Festival (cable TV)

Infobox Network
network_name = FESTIVAL
network_
network_type = Cable network (movies, specials))
available = United States, national, however service is now defunct (off the air)
owner = Home Box Office, Inc.

In the late 1980s, HBO launched a short lived channel, Festival. It featured classic movies and current hit movies as well as HBO's specials & documentaries. The difference with Festival was that it was family friendly programmed. R rated movies were edited before airing on Festival and no low quality themed programs/movies were shown. Also, the subscription for the channel was priced lower than HBO & Cinemax. Festival provided its' subscribers with a nicely printed 20 page, monthly color guide. Festival, also, showed free previews like HBO such as the Oct 30-Nov 2, 1987 previews which were hosted by Tony Randall during the breaks. HBO's Festival slogan was "Quality Entertainment You Welcome Home". [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
] ] Unfortunately, only a few cable systems carried Festival and the channel went dark after a year or so.

In 1996, HBO re-entered the family premium channel arena with HBO Family, a channel similar to Festival.

Programming (Commercial Free)

*Hollywood Classics - Fondly Remembered Movies From The Great Studios
*Star Salutes - Collection Of Movies From A Selected Movie Star
*Centerstage - "Here's Your Front Row Seat For Great Entertainment" which included: Concerts such as Olivia Newton John, Carly Simon, Fats Domino, etc. Comedy with Jackie Mason, Red Skelton, Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld, etc. (no offensive comedy). Ice skating shows.
*Documentaries - Nature shows, biographies, etc.
*Current hit movies - Also commercial free, however, R rated movies that were shown were edited to fit a "PG" rating for the Festival channel.

ee also

*HBO
*HBO Family
*List of United States cable and satellite television networks

References