| The Wrestling Channel
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| Launched: | March 15, 2004
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| Audience Share | Not Currently Available
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| Owned By: | Dolphin Television
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| Web Address: | thewrestlingchannel.tv
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| Availability
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| Terrestrial Analogue: | Not Available
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| Terrestrial Digital: | Not Currently Available
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| Satellite: | Sky Digital Channel 427
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| Cable: | Not Currently Available
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The Wrestling Channel (TWC) is the world's first dedicated professional wrestling television channel, showing many different promotions from the wrestling spectrum. The channel which launched on March 15, 2004, is Free-To-Air via the Eutelsat Eurobird 1 satellite across Europe and carried via the Sky_Digital television platform on EPG channel number 427, though it does not require a subscription to Sky to view this service.
History
2003
December 2003
Originally, the channel aired one-hour teaser programming for a month on December 1, via Friendly TV starting at 7PM to test the audience and engage feedback.
2004
January 2004
The Wrestling Channel revealed their intentions on running four live shows, twice a year in Britain and Ireland to compliment their programming. They would not be a promotion but merely running live events that involve all the programming that's shown weekly on the channel. It was discussed that these shows would possibly be broadcast live on Pay Per View. Elsewhere, the first of a muted weekly news show was first mentioned.
The Wrestling Channel released on January 22, that 2,200,000 users had visited their official web site, even though the site was not fully up and running.
February 2004
The Mediabullet web site stated that The Wrestling Channel would be renamed as Wrestling TV. There appeared to be no truth on this what so ever. Mediabullet continued to refer to the station as Wrestling TV in the coming months, when clearly it was not.
The Friendly TV broadcasts was extended for another month starting on February 2, leading up to the official channel launch where selected programming was simultaneously broadcast on both channels.
On February 28, The Wrestling Channel stated they would launch on March 15 via Sky Digital on channel 432. Broadcast hours would be from 10AM until 3AM, seven days per week.
As well as listing the complete line-up, additional programming from Classic Wrestling, NWA Wildside, Ohio Valley Wrestling, Toryumon and Ultimate Pro Wrestling (originally planned for the December tests but never aired) was listed as future possibilities.
March 2004
On March 4, Frontier Wrestling Alliance announced that they had signed a five-year contract with The Wrestling Channel, making them the sole and exclusive UK based promotion to feature on the station. Along with a new weekly Frontier Wrestling Alliance television show (FWA TV), viewers could expect FWA Unsigned, FWA home shopping, a fly-on-the-wall documentary series as well as sit-down interviews.
After a week of testing and several hours of programming previews through the day, the worlds first ever wrestling channel - The Wrestling Channel (TWC) - launched on Sky Digital on channel 432. The first show was Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Xplosion at 9PM. A few hours of selected programming would be simultaneously played on Friendly TV per day.
April 2004
The Wrestling Channel web site is now be used by 2,000 people everyday. Viewing figures have ranged from zero to 20,000 over the last three weeks since the channel launched. They stated that for the channel to be a success, 10,000 viewers would need to be watching at any one time.
May 2004
Through their forum on May 7, The Wrestling Channel asked for opinions and suggestions for a proposed one-hour weekly news show.
The Wrestling Channel stated on May 8, that 37,000 viewers watched the Total Nonstop Action Super X Cup tournament that was transmitted via the Friendly TV tests. Elsewhere, approximately 14,000 regularly watched Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Ring Of Honor and World of Sport programming on the channel.
On May 11, The Wrestling Channel invited fans to apply for the job of presenting their new weekly news show. A videotape of yourself presenting a mock news type show was requested from applicants.
Due to general channel expansion on the Sky Digital platform - The Wrestling Channel moved from channel 432 to it's present location at channel 427, on May 18.
In the first of The Wrestling Channel's irregular e-mail newsletters, it was reported that over 1,400,000 had tuned in during the launch period. Audiences had peaked at almost 50,000 viewers for programming such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Frontier Wrestling Alliance and Combat Zone Wrestling; a highly respectful number for a minority channel.
July 2004
The world's first wrestling television based talk show and The Wrestling Channel's first in-house produced programme - The Bagpipe Report (originally with working title Inside Wrestling) - launched on July 9. Hosted by Blake Norton , it brought fans the latest insider news and guest interviews; the first interview was with Diamond Dallas Page.
In their July newsletter, the channel would not be broadcasting any new Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre due to very poor ratings for this programme; the first programme to be dropped. The previously mentioned NWA Wildside was however to be added to its programming line-up.
August 2004
In the August newsletter, the new Memphis Championship Wrestling version programming debuted on August 8 joining its already classic programming. It also mentioned they were hopeful of bringing either Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE or Toryumon to its programming line-up.
