Sky2
Encyclopedia
Sky2 is a British
television channel
originally launched on 2 December 2002 as Sky One Mix. Sky2 is now available on Sky, Virgin Media
, Smallworld Cable and TalkTalk TV platforms in the UK. It is also available in the Republic of Ireland
on the UPC Ireland
platform.
and Sky Vegas. Sky2's programming mostly features sci-fi programming such as Futurama
, the Stargate
franchise and Star Trek Enterprise. However, other Sky1 drama shows such as Bones
, documentary strands such as Road Wars, Street Wars, Hello Goodbye also form the Sky2 schedule.
Like Sky3, (now Pick TV) Sky2 did not feature repeat episodes of The Simpsons
, until recently where it has started to air at 8pm daily.
Sky2 is essentially a "catch-up" service for Sky's main entertainment channel Sky1, broadcasting popular Sky1 shows a few days after their original airing. Doing so, Sky2 is described as a timeshuffle channel, so called to distinguish it from timeshift channel
s such as E4+1 and Living+1 which simply broadcast E4 and Living respectively, delayed by one hour. Sky currently broadcast a timeshifted
version of one of their entertainment channels, Sky3, (now Pick TV) which took over the Freeview EPG slot which Sky Sports News
occupied, however do not currently offer a timeshifted
version of Sky1 or Sky2.
Sky2's programming showcases the best of Sky1's content and a mix of sci-fi, action and factual programmes targeting young men.
removed Sky's basic channels, including Sky1, Sky2, Sky News
, Sky Sports News
, Sky Travel
and Sky Travel Extra, from their television services after a dispute between Virgin Media and BSkyB
caused by the expiry of their carriage agreement and their inability to reach a new deal. At midnight, Sky Two was removed, and the name of the station in the electronic programming guide was changed to "Old Sky Two Try Living" on the analogue cable service. On 13 November 2008, Sky2 along with Sky1, Sky News
and Sky Sports News
were returned to Virgin Media's television service along with four more Sky channels: Sky Arts 1
, Sky Arts 2, Sky Real Lives and Sky Real Lives 2.
of programming on Sky1. Sky2 will however, remain a standalone offering. A Sky spokesperson said: "We are experimenting with different channel schedules to bring maximum value to our customers." Although was mainly the case, certain programmes which either premiered, or were reaching the "last ever episode" weren't broadcast, instead alternative programmes filling the gap.
Particular programmes which weren't shown an hour later included the premier of Sky1's Terry Pratchett's Going Postal
, the station's latest adaptation of Terry Pratchett
's Discworld
novels. Also not seen on a timeshift basis was the final ever episode of Lost
which was aired at 5am, as it was simultaneously being broadcast in the US. The last ever episodes of 24
(Sky showed it as a two-part finale) also weren't shown an hour later on Sky2.
Terry Pratchett's Going Postal would be shown later in the week with both Lost and 24 being shown on Sky2 after the final credits rolled on Sky1. Again, alternative programmes filled the gaps.
The trial concluded on 9 August 2010, with the channel reverting to its previous scheduling pattern.
from British Sky Broadcasting
, which launched on 1 September 1996 as a sister channel to Sky One, as part of a new bouquet
of Sky channels including The Computer Channel and Sky Scottish
. For an opening night it held an X-Files
theme night. While the channel was still being broadcast, Sky One was branded as "Sky 1". Unlike the later Sky One spin-off, Sky One Mix, the channel showed exclusive first-run television shows rather than the same programming as its parent. Prominent shows on its schedule included Xena: Warrior Princess
, Profit
, TekWar
and Melrose Place.
Sky used the launch of the channel and the rebrand of Sky 1 to introduce Digital On-screen Graphic
s, on both channels.
While at some points the channel reached viewing figures nearly equal to that of its sister channel (such as for the initial episode of Xena
), it was never very successful.
