{{short description|British media company headquartered in London}} {{About|the television channel operator and media company|the flagship television station operated by the company|5 (British TV channel)}} {{Cleanup split|5 (British TV channel)|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox company | name = Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited | logo = [[File:Channel 5 (UK) 2016.svg|100px|class=skin-invert]] | logo_caption = Logo used since 2016 | owner = | type = [[Subsidiary]] | industry = [[Mass media]] | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1996|1|17}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03147640 |website=Companies House |access-date=19 April 2024 |title=CHANNEL 5 BROADCASTING LIMITED}}</ref> | hq_location = 17–29 Hawley Crescent | hq_location_city = [[London]] | area_served = {{Plainlist| *[[United Kingdom]] *[[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] *[[Isle of Man]] *[[Guernsey]] *[[Jersey]] }} | key_people = Ben Frow (Chief Content Officer, UK at Paramount) | parent = [[Paramount Networks UK & Australia]] | hq_location_country = England | website = {{URL|paramount.com/brand/channel-5}} }} '''Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited''' is a British media company and wholly owned subsidiary of American media conglomerate [[Paramount Skydance|Paramount Skydance Corporation]], as part of its [[Paramount Networks UK & Australia|UK and Australia]] division. Its original and principal activity is the British national television network [[5 (British TV channel)|5]], however it now also consists of four other digital channels and its own streaming service.

==History== {{Further|Timeline of 5 (British TV channel)}}

===Launch=== '''Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited''' was licensed by the UK's then-independent statutory regulator the [[Independent Television Commission]] (ITC) in 1995 after a bidding process that started in 1993 and lasted throughout 1994. The initial round of bidders, which included a network of [[Citytv]] stations planned by [[Thames Television]] and the Italian politician and media tycoon [[Silvio Berlusconi]]<ref name=corsera1>{{cite web|title=Berlusconi tenta la carta inglese pronto per l' asta di Channel Five con Mike Bolland tra gli alleati |url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1992/febbraio/28/Berlusconi_tenta_carta_inglese_pronto_co_0_92022813225.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809190254/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1992/febbraio/28/Berlusconi_tenta_carta_inglese_pronto_co_0_92022813225.shtml |archive-date=9 August 2011 |date=28 February 1992 |language=it |publisher=Corriere della Sera |access-date=17 June 2009}}</ref><ref name=rep1>{{cite web|title=Berlusconi fa l' Inglese: nel mirino 'Channel 5' |url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1992/02/28/berlusconi-fa-inglese-nel-mirino.html |date=28 February 1992|language=it |publisher=la Repubblica |access-date=17 June 2009}}</ref> (who founded [[MFE - MediaForEurope]], which owns [[Canale 5]] and formerly owned [[La Cinq]], which ceased operations in 1992; he retired his offer a few months later),<ref name=rep2>{{cite web|title=BERLUSCONI rinuncia anche a Channel 5 |url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1992/05/07/berlusconi-rinuncia-anche-channel-5.html |date=7 May 1992 |language=it |publisher=la Repubblica |access-date=17 June 2009}}</ref> was rejected outright and the ITC contemplated not awarding the licence at all.

The difficulty with the project lay in use of television broadcast frequencies that had been allocated to RF outputs from domestic [[videocassette recorder]]s. To achieve national coverage, large numbers of domestic video recorders (which output at a nearby frequency) had to be retuned or fitted with a filter, at the bidding company's expense.

