JML Direct TV

JML Direct TV is a generic name for a series of British shopping channels broadcasting on the Sky, Freesat and Freeview platforms, owned by JML Direct Limited. JML Direct TV originally launched on Sky channel 664, on 1 October 2002 as JML Direct. Due to various Sky EPG reshuffles, this original channel is located on channel 661 as of 2018.

JML Direct TV
CountryUnited Kingdom
HeadquartersLondon
Programming
Picture format576i (SDTV 4:3, 16:9)
Ownership
OwnerJML Direct Limited
Sister channelsITV
ITV2
ITV3
ITV4
ITVBe
CITV
ITV Box Office
History
Launched1 October 2002
ReplacedeeZee tv (3 March 2007)
iBuy, iBuy2 (28 May 2007)
Vector 24/7, Shop Vector + (27 December 2007)
TV Warehouse, TV Warehouse 2 (2 February 2009)
Links
Websitewww.jmldirect.com
Availability
Cable
WightFibreChannel 52 (JML Direct)
Satellite
FreesatChannel 806 (JML Direct)
Sky (UK only)Channel 661 (JML Direct)
Astra 2G11.568 V 22000 5/6 (JML Direct)

Channels

JML currently own and run a TV channel on SKY 661 and freesat 806.

Development of the network

Following on from the launch of the original JML Direct channel, there have been a number of changes and expansions of the JML lineup. The majority of these changes have affected channels on the Sky platform, but some JML channels have also been made available on Freesat and Freeview and details of these operations are also listed below. The changes have taken place as follows:

eeZee tv
Main article: eeZee tv
eeZee tv logo

eeZee tv launched at 10:00 on 1 March 2005, taking the place of the original JML Direct channel, showing a mix of JML and Kleeneze products ranging from Homewares to Beauty. The channel used a fixed price format, which was similar to other UK shopping channels, such as QVC and Ideal World.

In early 2007 live programming on eeZee TV was removed and replaced with pre-recorded material. Subsequently it was decided that this move alone would not save the channel, and on 3 March 2007 JML regained the EPG slot and rebranded it back to JML Direct TV. The channel continued to show various JML products, using ex-eeZee tv presenters and studios for some pre-recorded JML infomercials.

iBuy closure, two new JML channels

After the closure of HSN's UK auction channels iBuy and iBuy2 in early 2007, JML secured a deal with HSN to take over their old prime EPG slots, near the top of the Shopping EPG on 631 and 632 (next to QVC). Then, at midnight on 28 May 2007, JML launched JML Direct TV on 631 and infomercial-based channel Shop Now TV on 632. At the same time their previous JML Direct TV channel was renamed to JML Extra. Both JML-named channels showed JML products around the clock, with Shop Now TV showing various products sourced from around the world.

On 7 January 2008, JML Direct TV was renamed JML Direct 1 on Sky 631 and Shop Now TV was dropped and was rebranded JML Direct 2 on Sky 632. Many of the Shop Now TV infomercials were dropped, though those products which JML decided to retain in their lineup would continue to appear, though now under the JML brand. JML Extra on 657 remained as it was.

Vector Direct liquidation and two more JML channels

On 23 December 2007, it was announced that Vector Direct had decided to go into voluntary liquidation. This caused their two Sky EPG slots on 652 and 656 to go up for sale. Then, on 27 December 2007, it was announced that JML had successfully purchased the two slots. In nearly a year, JML had grown from a one-channel operation to five.

On 7 February 2008, JML Direct 1 was rebranded for a second time, now as just "JML". JML Direct 2 was rebranded JML Lifestyle and JML Extra was rebranded as JML Solutions. At this point, both 652 and 656 were still referred to as Vector 24/7 and Shop Vector + on the Sky EPG, though now carried JML-branded programming.

On 19 February 2008, both Vector Direct channels were renamed on the Sky EPG. Vector 24/7 became JML Choice on 652, and Shop Vector + on 656 was rebranded under the title JML Innovation.

Further rebrands and reshuffles

On 21 July 2008, a complete EPG reshuffle of the 'Shopping' section on Sky happened as the majority of channels were shifted down 10 EPG slots to make more room in the 'Kids' section. As a result, the JML channels moved to 641, 642, 662, 666 and 667.

On 6 September 2008, JML Solutions (Sky 667) was rebranded as JML Cookshop. The channel shows a mix of kitchen gadgets and cookware products, and introduced its own green graphics in place of the usual blue. This has now been rebranded as JML Choice.

