Spotlight TV
Spotlight TV is a British music television channel available on Sky and Freesat.
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Network | Keep It Country TV Ltd |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 16:9 576i (SDTV) |
| History | |
| Launched | 21 April 2010 |
| Former names | Showcase 2 (2010-2014) Showcase (2014-2016) Keep It Country (2016-2019) |
| Links | |
| Website | spotlighttv |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Freesat | Channel 516 |
| Sky | Channel 365 |
| Astra 2G (28.2°E) | 11082 H 22000 5/6 |
History
The channel launched on Sky on 21 April 2010 as Showcase 2 on channel 216. On 1 September 2010, following the removal of Channel M and launch of Showcase +1 (which itself was replaced by fellow music channel WTF (then became Massive R&B, Planet Pop, Chilled TV and Now 90s)), it moved to channel 203. On 3 July 2012, following a Sky EPG reshuffle, it moved to channel 192.
On 3 December 2013, a timeshift channel launched on Sky channel 293, which moved to channel 238 on 19 August 2014 following another EPG clean-up. Showcase 2 was renamed as Showcase following the previous first channel's rebrand to Irish TV the previous month. On 1 June 2015, the timeshift channel closed and was replaced by Property Show. It moved to Sky channel 261 on 17 August 2015 following the closure of True Entertainment +1 and to free space for AMC from BT.
On 17 February 2016, the channel moved to Sky channel 389, being relabelled as Keep It Country the next month (it was previously a block). Operated by Phil Mack Country, the channel initially broadcast for 17 hours of each day because space for third party content left over from Showcase still had to be broadcast.[1] It launched on Freesat at the beginning of March 2016.
On 31 May 2016, the channel launched on Freeview, broadcasting via COM7 which is available to around 75% of the UK.[2]
From 26 January 2017 to 1 February 2017, Keep It Country was temporarily removed from Sky channel 389.
On 1 May 2018, following another EPG reshuffle, Keep It Country moved from Sky channel 389 to 376.
On 21 January 2019, the channel changed Freeview multiplex and increased its reach from 75% of the UK to 90%[3] but it was removed from the platform in June 2019.
The channel was renamed as Spotlight TV on 1 July 2019[4][5] and broadcasts on Freeview in the Greater Manchester area. After a short break in transmission the channel also moved to the "Hybrid TV channel" Vision TV (Channel 264 on Freeview), so people in the UK could watch it if they had a 'connected TV' [available to devices connected to the internet].
Programming
The majority of the channel's output is country music but recently the channel has added a "small number of shows from other genres," mostly oldies and classic hits from the second half of the 20th century, to encourage more viewers to watch the channel as part of its overall growth plans.[6]
References
- Country Music channel takes over Showcase
- Keep It Country makes Freeview debut
- Keep It Country announces Freeview expansion
- Keep It Country TV on Twitter: "Keep your eyes peeled for an exciting new re-launch coming soon... Featuring all your favourite #CountryMusic #Nostalgia #EasyListening #MemoryLane #PatheNews #Documentaries #ClassicMovies #ClassicProgrammes #SpotlightTV"
- Jessica Lynn on Twitter: "I have BIG NEWS ya'll! My last TV show "Takin' Over" is going nationwide in The #UK July 5th on Spotlight TV, previously @KeepItCountryTV ! It will be followed by my brand new TV special due out Aug once it releases in America! Mark your calendars and I'll see you on tour in Aug"
- Keep It Country announces Freeview expansion