IT2 for you (ITV 2)

Member Name: JB01

Product:	ITV 2
Date:	11/06/06 (254 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free to air

Disadvantages: Lack of variety

After 15 years my analogue TV was on its was on its way out, rather than rush into a digital TV at great expense I decided to try a new analogue TV (with scart sockets) and a Phillips free view digital box. Amongst the selection of stations ITV2 a free - to - air TV channel owned by ITV plc. I’m hoping to pay for it with the proceeds from reviews of stations available. Keep you eyes open. Some of the information below is from Wikipedia (a website) more is available there.

THE FACTS

Launched in 7/12/1998 via satellite, cable, terrestrial (freeview). It had an estimated audience of 1.8 % share (multi channel home user) in April 2006. Showings start daily from 9.25 am. Most of the content is made up of ITV1 programmes shown at a later time examples include Coronation street, imported American programs such as Judge Judy and extended coverage of reality television, US movies as well. The on screen logo is present at all times and not removed during advertisements. In 1984 C4 was launched this was going to be called ITV2.

CONTENT

Examples of programmes: 3rd Rock from the sun, Airline, American Idol, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Footballers’ wives, Extra Time, The Jeremy Kyle show, Judge Judy, Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Lip Service, Married with children, Montel, Nanny 911, The Oprah Show, Ricki Lake, Sally Jerry Raphael, Supernatural, X Factor.

The channel has a website that is quite useful for programme reviews, TV listings etc...It also shows other ITV stations as well. The listing for today (Saturday 10 June) is as follows.

9.25 Emmerdale, 12.10 Coronation street, 14.35 Holiday showdown, 15.35 Celebrity Fit Club USA, 16.30 Airline USA, 17.00 Airline USA, 17.35 Death Becomes Her, 19.30 Maverick, 22.00 Manhunter, 00.20 Lip Service, 00.50 Movies Now, 01.00 The Mint, 03.30 Emmerdale.

By comparison ITV3 has a longer playtime starting at 05.45 and finishing at 02.55, ITV4 more night time coverage from 18.00 to 05.40.

MY OPINION

The station is ranked 7 out of 10 in the ciao hit list of best channels. In terms of content the listings are fairly average. Repeats can be useful and a drag, they occur both daily in the listings and from ITV. It can be useful if you didn’t get time to record something earlier (quality of recording might be higher than using VHS). The late start time makes it a little awkward for early starters. The fact that the channel is free with my digital box (and probably with some digital TV) is a great boon in fact probably the stations greatest asset. Advertising is not too time consuming. The US content adds something to its novelty value when compared to ITV1. How it made the top ten in the ciao list is beyond me, updates on that when I review a few more channels.

Summary: Freview digital TV most of the day