On 23 September 2008, JML Innovation was rebranded as JML BeautyShop on Sky channel 666. The channel showed a mix of health and beauty products, and used pink graphics.

On 2 March 2009, JML BeautyShop was discontinued and was rebranded JML Lifestyle (the second time the name had been used). This channel offered a wider range of health, home, beauty, food and leisure products. It was then rebranded as JML Active and has now been sold.

On 15 June 2011, Argos TV took over JML Cookshop's Sky EPG slot, with JML Cookshop moving further down the EPG, replacing JML Choice. Argos have leased the Sky EPG slot from JML for 12 months to trial the channel and also use JML's facilities.[1][2]

On 3 November 2012, JML Home & DIY was rebranded as JML Living.

On 18 January 2013, JML Cookshop closed. On 1 May 2013, JML Living closed and was replaced by The Boutique, a shopping channel managed by The Broadcast House but still owned by JML.[3][4] JML Living returned on 13 May as a replacement for Argos TV on Sky.[5]

On 19 August 2014, another complete EPG reshuffle of the 'Shopping' section on Sky happened as the majority of channels were shifted down 10 EPG slots. As a result, the JML channels moved to 651, 652 and 663.

On 1 May 2018, another complete EPG reshuffle of the 'Shopping' section on Sky happened as the majority of channels were shifted down 10 more EPG slots. As a result, the JML channel moved to 661.

Home Store

Home Store is another spinoff channel from JML Direct. It launched on 1 May 2013 as The Boutique, replacing JML Living. It was rebranded as Home Store on 1 August 2014.

TV Warehouse closure

In late 2008, JML purchased two channels which had broadcast under the TV Warehouse name. For a time, JML continued to broadcast TV Warehouse products and continued to use the TV Warehouse branding, with the only noticeable changes being the addition of a titlecard featuring both the TV Warehouse and JML logos, and the rebranding of the channel TV Warehouse Select as TV Warehouse 2.

On 2 February 2009, JML closed both TV Warehouse and TV Warehouse 2 channels.

JML Home & DIY launched on Sky 653 and shows a mix of home and DIY products. Shop Now TV relaunched after originally being replaced in January 2008. The channel is available on Sky 661. The channel shows a mix of products from around the world. Some of the former TV Warehouse products are also available on Shop Now TV.

TV Keys

As of April 2009, JML have launched an interactive shopping service which is available through the Miniweb-owned TV Keys interactive platform within Sky's interactive menu.[6] To access the service, viewers have to go to the Interactive menu on their on-screen guide, follow the link to the TV Keys launch page and enter JML's TV Key (565 – the equivalent of the letters "JML" on an alphanumeric keypad). This service is promoted by JML through on-screen graphics and short trailers aired on the JML channels. JML is not the only shopping channel to operate an interactive service; QVC UK operates QVC Active, which can be launched by pressing the red button while watching QVC; and the defunct Simply Shopping had an interactive service for a time.

JML Active

In September 2009, a further new channel was launched, replacing the simulcast channel JML Choice. JML Active took over channel 662 (and the simulcast on 656) with a selection of sports, leisure and health products.

On 30 September 2009, JML simulcasts were ceased and given back to the original channel operator.

JML Active was replaced with Rocks & Co programming on 1 February 2010.

Freeview

On 22 January 2009, both JML and Rocks & Co. launched on Freeview as a programme block on channel 49. JML was available between 09:00 and 11:00, and 14:00 and 16:00.[7] Rocks & Co. was also available between 16:00 and 21:00.[8] On 27 February 2009, JML extended its hours to 07:00 – 16:00 and was set to remain on Freeview until 11 May 2009.[9] However, on 31 March 2009, Rocks & Co. ceased broadcasting its 5-hour block on channel 49 and on 1 April 2009, it was replaced with 5 hours of Gems TV, which took over the slot following the closure of Gems' previous 3 hour slot on channel 44.[10] The JML/Rocks & Co. slot (Freeview EPG channel 49) was a shared frequency with Super Casino (EPG channel 48), and as such JML/R&C could not broadcast while Super Casino was on air.

JML/Rocks & Co. had been due to be removed in May to make way for the launch of Quest, but when the launch of this channel was delayed by Discovery Networks UK, Rocks & Co. regained the slot on a temporary basis up until the launch of Quest. This arrangement saw UK Direct Shopping infomercials in the slot from 6am-8am, followed by Rocks & Co. content from 8am to midnight and then the Super Casino broadcast feed thereafter. This continued until the launch of Quest.

