QVC (British TV channel)
Ownership | |
---|---|
Owner | Qurate Retail Group |
Sister channels | QVC Beauty QVC Style QVC Extra |
History | |
Launched | 1 October 1993 |
Links | |
Website | www.qvcuk.com |
Availability | |
Terrestrial | |
Freeview | Channel 16 (QVC) Channel 37 (QVC2) (19:00–13:00) |
QVC UK is a television
History
The original US channel was founded in 1986 in West Chester, Pennsylvania by Joseph Segel. It grew into a multinational corporation, specialising in televised home shopping. It now broadcasts in five countries to 141 million consumers. The name is an initialism—standing for Quality, Value, Convenience. However, unlike in the US, the expansion of the initialism is no longer used on air in the UK.
The UK venture launched on 1 October 1993, becoming the UK's first full-time home shopping channel, and in 1998 the UK venture turned its first net profit (£12.5 million), against a loss of £228,000 in 1997.[1] Originally 20% owned by Sky, it became a wholly owned subsidiary of the US broadcaster in 2004.[2]
In 2008 QVC UK launched a multiscreen video service accessible via the
- QVC Live
- QVC+1 (a time delayed service)
- Today's Special Value presentation
In February 2020, QVC UK had a whole new rebrand with a whole new logo.
QVC Beauty
On 26 October 2010 a second channel was launched in the UK,
The channel broadcasts from 4:00 am to 2:00 am daily on Freeview channel 35. 2:00 am QVC Beauty HD on Freeview channel 112 only broadcasts from 2:00 am to 4:00 am daily due to the channels over rating.
QVC Beauty HD ceased broadcasting on Freeview with the closure of the COM7 multiplex, followed by the SD version on 21 June 2023.
QVC HD, QVC Extra and QVC Style
QVC had planned to begin broadcasting in
QVC Style ceased broadcasting on Freeview on 21 June 2023,[8] though it continues on other platforms.[9]
QVC Active
QVC Active was an
QVC2
The UK version of QVC2 launched exclusively on Freeview on 21 June 2023, replacing QVC Beauty and QVC Style.[10] On other platforms QVC Beauty and QVC Style continue as separate services.[11]
The structure of the QVC channels in the UK is different than in the US, so the role that QVC2 plays is somewhat different. QVC2 in the US shows repeats of QVC's programming, while QVC2 in the UK shows fashion, beauty, home, and garden-related programmes.[12]
Operation in the UK
QVC UK operates from two main sites. From launch until June 2012, its headquarters and broadcasting facilities were at Marco Polo House, the former British Satellite Broadcasting headquarters in Battersea, London. These operations then moved to Chiswick Park,[13] a 'campus'-style development on the site of a former derelict London Transport bus depot in West London.[14] Its call centre and distribution warehouse is located in Kirkby, Knowsley, in Merseyside. These facilities were moved in 1998 from Liverpool's Harrington Dock. The company also had outlet stores in Warrington and Shrewsbury, however the Shrewsbury store closed permanently in 2020, leaving the Warrington store as the company's only physical outlet.[citation needed]
In June 2011, it was reported that QVC UK had begun carrying out trials of 3D broadcasting. This was merely an experiment, a spokesperson said.[15]
The channel broadcasts live from 9:00 am to 1:00 am (the remainder being repeated content) year round. QVC UK claims a market penetration of 15.4 million homes on cable, satellite, and digital terrestrial TV. The Astra 2E footprint also takes in much of Western Europe. Retail sales for the year 2008 reached £360+ million.[citation needed]
Products
QVC organises its product range into nine distinct categories:
- Beauty
- Fashion
- Shoes & Accessories
- Jewellery
- Home & Kitchen
- Electronics
- Garden & Leisure
- Health & Wellbeing
- Gifts
QVC also stock a wide range of Christmas Products, with Christmas items available from 25 July when the Channel Celebrates "Christmas in July".
Current presenters[16]
- Simon Biagi
- Charlie Brook
- Anne Dawson
- Ophelia Dennis
- Chloe Everton
- Debbie Flint
- Dale Franklin
- Jill Franks
- Kathryn Goldsmith
- Pipa Gordon
- Will Gowing
- Jilly Halliday
- Catherine Huntley
- Laura Crombie
- Jackie Kabler
- Alex Kramer
- Miceal Murphy
- Eilidh Nairn
- Katy Pullinger
- Julia Roberts
- Craig Rowe
- Alison Young
- Laura Fleming
- Rezzy Ghadjar
- Victoria Fitz-Gerald
Regular current guests
- Rylan Clark-Neal
- Amanda Holden
- Richard Jackson
- Ruth Langsford
- Cait Penfold
- Michael Perry
- Andi Peters
- Rosa Speyer
- Rick Stein
- Gok Wan
- Lee Hohbein
- Gail Samways
- James Murden
- Leanne Stott
- Julien MacDonald
- Beverley Cressman
- Gill Gauntlett
- Lorna Ko
- Anne Dorrington
- Mark lane
- Lucy Piper
- Shaun Ryan
Past presenters
- Kara Baker
- Julian Ballantyne
- Sophia Barnes
- Jon Briggs
- Suzanne Evett
- Harry Greene
- Debbie Greenwood
- Anthony Heywood
- Katy John
- Paul Lavers
- Rob Locke
- Claudia Sylvester
- Kara Tritton
- Steve Whatley
- Carmel Thomas
- Anna Cookson
- Michaela Hyde
- Tim Goodwin
- Claire Sutton
- Kathy Tayler
- Alison Keenan
- Simon Browne
References
- ^ QVC UK Moves into Profit, Broadcast, London, 21 May 1999. Accessed 7 January 2011.
- ^ Sky sells QVC stake for £49m, 29 February, Digital Worldz. Accessed 13 August 2011.
- ^ "Freeview/ Home/ Channels/ Lifestyle/ QVC Beauty". Freeview (UK). Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ "QVC plans HD and extra channels after studio move". Broadcast. 31 May 2012.
- ^ "QVC branches out with two new channels from 13th August". a516digital. 9 August 2013.
- ^ a b "QVC to launch two new standalone shopping channels". The Retail Bulletin. 9 August 2013.
- ^ "QVC launches HD channels on Sky and Freesat". RXTV info. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ Latest channel launches and changes on Freeview
- ^ QVC2 | Freeview
- ^ Latest channel launches and changes on Freeview
- ^ Where can I view QVC? - QVC Customer Care | Support & FAQs
- ^ QVC2 | Freeview
- ^ QVC to move to Chiswick Park, Robin Parker, Broadcast magazine, 27 July 2010. Accessed 13 August 2011.
- ^ We act for QVC on Chiswick Park move, Bond Pearce property consultancy's corporate website, Undated. Accessed 13 August 2011.
- ^ QVC Shopping Channel Experimenting With 3D, 3dfocus.co.uk, 6 June 2011. Accessed 13 August 2011.
- ^ "Presenters - QCommunity". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014.