Sound TV
Encyclopedia
Sound TV was a free-to-air
television channel
following the tradition of the variety show
, which has not been popular in Britain since the 1980s. It aspired to give television exposure to acts (young and old) unable to acquire airtime on other channels.
The managing director of the channel was comedian
and folk singer
Richard Digance
, a talent popular on variety shows such as the Sunday evening Live from... (Her Majesty's
/the Piccadilly/the Palladium
) series (produced by LWT for ITV
) and also on Summertime Special, a moderately popular variety showcase of the 1980s.
Chris Tarrant
and Mike Osman
were executives and associates and Cornish
comedian
Jethro
was a director.
The channel was managed by Information TV
, a factual channel which broadcasts on the same frequency between midnight and 16:00. Sound TV's launch was delayed several times under its working title of The Great British Television Channel.
, Richard Digance
and Jethro
discussed the vision for the new channel, such as an opportunity to give television
exposure and breaks to new talent. Digance commented that they could not financially compete with ITV
, and therefore could not afford lavish productions such as Live at Her Majesty's. They contrasted themselves to other television
executives: if the turn didn't turn up, they said, then they themselves could do the gig
.
19:30 Golden Moments
20:00 The New Variety Show — From Jethro's club in Devon
22:00 Inside the Comedy Mind — Alan King meets Robin Williams
23:00 Classice Concert — Johnny Dickinson
resigned from the board of directors in August following creative differences and the station went off air soon after (because of cashflow problems).
Administrators Portland Business Solutions were called in on October 3, 2005. http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/10749/variety-channel-sound-tv-off-air-within-year. The slot has reverted to Information TV
.
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
following the tradition of the variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
, which has not been popular in Britain since the 1980s. It aspired to give television exposure to acts (young and old) unable to acquire airtime on other channels.
The managing director of the channel was comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and folk singer
Folk Singer
Folk Singer is a 1964 album by Muddy Waters. Waters plays acoustic guitar, backed by Willie Dixon on string bass, Clifton James on drums, and Buddy Guy on acoustic guitar...
Richard Digance
Richard Digance
Richard Digance is a comedian and folk singer.- Biography :He studied Mechanical Engineering at Reid Kerr College Paisley, during which time he was inspired by Billy Connolly....
, a talent popular on variety shows such as the Sunday evening Live from... (Her Majesty's
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
/the Piccadilly/the Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
) series (produced by LWT for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
) and also on Summertime Special, a moderately popular variety showcase of the 1980s.
Chris Tarrant
Chris Tarrant
Christopher John "Chris" Tarrant, OBE is an English radio and television broadcaster, now best known for hosting the first version of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the United Kingdom and later Ireland, as the two national versions of the show merged in 2002.Chris...
and Mike Osman
Mike Osman
Mike Osman is an English radio presenter, impressionist and entertainer.He was born in Millbrook, Southampton, England in August 1959, the fourth of seven brothers...
were executives and associates and Cornish
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Jethro
Jethro (comedian)
Jethro is the stage name of British stand-up comedian Geoffrey Rowe, based in Lewdown in Devon. Rowe was born in 1948 in St Buryan, a village in west Cornwall....
was a director.
The channel was managed by Information TV
Information TV
Information TV is a television organisation which broadcasts three free-to-air channels on Sky and Freesat in the United Kingdom.-History:Information TV came into existence in April 2003, and received its ITC licence in November 2003. It began broadcasting at 10am on Monday, 19 January 2004 on Sky...
, a factual channel which broadcasts on the same frequency between midnight and 16:00. Sound TV's launch was delayed several times under its working title of The Great British Television Channel.
Opening night
19:00 Mike OsmanMike Osman
Mike Osman is an English radio presenter, impressionist and entertainer.He was born in Millbrook, Southampton, England in August 1959, the fourth of seven brothers...
, Richard Digance
Richard Digance
Richard Digance is a comedian and folk singer.- Biography :He studied Mechanical Engineering at Reid Kerr College Paisley, during which time he was inspired by Billy Connolly....
and Jethro
Jethro
In the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, Jethro |Shu-ayb]]) is Moses' father-in-law, a Kenite shepherd and priest of Midian. He is also revered as a prophet in his own right in the Druze religion, and considered an ancestor of the Druze.-In Exodus:...
discussed the vision for the new channel, such as an opportunity to give television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
exposure and breaks to new talent. Digance commented that they could not financially compete with ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, and therefore could not afford lavish productions such as Live at Her Majesty's. They contrasted themselves to other television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
executives: if the turn didn't turn up, they said, then they themselves could do the gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
.
19:30 Golden Moments
20:00 The New Variety Show — From Jethro's club in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
22:00 Inside the Comedy Mind — Alan King meets Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
23:00 Classice Concert — Johnny Dickinson
Closure
Richard DiganceRichard Digance
Richard Digance is a comedian and folk singer.- Biography :He studied Mechanical Engineering at Reid Kerr College Paisley, during which time he was inspired by Billy Connolly....
resigned from the board of directors in August following creative differences and the station went off air soon after (because of cashflow problems).
Administrators Portland Business Solutions were called in on October 3, 2005. http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/10749/variety-channel-sound-tv-off-air-within-year. The slot has reverted to Information TV
Information TV
Information TV is a television organisation which broadcasts three free-to-air channels on Sky and Freesat in the United Kingdom.-History:Information TV came into existence in April 2003, and received its ITC licence in November 2003. It began broadcasting at 10am on Monday, 19 January 2004 on Sky...
.