Ftn (TV channel)

For other uses, see FTN (disambiguation).

FTN (Flextech Television Network, stylized as Ftn) was a television channel owned by Virgin Media Television (formerly known as Flextech). The channel's main purpose was to exist as a highlights network for Flextech to showcase Freeview viewers the programmes from their paid channels, although it also aired its own programming.

FTN

Programming
Timeshift service	Ftn+1 (Thursday 9 August - Monday 1 October 2007)
Ownership
Owner	Virgin Media Television
History
Launched	15 January 2003 (2003-01-15)
Closed	1 October 2007 (2007-10-01)
Replaced by	Virgin 1
Availability (at time of closure)
Terrestrial
Freeview	Channel 20

It originally launched on 15 January 2003, airing from 6:00pm-6:00am as it timeshared with UKTV Bright Ideas. It also transitioned on Virgin Media, and as a subscription channel on Sky.

History

The channel was announced on 3 October 2002 as part of a preparation of networks on the Freeview service.^[1] The channel's initial launch programming was announced on 1 January 2003, with a launch prepared for the 15th.^[2]

FTN +1 launched on Sky and Virgin Media on 9 August 2007. Despite being a one-hour timeshift, FTN +1 only broadcast from 7 pm until 1 am, as Live Roulette TV which broadcast on FTN from 12 am to 3 am, couldn't be rebroadcast one hour later, for legal reasons.

It was announced in the summer of 2007 that Virgin Media Television was to launch a new channel, Virgin 1.^[3] The new channel launches on Monday 1 October 2007.^[4] The channel was Virgin Media's attempt to rival Sky One.

As a result of this new channel, it was revealed the Ftn would close, leaving its EPG positions on Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview to Virgin 1.^[5]

Ftn closed at 6 am on Monday 1 October 2007, with Virgin 1 launching at 9:00 pm on the same day.^[6]

Participation TV

Previously The Great Big British Quiz broadcast nightly between the hours of 00:00 and 03:00am. (Big Game TV took this spot until April 2007) Between November 2005 and November 2006 Quiz Night Live broadcast from 22.00 - 01.00 daily only to be replaced by Ostrich Media's Quiz Call which ceased broadcasting on FTN on 1 January 2007.

In June 2007, Live Roulette TV began broadcasting on FTN between the hours of midnight and 03:00am.