Alibi (TV channel): Difference between revisions

{{Redirect|UKTV Drama|the current channel|U&Drama (British TV channel)}}

| logo_caption = "MoreLogo thanused meetsfrom the2015 eye", the channel's sloganonwards

| sister_channels = [[Dave (TV channel)|U&Dave]]<br />[[Drama (British TV channel)|U&Drama]]<br />[[Eden (British TV channel)|Eden]]<br />[[Gold (British TV channel)|Gold]]<br />[[W (British TV channel)|U&W]]<br />[[Yesterday (TV channel)|U&Yesterday]]

The channel originally launched as part of the new four-channel [[UKTV]] network on 1 November 1997. The channel, originally named '''UK Arena''', focused on arts programming and was named after the [[BBC]]'s flagship arts programme ''[[Arena (UK TV series)|Arena]]'' (The [[BBC]], through [[BBC Worldwide]], owning half of UKTV and therefore half the channel). The channel aired as a part-time service, airing from 3:00pm every day.

However, following disappointing ratings, the channel's focus was broadened to include all drama series, and as a result was renamed '''UK Drama''' on 31 March 2000. However, the channel remained a part-time service, starting at 7:00pm.

On 8 March 2004, the channel, alongside all other UKTV channels, was renamed '''UKTV Drama''' to increase awareness of the UKTV brand. On 1 July 2004, UKTV Food extended its broadcast hours, leading to UKTV Drama moving to UKTV Food +1's slot (which had been vacated by [[Blighty (TV channel)|UKTV People]]), although still broadcasting the same hours as before.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/133762/uktv-food-and-uktv-people-to-be-24-hours-before-the-end-of-the-year|title=UKTV Food and UKTV People to be 24 Hours Before the End of the Year|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=22 June 2004}}</ref>

On 2 May 2006, a one-hour timeshift service - '''UKTV Drama +1''', launched on Sky in the vacated broadcast space formerly home to UKTV People +1. It broadcast from 3:00pm–2:00am every day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/satellite/a32356/three-additions-to-sky-epg/|title=Three additions to Sky EPG|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=2 May 2006}}</ref> Corresponding to the name on the main channel shows all programming from the channel one hour later, with no special idents or continuity used.

Following the successful relaunch and rebranding of the channel UKTV G2 as [[Dave (TV channel)|Dave]] on 15 October 2007, the remaining UKTV channels underwent the same changes. UKTV Drama and UKTV Drama +1 were renamed as '''Alibi''' and '''Alibi +1''', respectively, on 7 October 2008, and the channel's programmes were changed to focus specifically on crime dramas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/846913/UKTV-unveils-new-channels-familiar-stars-John-Cleese-Red-Dwarf-crew/|title=UKTV unveils new channels and familiar stars like John Cleese and Red Dwarf crew|last=Donnelly|first=Alison|date=17 September 2008|work=Brand Republic|access-date=6 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920234009/http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/846913/UKTV-unveils-new-channels-familiar-stars-John-Cleese-Red-Dwarf-crew/|archive-date=20 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/09/uktv_to_reveal_eyeopening_watch_logo.html|title=UKTV to reveal eye-opening Watch logo|last=Curtis|first=Chris|date=17 September 2008|work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]]|access-date=6 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921021524/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/09/uktv_to_reveal_eyeopening_watch_logo.html|archive-date=21 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> All non-crime dramas were transferred to the rebranded [[Gold (UK TV channel)|Gold]] channel or to the newly created flagship channel [[U&W (UK TV channel)|Watch]].

On 29 July 2011, [[UKTV]] announced that it had secured a deal with [[BSkyB]] to launch three more [[High-definition television|high-definition]] channels on [[Sky UK|Sky]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/646048|title=UKTV enters VoD market with landmark HD content deal with Sky|publisher=[[UKTV]]|date=29 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107010131/http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/646048|archive-date=7 November 2011}}</ref> As part of Virgin Media's deal to sell its share of UKTV, all five of UKTV's HD channels would also be added to Virgin's cable television service by 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/04a841ee-c729-11e0-a9ef-00144feabdc0.html|title=Virgin Media sells £239m stake in UKTV|publisher=[[Financial Times]]|date=15 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103053054/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/04a841ee-c729-11e0-a9ef-00144feabdc0.html|archive-date=3 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> '''Alibi HD''' launched on 3 July 2012 on Sky and Virgin Media, while [[Dave (TV channel)|Dave HD]] and [[U&W (UK TV channel)|Watch HD]] launched in October 2011. All three channels are HD [[simulcast]]s of the [[Standard-definition television|standard-definition]] channels.