Ftn (TV channel)

For other uses, see FTN (disambiguation).

FTN (Flextech Television Network) was a television channel owned by Virgin Media Television (formerly known as Flextech). The channel's main purpose was to exist as a highlights network for Flextech to showcase Freeview viewers the programmes from their paid channels, although it also aired its own programming.

FTN

Programming
Timeshift service	Ftn+1 (Thursday 9 August - Monday 1 October 2007)
Ownership
Owner	Virgin Media Television
History
Launched	15 January 2003 (2003-01-15)
Closed	1 October 2007 (2007-10-01)
Replaced by	Virgin 1
Availability (at time of closure)
Terrestrial
Freeview	Channel 20

It originally launched on 15 January 2003, airing from 6:00pm-6:00am as it timeshared with UKTV Bright Ideas. It also transitioned on Virgin Media, and as a subscription channel on Sky.

History

The channel was announced on 3 October 2002 as part of a preparation of networks on the Freeview service.^[1] The channel's initial launch programming was announced on 1 January 2003, with a launch prepared for the 15th.^[2]

FTN +1 launched on Sky and Virgin Media on 9 August 2007. Despite being a one-hour timeshift, FTN +1 only broadcast from 7 pm until 1 am, as Live Roulette TV which broadcast on FTN from 12 am to 3 am, couldn't be rebroadcast one hour later, for legal reasons.

It was announced in the summer of 2007 that Virgin Media Television was to launch a new channel, Virgin 1.^[3] The new channel launches on Monday 1 October 2007.^[4] The channel was Virgin Media's attempt to rival Sky One.

As a result of this new channel, it was revealed the Ftn would close, leaving its EPG positions on Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview to Virgin 1.^[5]

Ftn closed at 6 am on Monday 1 October 2007, with Virgin 1 launching at 9:00 pm on the same day.^[6]

Programming

FTN's schedule featured entertainment and reality programming, and also programming from other Virgin Media Television cable channels, such as Living, Living2, Bravo, Bravo 2, Trouble, and Challenge. This provided a preview to Freeview viewers of what the Virgin Media channels offered, in a similar fashion to BSkyB's Sky Three, a channel which was also on Freeview.

3-2-1 6ixth Sense with Colin Fry Americas Dumbest A-Z of Bad Boys The Best Of Beadle's About Blues and Twos (Bravo and Bravo 2) Bob and Margaret Booze Britain (Bravo and Bravo 2) Booze Britain 2: Binge Nation (Bravo) Boston Legal (Living) Celebrity Poker Club Celebrity Poker Showdown Close to Home Cold Squad Cops and Cars Superstars (Bravo) Costa Del Street Crime (Bravo) The Crystal Maze Date My Sister Da Vinci's Inquest Dead Famous Dilbert Dog the Bounty Hunter European Poker Tour Fifteen to One Fort Boyard Ghost Towns Gladiators Hellraisers' Handbook Hollywood Star Treatment

Increase Your House Price By £10K Incredible Edible Challenge Inside Spearmint Rhino The L Word Laid Bare Masters Of Horror Most Haunted - (Series 1 to 7) Most Haunted Almost Live! Most Haunted Live! My God, I'm My Dad! Night Stalker Nothing To Declare Poker Superstars Police Beat (Bravo and Bravo 2) Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Shock Movie Massacre Showbiz Poker Sin Cities Stakeout Street Crime UK (Bravo and Bravo 2) Teleshopping (from 5am-6am) Telly Addicts The Ultimate Fighter The Warehouse World Series of Poker The X-Files

Participation TV

Previously The Great Big British Quiz broadcast nightly between the hours of 00:00 and 03:00am. (Big Game TV took this spot until April 2007) Between November 2005 and November 2006 Quiz Night Live broadcast from 22.00 - 01.00 daily only to be replaced by Ostrich Media's Quiz Call which ceased broadcasting on FTN on 1 January 2007.

In June 2007, Live Roulette TV began broadcasting on FTN between the hours of midnight and 03:00am.