The Squarial Supreme...A Story about BSB

1977 The World Administrative Radio Conference assigned the UK 5 high powered channels for direct broadcasting via satellite.

1979 "Unisat" a conglomerate of the BBC, ITV, BAE, Ferguson and Reuters wins the contract to provide the service and equipment to launch in 1985.

1980 Unisat changes its name to British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB). Channel names and types:

Prime: General Entertainment with 4 hours of dedicated kids programmes per day
Now: Mixture of News, current affairs, documentaries, lifestyle and arts
Screen: Movies
Stadium: Movies
Gold: Mixture of old BBC and ITV programmes.

UK Govt promises that subscribers will receive £25 discount on tv licence

1980-2 Ferguson build 1.5 million receiver kits

1983 BAE and European Space Agency launch "Marcopolo" satellite

1983-1985 BSB embark on £3 million promotion. Tomorrow's World and Blue Peter run items every six months. Promo shows 5th Dr Who trying (and failing) to attach a squarial to the TARDIS.

1984 800,000 subscribers for BSB...kits cost £100.

1985 BSB launches
 
BRITISH TELEVISION CHANNELS IN THE UK AS OF 1ST JULY 1985 **

BBC 1 (with variations for Scotland, NI, Wales and the regions)
BBC 2
ITV (Caledonia, Scottish, Granada, Tyne Tees, Yorkshire, Anglia, Thames/LWT, Carlton*, Westward, Channel, TWW, Central, Ulster and TV-AM)
Channel 4

BSB: Now, Screen, Stadium and Gold

*Southern England
** ABC and ATV are network producers with no regional franchises
 
I'm intrigued at how you will keep Rupert at bay (if indeed you do!).
Will BSB be able to broadcast all of Jupiter Moon?
 
Well in 1984/5 Murdoch was still mainly a press magnate. Sky 1 (as it then was) was still cable exclusive with studios in the UK and Holland.

Its worth pointing out that the Government wasn't led by Thatcher but by Whitelaw (who had been burned by the S4C debacle)

As regards Jupiter Moon....why not.


NB should have mentioned S4C in the list of channels
 
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SUNDAY NIGHT VIEWING *

BBC1 8.00 Howard's Way
BBC 2 8.00 Live Snooker
ITV 8.00 TJ Hooker
Channel 4 8.00 20/20 Vision

Galaxy 8.00 Porridge
NOW 8.00 Scrutiny **
Screen 8.00 Sunday Night Classic "Bullitt"
Stadium 8.00 Spurs Vs West Ham ***

*-Purely Speculative. Some info from Transdiffusion
**-Political discussion
***-From Saturday
 
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