Channel Five has been sold

[idris]

Forgive me if it has been mentioned on this site before, but I'm surprised that the financial wizz-kids out there haven't noticed this story approaching since May 2010. RTL, the German parent company of Five, announced, back in May, they were going to auction it off. It's just hit the papers in the UK today that they have sold it, for £103M , to Richard Desmond, an English publishing magnate who owns Express Newspapers, among other things (please see his Wikipedia entry for most of the full list.) ITV, who expressed (no pun intended) an interest, were only offering half that amount.

Some media commentators think he will turn Five into 'OK! TV' (he owns OK! magazine.)

So...what does that mean for H&A ?

[Dan F]

I have indeed been following this since the first announcement, and whilst I don't find his repertoire to be particularly appealing (considering he owns Red Hot TV and suchlike), H&A should be pretty much unaffected due to the existing lifelong agreement.

Desmond also confirmed this today:

Flagship acquisitions including CSI, Home & Away, Neighbours and The Mentalist will stay with the channel, while an insider close to the deal said Desmond was likely to spend on both UK commissions and further foreign imports.

However whilst it means the show itself is safe, they have not yet ruled out the idea of Five going to Pay TV.....

[Mr Oddly]

During my time in the United Kingdom, I had the displeasure of experiencing the Daily Express on an almost daily basis. It was almost as unpleasant as having to endure seeing Mr Stewart every morning when I come down the stairs.

On an unrelated note, I think that avatar your using was from a photograph taken shortly before I met Marilyn Chambers. She's as radiant now as she ever was.

[devon]

During my time in the United Kingdom, I had the displeasure of experiencing the Daily Express on an almost daily basis. It was almost as unpleasant as having to endure seeing Mr Stewart every morning when I come down the stairs.

On an unrelated note, I think that avatar your using was from a photograph taken shortly before I met Marilyn Chambers. She's as radiant now as she ever was.

Yeah, what a lovely 'newspaper' it is.

I expect 5 News will run lots of Princess Diana death conspiracy stories, now.

[claire_louise]

Completely unrelated to H&A (apologies!) but does anyone know if they'll be keeping Grey's Anatomy?

[Dan F]

Completely unrelated to H&A (apologies!) but does anyone know if they'll be keeping Grey's Anatomy?

Yes they'll be keeping Grey's Anatomy also

However he's also said that he'd like more celebrity/reality shows (not surprising given him owning OK Magazine), and is interested in acquiring Big Brother.....

[Reo]

Im a little worried about this, not just for H&A but for the other shows I watch. But that list of H&A, Neighbours, CSI and The mentalist being safe has put my mind at rest a little. But my worries dont just related to losing programmes, but to gaining them. Celeb based programmes and possibly big brother?!

Even if H&A and Neighbours are safe, what about the amount of times they are shown, including the omnibus, or what about when H&A has its break, will they continue with the specials, or will they just cut it and put something new on in that time. I know the specials are hardly specials when they just show episodes that first aired a few months before, but there are other times when they show good specials.

I really couldnt care less about what a celeb eats for lunch or what they are wearing, so I really hope it doesnt go overboard. I think the only thing that would make me happy is if they produced another channel Five:Showbiz and put everything on there. Im also very disappointed because I hoped that Big Brother was finally going to die.

[halcyon06]

I heard that guy who bought it is interested in buying big brother off channel 4?

[Lesley Bee]

I was really glad to read that Neighbours, Home & Away and The Mentalist were safe

[-Kevin-]

I heard that guy who bought it is interested in buying big brother off channel 4?

Yep!

Maybe they can get it and restore it to its former glory