Due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales
in the early hours of 31 August 1997, Sky 2 was closed down, being replaced by the National Geographic Channel
the next day.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
originally launched on 2 December 2002 as Sky One Mix. Sky2 is now available on Sky, Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
, Smallworld Cable and TalkTalk TV platforms in the UK. It is also available in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
on the UPC Ireland
UPC Ireland
UPC Ireland is Liberty Global Europe's telecommunications operation in Ireland. UPC Ireland is the largest digital cable television provider within the Republic of Ireland. As of September 2010 the company offers broadband internet, digital television and digital telephony to over 531,000 customers...
platform.
Rebrand
Sky One Mix was rebranded as Sky Mix in 2004. This branded-name was short lived, because in 2005, it was rebranded as Sky Two. It was rebranded as Sky2 in 31 August 2008, when Sky's entertainment channels rebranded into the solids, liquids and particles theme. On 1 February 2011, Sky refreshed the presentation on many of its channels. Sky2's idents follow the same themes as Sky1's new idents, but feature a smaller metal '2' icon, and the action is in close-up.Programming
Sky2 carries some programming from Sky TravelSky Travel
Sky Real Lives was an in-house channel from BSkyB that showed extensive programmes about travel, adverts for travel agencies and documentaries. The channels closed on 19 August 2010.-History:...
and Sky Vegas. Sky2's programming mostly features sci-fi programming such as Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, the Stargate
Stargate
Stargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
franchise and Star Trek Enterprise. However, other Sky1 drama shows such as Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
, documentary strands such as Road Wars, Street Wars, Hello Goodbye also form the Sky2 schedule.
Like Sky3, (now Pick TV) Sky2 did not feature repeat episodes of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, until recently where it has started to air at 8pm daily.
Sky2 is essentially a "catch-up" service for Sky's main entertainment channel Sky1, broadcasting popular Sky1 shows a few days after their original airing. Doing so, Sky2 is described as a timeshuffle channel, so called to distinguish it from timeshift channel
Timeshift channel
A timeshift channel is a television channel carrying a time-delayed rebroadcast of its "parent" channel's output. This channel runs alongside their parent: the term "timeshift" does not refer to a network broadcasting at a later time to reflect a local timezone unless the parent is also available...
s such as E4+1 and Living+1 which simply broadcast E4 and Living respectively, delayed by one hour. Sky currently broadcast a timeshifted
Timeshift channel
A timeshift channel is a television channel carrying a time-delayed rebroadcast of its "parent" channel's output. This channel runs alongside their parent: the term "timeshift" does not refer to a network broadcasting at a later time to reflect a local timezone unless the parent is also available...
version of one of their entertainment channels, Sky3, (now Pick TV) which took over the Freeview EPG slot which Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
occupied, however do not currently offer a timeshifted
Timeshift channel
A timeshift channel is a television channel carrying a time-delayed rebroadcast of its "parent" channel's output. This channel runs alongside their parent: the term "timeshift" does not refer to a network broadcasting at a later time to reflect a local timezone unless the parent is also available...
version of Sky1 or Sky2.
Sky2's programming showcases the best of Sky1's content and a mix of sci-fi, action and factual programmes targeting young men.
Virgin Media dispute
On Thursday 1 March 2007, Virgin MediaVirgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
removed Sky's basic channels, including Sky1, Sky2, Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
, Sky Travel
Sky Travel
Sky Real Lives was an in-house channel from BSkyB that showed extensive programmes about travel, adverts for travel agencies and documentaries. The channels closed on 19 August 2010.-History:...
and Sky Travel Extra, from their television services after a dispute between Virgin Media and BSkyB
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
caused by the expiry of their carriage agreement and their inability to reach a new deal. At midnight, Sky Two was removed, and the name of the station in the electronic programming guide was changed to "Old Sky Two Try Living" on the analogue cable service. On 13 November 2008, Sky2 along with Sky1, Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
and Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
were returned to Virgin Media's television service along with four more Sky channels: Sky Arts 1
Sky Arts
Sky Arts and Sky Arts HD is the brand name for a group of art-oriented television channels offering 18 hours a day of programmes dedicated to highbrow arts, including theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music...
