TV Channel dedicated to flying
 

A little while ago some one ask whether there was a dedicated TV channel to flying.

This could be a long shot but if there is enough interest I might be tempted to propose the idea to a media company I know. I think Loop has tried or has a very basic version.

Your thougts/idea would be welcome.
:ok:

Hi SpeedbirdXK8!

It was me who asked .. and since then have been watching clips on youtube and some other bits and pieces (loop).

You have my vote would love a channel like that.

S

There used to be one on Sky, "Discovery Wings", but got scrapped a while ago. They never said why but presumably not enough on the viewing figures, I would watch something along those lines if it made a comeback though.

J.

Discovery Wings was awful IMHO. If you liked endless programmes about American military helicopters, mighty aircraft carriers, blah blah! US firepower, blah blah! US superhero pilots blah blah! Then it was the channel for you! If you like interesting programmes about aviation you were better off with the history channel. It was bound to fail.

SS

Ironically, the most watchable aviation proggies that Disco put out were never shown on Wings but on Discovery Channel and Disco Home and Lesuire: A Plane Is Born, Heavy Metal, Flightline and Plane Crazy. Most repeated to destruction though.

As shortstripper said Discovery Wings was around. They ran out of things to show though, they started to constantly repeat programs and it got so that they barely got any viewers. It's a shame as there are a lot of good aviation programs out there... mainly on dvd. :ugh:

If they can show "Swiss Railway Journeys" it surely must be possible to get a reasonable customer base/profile for aviation progs ??

Agree wholeheartedly with that, Tony. :ok::ok::ok:

I said exactly the same thing whilst watching it last night! Don't knock it though; it's surprisingly compelling viewing. Though last night's episodes were repeats of ones I'd seen before.. ;)

I know very little about this, but I recall reading a website some time ago that described the exact process you would go through to create your own channel on Sky (unfortunatey I can't find the link now). IIRC it wasn't prohibitively expensive for a small organisation to broadcast it's own content through the Astra satellite network, but that a listing in the EPG and the other managed services provided by Sky would cost quite a bit more. Presumably not an awful lot more though, if some of the more niche channels are anything to go by; Psychic TV anyone?

I think there would be a considerable market for a civil-focussed aviation channel (military flying is already fairly well covered by Discovery as mentioned above). Some flight tests, airfield reviews etc for GA and a smattering of the heavy metal commerical would probably tear me away from Swiss Railway Journeys for a while.

The worst thing about Wings was that it repeated the same programme cycle every 3 hours, round and round. So if you came back to it later in the day, you'd very likely seen the programme earlier.

Towards the end, there was a substantial amount of programmes on it which were nothing to do with aviation - I remember watching a fair few "monster machine" type documentaries on Wings and as interesting as 100 ton diggers are, they hardly qualify as having wings.

Interesting feedback so far, others viewing please contribute.

I am thinking along the lines of an internet based TV channel rather than via Sky etc. I am in touch with a internet TV channel but need more positive feedback to convince them to host. I am also thinking that the wider community contribute and/or make your own programe etc if given the equipment. Cover local airshow events, fly-ins and the like.

If they can show "Swiss Railway Journeys" it surely must be possible to get a reasonable customer base/profile for aviation progs ??

Yes but Swiss railway Journeys isn't a channel is it, or is it, I don't think it is?

Discovery Wings was fine for about a month then it got very repetative. It made a household name of Brendan O'Brien but then again JIF is a household name in the UK. There were a few gems in the schedule but as everyone has said already, it was a mish mash of repeats.

It's on the Travel 2 channel but is pretty much continuous on Tuesdays, starting at 11am and ending in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with no other programmes between.

Perhaps an aviation TV channel could broadcast at evenings/weekends only to reduce the costs when fewer people are likely to be watching?

Speedbird - would your plans for an internet TV format be a continuous line-up of shows, i.e. you have to log in at the right time to catch the show you're interested in? Or more like video on demand as per the Loop TV website? Or perhaps both?

I'd certainly be interested in seeing a channel like Discovery Wings (be it on TV or PC), but done properly.

Wings was great for the first couple of months, but as others have said, after that it turned to the same few military programmes that I had no interest in to begin with.

Personally I'd like to see a mixture of civil/general aviation.

'Sky Truckers' meets 'A Plane is Born'.

'Sky Truckers' was shown to a death on the Discovery Channel many years ago, it was a doc following a CargoLion crew as they carried out their day-to-day duties.

Another great one, aired to a death on National Geographic a few years ago, was the documentary about ATC in New York City, featuring LGA, JFK and EWR. They screened it about 10 times a week at the time, but sadly it hasn't been shown again for many years. Or at least I haven't seen it on.

Perhaps instead of spreading all these programs, air crash investigation, plane is born etc over many channels a dedicated channel could be set up. There is a lot to do with aviation that programs could be made for. I guess tv providers just don't see much revenue in such a channel.

We have sailing channels and astroloy channels in our cable network, so why not have a channel dedicated to aviation? Airlines and travel agencies could place ads there...and flight schools of course.

find the funding and i'll be happy to help!

Hmm,

Ok, firstly, I'd watch it. And I agree with most of the comments above.

Secondly, I'd be willing to contribute. I have some decent video and editing kit. And I've done a bit to a good standard, though not professionally.

Thirdly, I have some contacts at the BBC I can tap up for production advice and presentation skills.

IMHO, launching on the internet is a good place to start (and I can help there too) because it has limited start up costs and you can cut your teeth with limited risk.

However, the 'production company' responsible for the internet channel might also be able to get programmes onto local cable channels (mine is Channel M, in Manchester).

From there you could spring to the main channels, EPGs and so on, perhaps carrying some sort of revenue generating capability.

Anyway, my two penneth; If this is a serious proposition, get ideas on this thread, then do a real life meet with those who can really contribute and thrash out a plan.

Cheers
MM

I should add that I'm also willing to contribute in whatever way possible, though my location (western Ireland) may rule that out. I have a degree in TV Production, and would probably be able to round up a few people who would be more than willing to help out.

Keep us informed! :)

Keep it up, this really is good stuff but not unsurprising. Airshows are the second largest specator (sic) sport after football.

I am going to pass on all comments to the internet TV company I have in mind to ask about costs, on demand, programe making etc. I think it be great to have a mixture of programes along the lines of a plane is born, local airfield news, local shows, specials (maybe following the progress of someone taking the PPL course (A) and (H) and (M) etc. If anyone has programe making material then that would be great. A few people lcoated in the four corners of the country. A community based series such as click on your region.

:D