The project was revived in mid-1994 when the ITC re-advertised the franchise. [[Tom McGrath (media executive)|Tom McGrath]], then-president of Time Warner International Broadcasting, put together a revised frequency plan with [[Arqiva|NTL]] and consulting engineer Ellis Griffiths, involving less retuning and greater signal coverage. [[Clive Hollick, Baron Hollick|Lord Hollick]], then chief executive of [[ITV Meridian|Meridian Broadcasting]] (later United News & Media, and UBM) took up the project as lead investor as UK law prohibited Time Warner from owning more than 25%. Pearson Television, who by now owned original licence bidders Thames Television, also came on board. When McGrath left to become President of Paramount, Time Warner dropped out of the project and was replaced by the [[RTL Group|Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion]] (CLT, known in the UK for [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] under CLT's former name of the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion, CLR). Other bidders for the licence included UKTV (led by [[Canwest]] and Select TV, who bid £36m for the licence), New Century Television (owned by [[Sky plc|BSkyB]] and [[ITV Granada|Granada]], who bid £2m), Virgin TV (backed by [[Virgin Group|Virgin Communications]]) and [[Associated Newspapers]] (who bid £22m, the same as Channel 5 Broadcasting who won the licence).<ref>{{cite web|title=Channel Five Bidding Closes|url=http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/ITN/1995/05/02/BSP020595031/?s=Channel+5&st=0&pn=1|publisher=ITN|access-date=11 February 2016}}</ref>

A series of pre-launch screens were displayed on the frequencies Channel 5 would begin broadcasting on in the months before launch as well, including a trailer for the channel and information screens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKjmlJBUlQs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/GKjmlJBUlQs |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Channel 5 (UK) Pre-Launch Promo [1997&#93; |date=23 November 2008 |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=7 January 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> After re-tuning, around 65% of the population's televisions could view the channel on launch night.

===Growth and merger talks (2000–2010)===

On 27 February 2004, it was reported that Five and [[Channel 4]] were discussing a possible merger. Channel 4 and Five announced in November of that year that merger plans were being called off.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gibson |first=Janine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/feb/27/broadcasting.channel51 |title=Channel 4 in talks with Five over merger |work=The Guardian |date=2004-02-27 |accessdate=2023-03-14 }}</ref> Pearson Television and CLT (which by that time merged with the television businesses of [[Bertelsmann]]'s UFA to form CLT-UFA) later merged, becoming [[RTL Group]] which became part of [[Bertelsmann]] and therefore owned the channel, after buying UBM's 35.4% stake for £247.6&nbsp;million on 20 July 2005. The acquisition was approved on 26 August 2005. After Holleck became involved, he and McGrath brought on board [[Greg Dyke]] (later [[Director-General of the BBC]]) as interim CEO during the application and launch phase of the project.

On 18 November 2005, it was announced that Five had bought a stake in [[Digital terrestrial television|DTT]]'s pay-TV operator, [[Top Up TV]]. It was said that the investment may lead to the development of new free and pay services on DTT, and other platforms.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=RTL Group |date=18 November 2005 |url=http://www.rtlgroup.com/PressRelease2511.htm |title=RTL Group announces strategic relationship between Five and Top Up TV |access-date=4 September 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060704222831/http://www.rtlgroup.com/PressRelease2511.htm |archive-date=4 July 2006 }}</ref>

Following this, Five launched two new digital TV channels in autumn 2006 on [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]], [[Sky UK|Sky]] and [[Virgin Media]]:<ref name=Fiveunveils>{{cite news|title=Five unveils digital TV channels|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5049090.stm|work=BBC News|date=5 June 2006|access-date=12 October 2006}}</ref> Early in 2009, rumours started re-surfacing about Five, Channel 4 and [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] conducting a three-way merger.<ref>Helen Power and Patrick Foster [https://web.archive.org/web/20110611232416/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article5804004.ece "ITV floats idea of merger with Channel 4 and Five"], Times Online, 25 February 2009</ref> Talks continued into 2010, with and without ITV, however nothing came to fruition.<ref>{{cite news |last=Busfield |first=Steve |title=Why would Channel 4 buy Five? |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2010/mar/22/channel-4-channel-5-merger |date=2010-03-26 |accessdate=2023-03-14 }}</ref>

