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Merit (TV channel)

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Merit
CountryUnited Kingdom
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format16:9 SDTV
Ownership
OwnerITV plc (July–August 2020)
Sky Group (August–September 2020)
History
Launched29 July 2020 (2020-07-29)
Closed17 September 2020 (2020-09-17) (49 days)
Replaced bySky Arts (Freeview)

Merit was a short-lived time-shared British lifestyle and entertainment TV channel which was a part of the Freeview lineup in the late summer of 2020.[1][2][3]

Broadcasting

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The channel began broadcasting at 9pm on 29 July 2020, its launch delayed from the earlier date of 8 July; under its first iteration it was owned by the ITV Digital Channels division of ITV plc.[4] It broadcast three hours daily from 9pm to midnight on the former ITV3 +1 Freeview channel slot (which itself was moved to channel 58).[5] During ITV Digital Channels' control of the channel, it ran no advertisements.[6]

The channel's licence was acquired by Sky UK Limited on 20 August 2020.[1] On 17 September 2020, the channel's Freeview slot (34) was taken over by Pick, which moved to accommodate the launch of Sky Arts on channel 11,[7] and Merit consequently ceased transmission that day at midnight.[8]

Programming

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The channel didn't broadcast original programming, with the content shown being archival or imported programming from its respective licence holders. Programming from Sky included Four Weddings and the American and New Zealand versions of My Kitchen Rules, while ITV's contributions included The Hungry Sailors and Britain's Best Back Gardens.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Merit". Ofcom. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Merit". Ofcom. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. ^ "RXTVinfo - Merit launching on Freeview channel 34". RXTVinfo. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  4. ^ "TVForum - (ITV) Merit - post". TVForum. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  5. ^ "ITV to launch new channel Merit". Sports Mole. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. ^ "The Ident Gallery - Merit: 2020 Presentation". The Ident Gallery. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Sky Group - Press Pack: Sky Arts Available to Everyone from 17 September". Sky Group. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  8. ^ Tatum, Kris. "Freeview confirms closure of two channels and moves five others". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
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