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[Anthony]

from Digital Spy:

Disney opts to axe ABC1



ABC1, the general US entertainment channel from Disney, is to close down next month.

Speculation that the channel would be pulled from Disney's lineup of UK channels started earlier this week on the Digital Spy forums after edits to various articles on Wikipedia indicated that ABC1's demise was imminent. One forum member spotted a page edit that indicated advertisers had been informed that the station would be closing in October, which has now been confirmed.

ABC1 broadcasts from 6am to 6pm on digital terrestrial TV but 24 hours a day on other platforms. John Hardie, Walt Disney TV's executive VP and managing director in Europe, the Middle East and Africa told Broadcast that ABC1's "inability to get access to a Freeview primetime spectrum" and a corporate decision to "focus on the Disney brand" resulted in a decision "that it was best to move on."

At this stage it has not been confirmed what will happen with the slot occupied by ABC1 on Freeview, although discussion and speculation is already underway. The channel launched on September 27, 2004, initially only on Freeview. It later gained carriage on Telewest, NTL, and, in 2005, Sky.

http://www.abc1tv.co.uk

[Owain]

 :cry:  OMG, I cant believe this is true !

ABC1 is my favourite programme to watch, yes i like MTV most but its not going to be the same with out;

Hope & faith
8 Simple rules
Home Improvement
Scrubs
Rodney
Less than Perfect

I cant believe this ! :cry:

[treble]

i hope they put something disney in it's place
please no more bid tv :!:

[peep]

NOOOOOOO! They can't do this, its insane. I love the channel, although I only really like to watch the episodes of 8 Simple Rules, Home Improvement and Less than perfect. Where am I going to be able to catch these great shows now?

[davewasbaloo]

OMG - this is one our favorite channels.  Another bone head move from Disney!!!  Man, what are these guys doing???!!!

[Anthony]

It went today at noon, earlier than expected.

[Owain]

Just one thing  :cry:

[The Butlin Boy]

Mine's gone too

[Anthony]

So now, Disney owns a 6am-6pm slot on Freeview, which is quite valuable. Up to 10million homes have digital now. What do you think they'll do with it? Sell it off for a quick profit, or try to get another channel to work on there?

Maybe they could show Disney Channel itself freeview before 6pm? Or some kind of Disney-branded channel showing more general family stuff as abc1 did -- Home Improvement, etc. More like how DC used to be before it went tween crazy.

Having an empty slot is probably still costing them money... :?

[treble]

i hope something disney i wouldn't mind watching repeats of kp, american dragon, ect.....

[Anthony]

abc1 fans: 8 Simple Rules has been bought by five. It'll start Sundays at 11am from 21st October, a bit of a rival to T4. They've also bought Hannah Montana. Good for Disney I suppose.

They obviously make more money selling their shows rather than running a channel to show em themselves.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/s ... 35,00.html

[peep]

^I suppose that is kinda cool as I am a fan of C5 but I'm not very pleased with the fact that 8 Simple rules will be shown right from the very beginning. Hmm, I suppose I have Dave (Freeview channel 19) to amuse me now.

[Owain]

abc1 fans: 8 Simple Rules has been bought by five. It'll start Sundays at 11am from 21st October, a bit of a rival to T4. They've also bought Hannah Montana. Good for Disney I suppose.

They obviously make more money selling their shows rather than running a channel to show em themselves.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/s ... 35,00.html

Wow, never thought Hannah Montana would hit normal tv