===Northern & Shell takeover (2010–2011)=== Five was taken over by [[Richard Desmond]]'s publishing group [[Northern & Shell]] on 23 July 2010 for £103.5&nbsp;million.<ref name="N&Sacquisition">{{Cite news | title = UK: Media tycoon Desmond seals deal for Five | work = The Spy Report | publisher = Media Spy | date = 24 July 2010 | url = http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/07/24/uk-media-tycoon-desmond-seals-deal-for-five | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100727091613/http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/07/24/uk-media-tycoon-desmond-seals-deal-for-five | archive-date = 27 July 2010 | access-date = 24 July 2010 }}</ref><ref name="N&Sacquisition2">{{Cite news | title = Richard Desmond promises Channel Five 'investment, drive and leadership' | work = The Guardian | date = 23 July 2010 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/23/richard-desmond-channel-five1 | access-date = 24 July 2010 | first=James | last=Robinson | location=London }}</ref><ref name="N&Sacquisition3">{{cite press release | publisher = RTL Group | date = 23 July 2010 | title = RTL Group sells UK broadcaster Five | url = http://www.rtlgroup.com/en/press_releases/2010/rtl_group_sells_uk_broadcaster.cfm | access-date = 24 July 2010 }}</ref> Desmond pledged to top up the broadcaster's total budget to about £1.5bn over the next five years, including new investment of £50m to £100m a year to boost programming and the equivalent of £20m promoting the channel and its shows in a marketing campaign in Northern & Shell publications.<ref>{{cite news |title=Channel 5 chief reassures staff as experts question strategy |author=Sweney, Mark |work=The Guardian |date=27 July 2010 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/27/channel-five-richard-desmond |location=London}}</ref> The takeover was partly motivated by the opportunities for [[cross-promotion]] of Five from Desmond's newspapers (''[[Daily Express]]'' and ''[[Daily Star (United Kingdom)|Daily Star]]'') and magazines (including ''[[OK!]]''). One commentator warned that "readers will be bombarded with references to Five. The opportunity for cross-promotion between his publications and TV channel are enormous."<ref>Chris Blackhurst [https://www.standard.co.uk/business/markets/get-ready-channel-five-richard-desmond-is-on-his-way-6495968.html Get ready Channel 5, Richard Desmond is on his way] Evening Standard, 26 July 2010</ref>

===Sale to Viacom and Paramount changes (2014–present)=== In January 2014, it was reported that [[Richard Desmond]] was looking at selling Channel 5 for up to £700&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sweney |first=Mark |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/02/richard-desmond-sale-channel-5 |title=Richard Desmond appoints Barclays to explore sale of Channel 5 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 January 2014 |access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> [[BT Group|BT]], and [[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/10740311/Bids-for-Channel-5-expected-to-be-less-than-half-700m-asking-price.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/10740311/Bids-for-Channel-5-expected-to-be-less-than-half-700m-asking-price.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Bids for Channel 5 expected to be less than half £700m asking price |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=2 April 2014 |access-date=1 May 2014|last1=Williams |first1=Christopher }}{{cbignore}}</ref> were all bidders reportedly interested in acquiring Channel 5.