September 2004
The Wrestling Channel stated on September 19 that they had revolutionised how channels are played out on-air. Instead of using conventional Beta SP / Digibeta tape method, they play out broadcast quality DV AVI files from a high-powered server. As all programming is carefully watched by editors to adhere to broadcast regulations concerning violence and bad language; using this method quickens the export delivery method and lowers costs as tapes are expensive and heavy to ship.
Jimmy Hart discussed in Slam Wrestling that he would hopefully be hosting an exclusive special show around his defunct Xtreme Wrestling Federation promotion for The Wrestling Channel. This was also later reported in the The Wrestling Channel's September newsletter.
October 2004
After taking advantage of promoting the channel outside a World Wrestling Entertainment show at Wembley, England, the channel complained on October 8, they were physically threatened by security for giving away free channel merchandise to fans.
On October 10, The Wrestling Channel announced they would be launching the world's second wrestling channel called The Wrestling Channel Reloaded (TWC Reloaded). It would feature action from their library whilst experimenting with new shows, promotion screen testers and schedule formats. Interactive SMS games would be introduced during selected programming. One possible idea was for fans to choose matches via SMS, just like people choose the songs on interactive music channels. Also Mixed Martial Arts would be introduced at some stage on the new channel. Xposed TV, a light erotic programming strand would play nightly at 10PM.
Via The Wrestling Channel web forum on October 18, the station looked for some volunteers to think of wrestling questions for the upcoming interactive quiz games on The Wrestling Channel Reloaded.
On October 22, the channel hyped a major announcement would be announced on the October 29 edition of The Bagpipe Report - the biggest since the launch of the station itself.
The Wrestling Channel Reloaded (TWC Reloaded) was launched on October 25, starting at 9AM with GAEA Japan .
Classic Memphis Championship Wrestling and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre both were reintroduced to the channel as re-runs. The new Frontier Wrestling Alliance Academy show was brought to The Wrestling Channel Reloaded. The Wrestling Channel presented two further new shows for their new sister station - Bloodbath featuring bloody uncensored matches, and Spotlight focusing on a different promotion from around the world each week that is not a regular part of the current programming roster.
The channel filmed a special Halloween double episode of The Bagpipe Report with a live studio audience on October 25. Jasmin St. Claire of Pro-Pain-Pro Wrestling and Alex Shane of Frontier Wrestling Alliance would be the studio guests.
For their October 29 major announcement - to mark their first anniversary - The Wrestling Channel would host the world's first interpromotional pro-wrestling supershow for March 2005 at Skydome Arena, Coventry, England.
November 2004
On the morning of November 20, The Wrestling Channel started their interactive SMS text quiz game to the station. Oddly, this occurred on the main channel and not The Wrestling Channel Reloaded as previously mentioned. Though most were in favour of such an initiative that would ultimately benefit the channel financially, the quiz was distractive to the viewer. The quiz graphics took up nearly one-third of the lower half of the screen, much to the displeasure of their forum members. Space Wars - a interactive SMS space game - was also introduced to The Wrestling Channel during the hours of 6AM to 9AM, replacing the allotted three hours of teleshopping programming that frequents most commercial UK channels.
Much to the forum's disappointment, in a November 30 announcement, carriage for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling regarding far newer up-to date programming (their current shows were on a six month lag) could not be agreed and the last episode would air on December 8.
December 2004
After a disappointing announcement regarding carriage for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling programming in November, Internet rumours concerning the channels future quickly spread on wrestling web sites without any concrete evidence. Such rumors are part of wrestling web sites to create debate.
Via the Death Valley Driver wrestling forum on December 4, it was claimed on a Japanese sports web sites that Pro Wrestling NOAH programming was also dropped from The Wrestling Channel due to the promotion allegedly owed $16,000 dating back from September 2004. Additionally it stated that both Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and World Xtreme Wrestling would also be immediately leaving the channel with money again being the issue. Interesting, neither Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and World Xtreme Wrestling were part of the channel programming - making the entire claim highly dubious.
In the channel's December e-mail newsletter, it stated that viewer ratings had since dropped and that the channel was currently running at a loss. After peaking at airing 28 hours of new programming every week, most of December and January would be a repeat schedule to initiate some essential cost-cutting measures. Any new programming details would hopefully be announced over the coming months.
After reduced hours, sometime during December, the much-disapproved interactive SMS text
quiz game was swiftly removed.
December 22: Former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Mick Foley is the huge international superstar who has signed up to be part of the TWC Supershow - now called International Showdown . Foley is involved with Ring Of Honor - a popular promotion featured on the channel.
