Friendly TV was a British television channel, owned by Hi2 Limited. Much of the channel's output was made up of interactive programmes and games which allowed user participation by phone or mobile phone using SMS messaging. The channel was widely regarded as a pioneer in the low budget user generated content that accelerated the transition to online tv.
The channel was launched in 2003 on Sky Digital channel 268 and received immediate criticism for its poor content. Program content was devoted to an
internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
-based game called ''Brainbox'', or a lengthy computer games show called ''GamerWeb'' contrary to the station's
EPG
Electronic programming guides (EPGs) and interactive programming guides (IPGs) are menu-based systems that provide users of television, radio, and other media applications with continuously updated menus that display scheduling information fo ...
.
Shortly after the channel was launched it ran a number of wrestling shows including
Irish Whip Wrestling,
Frontier Wrestling Alliance, and
Pro Wrestling Noah. These were pilots for the TV station which was launched as
The Wrestling Channel and later became
The Fight Network.
The channel broadcast onto a number of Sky channels and was responsible for programmes such as ''Bikini Beach'', ''Cash House'', ''Stash the Cash'', ''Vegas 247'', and ''Live Roulette''.
Ofcom Content Sanctions Committee
Eventually, in February 2010, an Ofcom Sanctions Committee ruled against Friendly TV and related broadcasters, concluding that "serious and repeated breaches" had been committed.
To quote directly from the judgment of the Ofcom Sanctions Committee:
The Committee concluded that the breaches were serious making specific reference to explicit and graphic sex material broadcast without access restrictions after the 21:00 watershed. In accordance with Ofcom's statutory duty to protect the under-eighteens.
See also
*
Ofcom
The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, internet, telecommunications and mail, postal industries of the United Kingdom.
Ofcom has wide-rang ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Web Archive page of FriendlyTVWeb Archive page of Hi2Ofcom Broadcasting Code July 2005YouTube - example of broadcast content
Interactive television
Defunct television channels in the United Kingdom
Television channels and stations disestablished in 2010
Television channels and stations established in 2003