Sky Real Lives

:"This article discusses the Sky Real Lives channel (formerly "Sky Travel"). For the UK Sky channel currently named Sky Travel, see Sky Travel (formerly Sky Travel Shop).Infobox TV channel
name = Sky Real Lives
logofile = Sky Real Lives.png logosize = 122px
logoalt =
launch = 3 October, 1994
share = 0.0%
share as of = February 2008
share source = [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/monthreports.cfm?report=monthgmulti]
owner = BSkyB
sister names = Sky Real Lives 2
Sky Travel
timeshift names = Sky Real Lives +1
web =
terr avail = Not Available
sat serv 1 = Sky Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 243
Channel 244 (+1)
Channel 245 (2)
Channel 669 (Sky Travel)
web = [http://www.sky.com/reallives www.sky.com/reallives]

Sky Real Lives is a channel from BSkyB that shows extensive programmes about travel, adverts for travel agencies, and documentries.

History

Sky Real Lives launched as Sky Travel on 3 October , 1994,cite web|url=http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/dx/text/satellite/telesatellit/ts941002.txt|title=TELE SATELLIT - Number 19|accessdate=2007-02-17] and became part of the Sky Multichannels package. It originally broadcast between Monday and Thursday between midday and midnight and on Friday between midday and 6pm until September 1997. In 2001 the channel started broadcasting 7 days a week from 6am until 11pm. The channel launched its first multiplex in September 2002, Sky Travel Extra and the core channel launched with Freeview on 30 October 2002, along with Sky News and Sky Sports News. In February 2003 a spin off of the channels, Sky Travel Shop, launched a dedicated travel retail channel in the Specialist, then Shopping section of the EPG. In September 2003 both channels were launched on the NTL platform. With increased distribution, Sky Travel changed its programming strategy to attract a wider audience, skewing towards stronger entertainment programmes with a travel theme, particularly reality shows. By August 2004, the core channel was broadcasting 24 hours a day and in January 2005 a second multi-plex Sky Travel +1 was launched.

In October 2005 Sky Travel on Freeview was replaced by Sky Three and in March 2006, the Sky Travel channels were moved from the Entertainment genre on Sky into the Lifestyle and Culture section of the EPG.

In August 2006, Sky Travel began showing reality TV, whilst Sky Travel Extra dedicated its airtime to documentaries.

Sky Real Lives 2, the replacement channel for Sky Travel Extra, is to gain additional broadcast hours from launch.

From 2002 until 2007, Sky Real Lives 2 only aired from 6am until 1am. However, on November 7 at 6am, Sky Real Lives 2 began 24 hour broadcasts.

Changes on Freeview

In 2004 Sky Travel showed the first two episodes of the fourth season of US drama 24, simulcasting with BSkyB's primary channel, Sky1. This led to rumours that the company had planned to turn Sky Travel into a general entertainment channel on Freeview. However, BSkyB's CEO, James Murdoch, had repeatedly denied the company had any plans to launch any new free-to-air services.

BSkyB's stance on the subject has since changed. On 22 September 2005, it was announced that Sky Travel would be replaced on Freeview by new entertainment channel Sky3. Although some of Sky Travel's programming will form part of the schedule of Sky Three, Sky Travel itself will still be shown on Sky Digital. Sky Travel ceased to be broadcast on Freeview at 5pm on 31 October 2005.

ky Travel relaunch

On 17 September 2007 Sky announced plans to rename Sky Travel to Sky Real Livesfrom 7 November 2007. [cite news
title = Sky Travel to be renamed Sky Real Lives
publisher = Digital Spy
date = 17 September, 2007
url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a75790/sky-travel-to-be-renamed-sky-real-lives.html
accessdate = 2007-09-17] The new channel will focus on programmes with a human interest story and will be targeted more at women in the 35-54 age range

Sky's managing director of entertainment Sophie Turner Laing said it seems that the channel would be given a "whole new makeover" that would make it more entertainment oriented. On 7 November, the following channels were changed

Sky Travel renamed Sky Real Lives

Sky Travel +1 renamed Sky Real Lives +1

Sky Travel Extra renamed Sky Real Lives 2

Sky Travel Shop was renamed Sky Travel.

ky Real Lives Programming

*Secrets Revealed - DNA Stories
*Hoilday Airline
*Grimebusters Series 1:2007 6x24' Series 2: 2008 10x24'
*Bad Behaviour
*Dying to Be Apart
*London Ambulance Series 1: 2007 6x24' Series 2: 2008 6x24'
*Vain Men
*Risky Business
*The Man Who Faked His Life
*Coach Trip
*Club Reps
*Airline
*How Long Will You Live?
*Luton Airport
*Redcoats
*Baby Race
*Zoo vets At Large
*Beat the Bailiff
*X-Weighted
*Lion Man
*The Filth Files
*Beat the Bailiff

ky Real Lives HD

A high definition version will launch on Sky+ HD on the 20th of October 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.sky.com/reallives Sky Real Lifes] at sky.com
* [http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/otherchannels/skytravel.html Sky Travel at TV Ark]