A rumour apparently emanating from the Wrestling Observer newsletter claimed The Wrestling Channel might be sold to Bang Babes - a pornography channel. Bang Babes is merely an external programme strand of light erotic entertainment that airs for a few hours during down time on The Wrestling Channel and is not a full broadcaster. The rumour was quickly denied by the station.
2005
January 2005
The Wrestling Channel announced on January 7, that they signed a new contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling for new episodes of Xplosion, iMPACT! and PPV shows.
January 9: Another rumour apparently from the Wrestling Observer newsletter claimed that the channel is losing several thousand pounds per week and this is why the channel lost Total Nonstop Action Wrestling programming. Of course, a new deal had been signed days before this statement! It continued that The Wrestling Channel Reloaded had indeed been sold to Bang Babes but due to UK standards, the channel wouldn't be able to broadcast until 9PM, so there would still be programming all day to be filled. There is no such known broadcast standard!
Mitsuharu Misawa, Yoshinari Ogawa and Kotaro Suzuki from the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling NOAH had joined the already star-packed line-up for the International Showdown in a January 14 forum posting. As Mitsuharu Misawa owns the promotion, it likely proves the earlier Internet rumour of the promotion leaving The Wrestling Channel due to unpaid monies as a fabrication.
January 24: The Wrestling Channel Reloaded was reduced to a minimum level of programming due to a number of potential partners seeking to re-programme and develop the slot. The channel would only run for three hours per day, starting at 3AM in the morning.
February 2005
February 24: The Wrestling Channel moved satellite frequency from 11.623GHz Horizontal to 11.680GHz Vertical.
According to the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board (BARB) - for the week of February 27, The Wrestling Channel recorded it's biggest ever rating with 811,000 viewers (2.2% reach) - a very large number of viewers. This was more than several other larger established satellite entertainment and sports channels who all benefit from having additional cable carriage - The Wrestling Channel is only available on satellite.
March 2005
The Wrestling Channel's sister station - The Wrestling Channel Reloaded (TWC Reloaded) ceased on March 3. None of the anticipated innovations or experimental programming came to be. This was replaced by Movies 333 that occupied their 428 channel number slot before moving to channel 333 on March 21.
A deal for the debut of Live Action Wrestling started on March 15. This had previously aired on the Spotlight segment to a decent reaction via the channel's web forum.
There was also another deal for new weekly episodes from Memphis Championship Wrestling starting on March 16.
On March 19, The Wrestling Channel presented International Showdown - a live wrestling event with various superstars featured on the channel. The event at Skydome Arena, Coventry, England, was a phenomenal success with a reported attendance of around 3,500 - apparently only 93 people short of a venue sell-out.
March 31: The Wrestling Channel announced that they had signed a new deal with ITV, and more first-run World of Sport shows will re-commence soon on the channel.
April 2005
After numerous schedule changes since it's launch, The Wrestling Channel transmitted continuously 24 hours per day starting on 4 April.
On 5 April, The Wrestling Channel announced they had signed a deal for new Pro Wrestling NOAH television shows only further cementing the earlier Internet rumours of them having already left as total nonsense.
April 13: New two hour weekly episodes of the channel exclusive ROH TV from Ring Of Honor was announced on the channel's forum. The debuts of Premier Wrestling Federation (formerly known as Pennsylvania Wrestling Federation ), the earlier discussed Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE and it's revamped Pro-Wrestling ZERO1-MAX incarnation, was also mentioned in the announcement.
Programming
Current
Ceased
Spotlight
- !BANG!
- Azteca Entertainment
- Irish Whip Wrestling (IWW)
- Live Action Wrestling (LAW)
- Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw Germany)
- World Xtreme Wrestling (wXw USA)
Supercard
- (IWA: MS)
- Stampede Wrestling
UK Round-Up
- (AIWF: GB)
- British Pro Wrestling (BPW)
- (IPW: UK)
- Garage Pro Wrestling (GPW)
- Rock And Metal Wrestling Action (RAMWA)
- World Association of Wrestling (WAW)
- Wrestle Zone Wrestling (WZW)
Test (unique only via Friendly TV)
- Classic Wrestling - Mat Mayhem
- Classic Wrestling - Wrestling Legends: The Early Years
Satellite tuning details
Satellite: Eutelsat Eurobird 1
Position: 28.5 degree east
Frequency: 11.681 GHz
Polarity: Vertical
Symbol Rate: 27.500 MSy/s
Forward Error Correction: 2/3
Format: DVB MPEG-2
Sky Digital Channel: 427
Transmission: Free-To-Air (FTA)
See also
External links