On 1 May 2014, Desmond agreed to sell Channel 5 to [[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]] for £450&nbsp;million (US$759&nbsp;million).<ref name="Viacom">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27240335 |title=Viacom to buy Channel 5 for £450m |work=BBC News |date=1 May 2014 |access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> The deal was approved on 10 September 2014 and at the same time it was announced that it was to co-commission programmes with its pay channels such as [[Nickelodeon (UK and Ireland)|Nickelodeon]] and [[MTV (UK and Ireland)|MTV]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Sweney |first=Mark |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/10/viacom-channel-5-joint-commissions-takeover-deal-closes |title=Viacom and Channel 5 unveil joint commissions as takeover deal closes |work=The Guardian |date=10 September 2014 |access-date=14 September 2014}}</ref> On 15 April 2015, Channel 5 launched a British version of the American cable channel Spike (which would become rebranded as [[5Spike]], before taking on the [[Paramount Network (British TV channel)|Paramount Network]] name on Freeview channel 32).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.channel5.com/paramountnetwork|title=My5|website=Channel5.com|access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> On 1 August 2015, Channel 5's five advertising regions: London, South/Central England and Wales, Northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland were closed with Viacom considering them financially unviable. The closure of the advertising regions allowed Channel 5 HD for Sky HD viewers to swap with the standard-definition version of Channel 5 on the EPG.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.a516digital.com/2015/08/channel-5-regions-cease.html|title=Channel 5 regions cease|website=a516digital|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-date=11 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811020210/http://www.a516digital.com/2015/08/channel-5-regions-cease.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Under Viacom, the channel planned to increase its original programming output, increasing its budget by 10%. On 11 February 2016, Channel 5 also unveiled an overhauled brand, meant to reflect a new remit of "Spirited TV with an Emotional Heart".<ref name="independent-newlogo2016">{{cite news|title=Channel 5 tilts at Channel 4 with 'emotional' post-Richard Desmond rebrand|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/channel-5-tilts-at-channel-4-with-emotional-post-richard-desmond-rebrand-a6863441.html|access-date=11 February 2016|work=The Independent|date=11 February 2016}}</ref>

In December 2019, Viacom re-merged with [[CBS Corporation]], forming [[ViacomCBS]] and making Channel 5 a sister to [[CBS]] in the United States and [[Network 10]] in Australia. Since January 2020, the channels operate under the [[ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia]] subsidiary (with the British CBS channels and Horror being part of a joint-venture with [[AMC Networks International|AMC]]).<ref name="ViacomCBSOfficialPDF">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbscorporation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ViacomCBS-Press-Release-FINAL.pdf|title=CBS and Viacom To Combine|work=CBS|date=12 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813190148/https://www.cbscorporation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ViacomCBS-Press-Release-FINAL.pdf|archive-date=13 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Channel 5 received Channel of the Year honours from the [[Royal Television Society]] and [[Broadcast Awards]] in 2020, with judges for both recognising the network's expansion under ViacomCBS.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibc.org/trends/rts-unveils-2020-programme-awards-winners/5602.article|title=RTS UNVEILS 2020 PROGRAMME AWARDS WINNERS|website=IBC.org|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcast-awards-2020/c5-scoops-broadcast-awards-channel-of-the-year/5146926.article|title=C5 scoops Broadcast Awards channel of the year|website=Broadcastnow.co.uk|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

In August 2021, ViacomCBS Networks International agreed a deal with Comcast Corporation's Sky Group<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/streaming/global/viacomcbs-sky-paramount-plus-europe-launch-1235035254/|title=ViacomCBS Partners with Sky to Launch Paramount Plus in Europe|website=Variety.com|date=5 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whathifi.com/news/paramount-plus-is-coming-to-sky|title = Paramount Plus is coming to Sky|website=Whathifi.com|date = 5 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thedesk.net/2021/08/sky-viacomcbs-paramount-plus-sky-q-now-tv/|title = Viacom, Sky Group sign distribution agreement for Paramount Plus|website=Thedesk.net|date = 6 August 2021}}</ref> to launch the Paramount+ streaming service in various European markets via Sky's set-top boxes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-TV/Paramount-launches-on-Sky-Q-in-2022/ba-p/3745841|title=Paramount+ launches on Sky Q in 2022|website=Helpforum.sky.com|date=11 August 2021}}</ref> and devices.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/how-to-watch-paramount-plus/|title = How to watch Paramount Plus in the UK – when is it released?|website=Radiotimes.com}}</ref> As there could have been the situation where a premium pay streaming service with the Paramount name was operating in a marketplace where there was a free-to-air Paramount television channel offering emergency service reality TV shows, wrestling and action B-movies, it was decided to rename the channel (which had previously merged with 5Spike) as 5Action,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/paramount-network-changing-to-5action/|title = 'Paramount Network' Channel is Changing to 5Action|website=Cordbusters.co.uk|date = 22 December 2021}}</ref> with the change due to take place on 19 January 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediamole.co.uk/entertainment/broadcasting/news/paramount-network-to-relaunch-as-5action_473628.html|title = Paramount Network to relaunch as 5Action|website=Mediamole.co.uk| date=23 December 2021 }}</ref> The rebrand, to realign Freeview channel 32 with that of its parent channel once again, was announced in December 2021, around the same time that it was announced that Channel 5 had joined [[Everyone TV|Digital UK (now Everyone TV)]], the organisation responsible for Freeview and Freesat, becoming the last of the UK's major Public Service Broadcasters to join the body.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.freeview.co.uk/corporate/news/channel-5-joins-digital-uk|title = Channel 5 joins Digital UK|website=Freeview.co.uk| date=20 December 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/channel-5-coowner-freeview-freesat/|title = Channel 5 Becomes Co-Owner in Freeview and Freesat|website=Cordbusters.co.uk|date = 20 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2021/channel-5-joins-digital-uk|title = Channel 5 joins Digital UK|website=Rxtvinfo.com|date = 20 December 2021}}</ref>

