Sneak Prevue
Encyclopedia
Sneak Prevue was a pay-per-view
preview cable barker channel
in the 1990s, spun off from the Prevue Channel (now TV Guide Network).
services, providing viewers with a listing and showcase of the events and movies that were showing in the next 30 minutes to the next week. Like the Prevue Channel, Sneak Prevue was provided to cable and satellite
companies for its customers. In 1999, when the Prevue Channel transformed in to the TV Guide Channel, Sneak Prevue remained under its respective name and format.
After, United Video Satellite Group (Prevue's parent company) purchased TV Guide, some plans were made for "Sneak Prevue". Revamping the channel with a new look and renaming it "TV Guide Sneak Prevue", which was supposedly set at the same time TV Guide Channel, TV Guide Interactive and TV Guide Online was launched on February 1st, 1999. And once again in 2001, another plan was made to revamp and rename it "Screen TV". However, these plans were eventually scrapped, and by March 2002, TV Guide announced that their Pay-Per-View information will only be added on the TV Guide Channel. Which leads to the next month in April, when Sneak Prevue quietly went off the air. This is most likely due to dominant pay-per-view provider In Demand
providing their own barker channel, and as a result of other cable systems deciding to advertise their film line-ups on their own.
hardware.
Previews of movies and events were shortened trailers of the programs, provided to cable/satellite operators regularly both on laserdisc
as well as via a continuous satellite feed. These short trailers, whether sourced locally or from satellite, would feature information at the bottom of the screen, locally overlaid into their video to provide system-specific scheduling information, with countdowns to the next telecasts in the top left of the screen.
The main listings were featured behind a series of colorful backgrounds with the day's date on the top left, the time on the top right, the cable/satellite company's logo in the middle and listings of movies, shows, and events below. There would also be music in the background, with an announcer promoting the channel and pay-per-view. Throughout its nearly 11 year tenure, many changes were made to the backgrounds and music.
Segments similar to Prevue Channel's included "Sneak Prevue Tonight", "Up Next", and "Premiering Soon". Often local cable provider's advertisements would be inserted on the channel, promoting their products and services.
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
preview cable barker channel
Barker channel
A barker channel is a form of electronic media known as digital signage. It is a TV channel that is entirely composed of sales promotion and advertising, usually marketing various features of the service carrying the channel...
in the 1990s, spun off from the Prevue Channel (now TV Guide Network).
History
Sneak Prevue premiered in 1991 as a service for promoting pay-per-viewPay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
services, providing viewers with a listing and showcase of the events and movies that were showing in the next 30 minutes to the next week. Like the Prevue Channel, Sneak Prevue was provided to cable and satellite
Direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception.A designation broader than DBS would be direct-to-home signals, or DTH. This has initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television...
companies for its customers. In 1999, when the Prevue Channel transformed in to the TV Guide Channel, Sneak Prevue remained under its respective name and format.
After, United Video Satellite Group (Prevue's parent company) purchased TV Guide, some plans were made for "Sneak Prevue". Revamping the channel with a new look and renaming it "TV Guide Sneak Prevue", which was supposedly set at the same time TV Guide Channel, TV Guide Interactive and TV Guide Online was launched on February 1st, 1999. And once again in 2001, another plan was made to revamp and rename it "Screen TV". However, these plans were eventually scrapped, and by March 2002, TV Guide announced that their Pay-Per-View information will only be added on the TV Guide Channel. Which leads to the next month in April, when Sneak Prevue quietly went off the air. This is most likely due to dominant pay-per-view provider In Demand
IN DEMAND
In Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
providing their own barker channel, and as a result of other cable systems deciding to advertise their film line-ups on their own.
Format
Like the Prevue Channel, Sneak Prevue was personalized for cable and satellite companies, featuring company logos with advertisements and listings. Also like Prevue Channel, it utilized Amiga 2000Amiga 2000
The Amiga 2000, or A2000, is a personal computer released by Commodore in 1986. It is the successor to the Amiga 1000.-Features:Aimed at the high-end market, the original Europe-only model adds a Zorro II backplane, implemented in programmable logic, to the custom Amiga chipset used in the Amiga 1000...
hardware.
Previews of movies and events were shortened trailers of the programs, provided to cable/satellite operators regularly both on laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
as well as via a continuous satellite feed. These short trailers, whether sourced locally or from satellite, would feature information at the bottom of the screen, locally overlaid into their video to provide system-specific scheduling information, with countdowns to the next telecasts in the top left of the screen.
The main listings were featured behind a series of colorful backgrounds with the day's date on the top left, the time on the top right, the cable/satellite company's logo in the middle and listings of movies, shows, and events below. There would also be music in the background, with an announcer promoting the channel and pay-per-view. Throughout its nearly 11 year tenure, many changes were made to the backgrounds and music.
Segments similar to Prevue Channel's included "Sneak Prevue Tonight", "Up Next", and "Premiering Soon". Often local cable provider's advertisements would be inserted on the channel, promoting their products and services.
Technical Difficulties
Sneak Prevue (like Prevue Guide) was known for crashing periodically, often with a screen notifying viewers to stand by as they were having difficulties with the system. Additionally, the system would also freeze frequently. A black line would often run across the entire screen until cable system technicians finally restored the service by rebooting its hardware.Slogans
- Stay tuned... There are more Prevues to come! (1990s-2002)
- Sneak Prevue... See What's On! (1996-1998)
- Sneak Prevue First! (variant: Always Think Sneak Prevue First!) (1998-2002)