Summer 2009 also saw Rocks & Co. take over the 12am-2am slot on CNN International's Freeview channel (EPG 84) which had previously been leased to SuperCasino. This meant that until the launch of Quest, the full live airtime of R&C was available on Freeview. The move only covered the Freeview slot and did not affect CNN carriage on satellite and cable, which continued to air CNN content in this slot.

On 30 September 2009, due to the launch of Quest, Rocks & Co. moved as part of a nationwide general Freeview retune. The broadcast moved from the shared slot with SuperCasino (multiplex A) and took up a previously unused 1pm-6pm slot on multiplex D which it shares with Russia Today, Create and Craft and Big Deal. The R&C EPG channel number also moved from 49 to 40. The 12am-2am slot on channel 84 (CNN) ceased broadcast in conjunction with the reduced broadcasting hours of Rocks & Co.. The slot was briefly used by The Jewellery Channel, but now is used by Gems TV

On 12 April 2010, JML Direct was added to channel 201 on Channel M's local multiplex in Manchester but was removed on 13 October 2010.

Freesat

On 6 May 2008, as part of the official launch of the Freesat platform, JML launched JML Lifestyle, (as it was known then) on channel 810.[11] On 28 October 2008, it was replaced with JML Cookshop.

A couple of weeks later on 11 November 2008, a second JML branded channel launched, JML on channel 809.

On 24 March 2009, JML Home & DIY launched on channel 808.[12]

On 16 June 2010, JML Home & DIY moved to channel 810, with JML Direct moving to channel 808 and JML Cookshop moving to channel 809. JML Home & DIY was removed on 5 July 2010.[13] On 18 May 2011, JML Cookshop was removed from Freesat and replaced with JML Choice.[14] On 15 June 2011, JML Cookshop returned replacing JML Choice. On 28 November 2012, JML Cookshop was replaced with JML Living.

JML Store

JML Store was a spin-off channel owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd and ITV plc; and also owned by JML Direct. It originally launched on 14 November 2011 as The Zone on Freeview channel 39, but was not available in Wales until 9 January 2012.

On 27 April 2012, The Store with JML launched on ITV.[15] Dubbed a "chatmercial", it combined the visual language and style of a chat show format with TV home shopping and was shot in front of a studio audience. It broadcast across ITV's late night two-hour retail teleshopping schedule on Sundays, and overnight on ITV4 It was a presenter-led show featuring interactions from a panel of experts. It was split up into bite-sized chunks which focused on one product every 15 minutes. The shows included products from cookware to shapewear, DIY lines and celebrity brands such as Myleene Klass Nails.

The Store launched as a stand-alone channel in partnership with JML on Tuesday 1 October 2013, broadcasting 24 hours a day on satellite, and between 6pm and 6am on Freeview, replacing "The Zone".[16] The slots on all platforms, except Freeview reverted to JML, and renamed as JML Store on 1 August 2014. The slot on Freeview remained named as "The Store", with Jackpot 247 broadcasting every night, followed by Teleshopping.

The Store was eventually removed from the Freeview platform in January 2019, marking the end of channel.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Argos TV channel launching on Sky". Digital Spy. 15 June 2011.
  2. "Argos to launch new TV shopping channel". Retail Gazette. 11 March 2011. Archived from the original on 25 June 2011.
  3. "The Boutique on Sky Channel 653". The Insert House. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  4. "Television Broadcast Licensing Update April 2013". Ofcom. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  5. "Argos TV comes to an end". a516digital. 12 May 2013.
  6. "Miniweb: JML launch on TV Keys". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  7. "JML Now on Freeview Channel 49!". JML Direct. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  8. "Jewellery shopping channel joins Freeview". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  9. "JML extends Freeview subscription". ShoppingTelly.com. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
  10. "More Gems TV for Freeview". ShoppingTelly.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
  11. "In full: Freesat channels at launch". Digital Spy. 6 May 2009.
  12. "CNN to join Freesat programme guide". Digital Spy. 19 March 2009.
  13. "Update Scan – 05/07/10". Join Freesat. 5 July 2009.
  14. "Update Scan – 18/05/11". Join Freesat. 18 May 2011.
  15. "ITV heralds the 'chatmercial' with new shopping format". Digital Spy. 27 April 2012.
  16. "ITV brand to launch 24-hour shopping channel". The Independent. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  17. "Freeview Updates". a516digital. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
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