==Operations== ===Channels=== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Channel !Type !Launched !Purpose |- |'''[[5 (British TV channel)|5]]''' |Free-to-air [[public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom|public broadcast]] [[television channel]] |30 March 1997 |Fifth national terrestrial channel in the United Kingdom |- |'''[[5Action]]''' | rowspan="4" |Wholly owned |19 January 2022 |Was originally launched on 4 July 2018 as '''Paramount Network''' before rebrand. Programming focuses on action and crime. During ''[[NFL on CBS]]'' games starting in 2025, branded as '''5NFL'''. |- |'''[[5Select]]''' |13 February 2018 |Was originally launched as '''Channel 5 +24''' on 4 February 2014. Became '''My5''' on 10 August 2016 before current rebrand. Programming focuses on [[documentaries]], [[The arts|arts]], [[TV dramas|dramas]], [[Comedy|comedies]] and Channel 5 original content.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is 5SELECT?|url=https://faqs.channel5.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000226969-What-is-5SELECT-|website=www.faqs.channel5.com|access-date=11 February 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140728/https://faqs.channel5.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000226969-What-is-5SELECT-|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=What's on TV|title=Unknown|date=2018-02-16}}</ref> |- |'''[[5Star]]''' |11 February 2016 |Was originally launched as '''Five Life''' on 15 October 2006. Became '''Fiver''' on 28 April 2008 & then '''5*''' on 7 March 2011 before current rebrand. Programming focuses on [[documentaries]], [[Comedy|comedies]] & [[TV dramas|dramas]]. |- |'''[[5USA]]''' |7 March 2011 |Was originally launched as '''Five US''' on 16 October 2006. Became '''Five USA''' on 16 February 2009 before current rebrand. Programming focuses on imported movies and programmes from the United States. |- |}

===My5=== [[File:My5 logo (2022).svg|thumb|upright=0.5|My5 Logo]] {{Main|My5}} '''My5''' (previously '''Five Download''' and later '''Demand 5''') is the brand name of [[video-on-demand]] services offered by [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] in the United Kingdom. The service went live on 26 June 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://about.five.tv/press/press-releases/demand-five-launches|title=Demand Five launches|publisher=[[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]]|date=17 July 2008|access-date=20 January 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707214032/http://about.five.tv/press/press-releases/demand-five-launches|archive-date=7 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also== * [[List of television stations in the United Kingdom]]

==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.channel5.com}}

{{Channel 5 Broadcasting}} {{Navboxes|list1= {{Paramount Networks UK & Australia}} {{Media in the United Kingdom|television}} {{Freeview}} {{RTL Group}} }} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited}} [[Category:5 (British TV channel)| ]] [[Category:1996 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:2014 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:British subsidiaries of foreign companies]] [[Category:Mass media companies established in 1996]] [[Category:Mass media companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Paramount International Networks]]