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ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney utilizing the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC. The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on Telewest's digital cable service, and soon afterwards on the NTL digital cable service. On 30 August 2005, ABC1 was launched on the Sky Digital satellite platform. The channel was encrypted as part of the basic Sky package, and therefore was not free-to-air, in contrast to its unencrypted status on Freeview and cable television. On 26 September 2007 at around 12 noon, ABC1 ceased transmission on all UK television platforms (Freeview, satellite and cable), one day shy of three years since it first started broadcasting.

2004 - 2007



In the early days, ABC1 had 2 idents, one used for comedy shows, and the other used for drama shows. This is the ident used for comedy shows.



This was the ident used for drama programming.

2005

Two new idents were introduced in 2005, to co-incide with the launch of the channel on Sky.


VIDEO - Nighttime Ident • Primetime Ident







Examples of coming-up promotions. Unlike most UK broadcasters, for its first six months ABC1 did not carry any commercials. However, it did have full-length ad-style breaks featuring trailers for its own shows and those of the Disney Channel. On ABC1, the advertising slots were placed in the American style of being close to the beginning and end of the programme, unlike the European fashion of between programmes and in the middle. The American style usually has the adverts at approximately 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55 minutes past the hour as opposed to the standard European style of 0, 15, 30 and 45 minutes past, although ABC1 often did without the breaks at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour.

2007






It was announced on 7 September 2007 that ABC1 was to cease broadcasting on all UK TV platforms, due to Disney wanting to concentrate on their other channels. ABC1 closed down on all UK TV platforms at midday, 26 September 2007. On 6 February 2008 the channel CITV moved into the ABC1 broadcasting spectrum on Freeview so that the channel ITV4 could increase broadcasting hours, as a consequence the CITV channel is now no longer available in Wales as was the case with ABC1 due to conflict with Welsh channel S4C.