The Arts Channel
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The Arts Channel was a British highbrow television channel available in the early years of cable television in the UK. It was founded by John Griffiths[1] and started broadcasting on 29 September 1985.[2]
The channel was launched by British Cable Programs, itself backed by WHSmith, Television South, Commercial Union and Equity and Law.[3] TVS used its stake to air its productions on the channel.[4] It started as a daily 150-minute block which was distributed via video cassettes to the cable companies, but planned an expansion of its broadcasting hours early on. 65% of its programmes were acquisitions, while the remaining 35% were produced by the channel.[3] During 1986, the channel announced the airing of 120 hours worth of visual arts-related programming per year. This included Collections (permanent or temporary art exhibits) and The Also Arts (art forms rarely seen on television, such as wood carving or industrial design).[5]
Towards the end of the channel's lifespan, its control was put up under the hands of United Cable Programming.[6] The service finally wound down operations in April 1989[7] as the new owners could not afford a new injection of money.[6]