, Sky Arts 2, Sky Real Lives and Sky Real Lives 2.
Sky1 timeshift experiment
From 10 May 2010, Sky2 carried an hour timeshiftTimeshift channel
A timeshift channel is a television channel carrying a time-delayed rebroadcast of its "parent" channel's output. This channel runs alongside their parent: the term "timeshift" does not refer to a network broadcasting at a later time to reflect a local timezone unless the parent is also available...
of programming on Sky1. Sky2 will however, remain a standalone offering. A Sky spokesperson said: "We are experimenting with different channel schedules to bring maximum value to our customers." Although was mainly the case, certain programmes which either premiered, or were reaching the "last ever episode" weren't broadcast, instead alternative programmes filling the gap.
Particular programmes which weren't shown an hour later included the premier of Sky1's Terry Pratchett's Going Postal
Terry Pratchett's Going Postal
Terry Pratchett's Going Postal is a two-part television adaptation of the book of the same name by Terry Pratchett, adapted by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle and produced by The Mob, which was first broadcast on Sky1, and in high definition on Sky1 HD, at the end of May 2010.It is the third in a...
, the station's latest adaptation of Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's Discworld
Discworld
Discworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
novels. Also not seen on a timeshift basis was the final ever episode of Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
which was aired at 5am, as it was simultaneously being broadcast in the US. The last ever episodes of 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
(Sky showed it as a two-part finale) also weren't shown an hour later on Sky2.
Terry Pratchett's Going Postal would be shown later in the week with both Lost and 24 being shown on Sky2 after the final credits rolled on Sky1. Again, alternative programmes filled the gaps.
The trial concluded on 9 August 2010, with the channel reverting to its previous scheduling pattern.
Previous life
Sky 2 was originally a television channelTelevision channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
from British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
, which launched on 1 September 1996 as a sister channel to Sky One, as part of a new bouquet
Bouquet
Bouquet, a word of French origin, pronounced , may refer to:* Bouquet , a fragrance or odor, especially when used as a description of wine* Flower bouquet, an arrangement of cut flowers* Fruit bouquet, a fruits arrangement in the form of bouquet...
of Sky channels including The Computer Channel and Sky Scottish
Sky Scottish
Sky Scottish was a short lived satellite television channel operating on the analogue Sky TV service for 18 months ....
. For an opening night it held an X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
theme night. While the channel was still being broadcast, Sky One was branded as "Sky 1". Unlike the later Sky One spin-off, Sky One Mix, the channel showed exclusive first-run television shows rather than the same programming as its parent. Prominent shows on its schedule included Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
, Profit
Profit (TV series)
Profit is an American television series that originally aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company in 1996. The series was created by David Greenwalt and John McNamara, and starred Adrian Pasdar as the titular character, Jim Profit. In February 2008, episodes began airing on Chiller in the USA...
, TekWar
TekWar
Tekwar is a series of science fiction novels officially authored by William Shatner and co-written by uncredited science-fiction author Ron Goulart, published by Putnam...
and Melrose Place.
Sky used the launch of the channel and the rebrand of Sky 1 to introduce Digital On-screen Graphic
Digital on-screen graphic
A digital on-screen graphic is a watermark-like station logo that many television broadcasters overlay over a portion of the screen-area of their programs to identify the channel...
s, on both channels.
While at some points the channel reached viewing figures nearly equal to that of its sister channel (such as for the initial episode of Xena
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
), it was never very successful.
Due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Fayed's...
in the early hours of 31 August 1997, Sky 2 was closed down, being replaced by the National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel (UK)
The National Geographic Channel is a television channel that features documentaries produced by the National Geographic Society. It features some programming similar to that on the Discovery Channel such as nature and science documentaries. The channel was launched in Europe in September 1997 and...
the next day.
External links
- TV Listings at sky.com