Wells investigate supposedly haunted locations in the UK. The show has brought some of the channel's biggest ratings to date.

In 2001, Living helped to launch a whole new genre of paranormal programming with such shows as "Crossing Over with John Edward", "6ixth Sense with Colin Fry", "Scream Team", "Jane Goldman Investigates", "Dead Famous", "I'm Famous and Frightened!" and "Most Haunted", which continues to be a ratings winner.

Living has also launched a number of successful US television shows in the UK market. Past successes include "Charmed", "Will & Grace", "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", "Miss Match", "Joan of Arcadia", "", and "Just Shoot Me!". At present the channel currently has first run UK rights to "Boston Legal", "Criminal Minds", "Grey's Anatomy", "Ghost Whisperer", "The L Word", "Men In Trees" and the Australian comedy "Kath and Kim". In 2008 the channel will also be debuting the first seasons of "Army Wives", "Lipstick Jungle", and "Viva Laughlin".

Brian Dowling was put forward as one of the public figures to represent Living - by presenting programming including "Celebrity Extra", Trolley Dollies, and a spin-off to "I'm Famous and Frightened!". However in recent years, Brian has been mostly absent from the channel apart from the occasional "Celebrity Extra" presenting duties. Instead fellow "Big Brother" contestant Jade Goody became Living's newest public face, with three different shows devoted to her life, "Jades Salon", "Just Jade" and "Jade's P.A" but she has recently been dropped due to the racist row on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2007.

To continue the list of Reality TV stars hosting programmes, Jodie Marsh announced that she would be presenting a new programme called "Get A Life" starting on 1 March 2007. However, Living announced that the show was to be cancelled and discussions got underway as to whether the remaining four episodes would be aired.

"Living" announced in February 2007 that Abigal Clancy, the runner up "Britains Next Top Model" (cycle 2) has signed a deal with the channel to make a new reality show with Janice Dickinson as her mentor, on trying to crack America.

Many of Living's programmes are available on demand through Virgin Media.

Living is available in the Republic of Ireland via Sky Digital, NTL Ireland Cable [http://www.upc.ie/television/basictv/] , and NTL Digital [http://www.upc.ie/television/digitaltv/select/] but is also available in many other European countries via Satellite. The Irish verison of Living has local advertising and have increasingly been trying to appeal more to the Irish, launching a huge billboard ad campaign throughout the country.

Living is broadcast on 11.739 GHz, vertically polarised at 28.2°E. It is encrypted using Videoguard. [http://www.satcodx2.com/0282/eng/]

Logos

Notable Shows

reLIVINGtv

ReLivingTV was launched in 2006 on a temporary basis, and proved successful. It is an afternoon block on Sundays, where viewers are able to relive every episode of a certain show and season. It all began one Sunday in June for a morning session for viewers after the end of Charmed by repeating every episode of the eighth and final series, and since, it has had many successions with the likes of "Jade's Salon", "Just Jade", "Grey's Anatomy", "Boston Legal" and The WB's "Summerland". Although for most shows it continues on for a numerous amount of weeks until they are finished broadcasting that specific show or season, they have also started broadcasting films to break their gaps.

reLIVINGtv, was on most Sundays starting at around 3.00pm and had no specific ending time.

External links

* [http://www.livingtv.co.uk LivingTV.co.uk]
* [http://www.fans.nidia-source.net/livingtv Living fanlisting]
* [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/programming/a43988/living-gives-jodies-show-the-axe.html]
* [http://thetvroom.com/otheruk The TV Room] looks at presentation/branding on Living