That's 60s

That's 60s is a British digital television channel dedicated to 1960s music, created by the That's TV network.[1] It is available on Freeview channel 71, Sky channel 365, Virgin Media channel 296, and Freesat channel 506.[2]

Format

The channel is headed by Kris Vaiksalu. It was launched on 6 January 2023, and replaced the earlier channel Smithsonian which was running on the same frequencies. Vaiksalu decided to launch the channel after he found playing 1960s pop music on the parent That's TV channel created favourable ratings, and wanted to put out a wider variety of music compared to other networks that played more recent material.[2] The channel is free-to-air and funded by advertising, shown in breaks approximately every three-to-four songs.[3]

History

The channel began with veteran disk jockey Tony Blackburn, who chose to play the Move's "Flowers in the Rain", echoing the first song he played on BBC Radio One when it launched in 1967.[4] He has a special show on Friday evenings, in which he talks about his favourite music clips before they are shown.[3] The channel also planned to feature fellow veteran presenters David Hamilton and Bob Harris.[5] Harris broadcast his first show on 17 February.[6]

Content

The channel's range of content is restricted because of the limited amount of video material still available from the 1960s that has not been wiped. To work around this, it broadcasts live performances from later times in which the original artists play songs that were hits in the 1960s, such as Simon and Garfunkel's The Concert in Central Park from 1982. Several clips come from US television shows such as the mid-1960s Hullabaloo which have not been seen regularly on British television.[3]

Reviewing the channel, Sean Ross criticised the choice of material, thinking it might be too obscure, and also the lack of regular presenters. A specific concern for a 1960s music channel was the lack of any videos by the Beatles, and limited coverage of Cliff Richard.[3]

References
  1. "DJ Tony Blackburn to front new 1960s-themed TV channel". The Daily Telegraph. 6 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  2. "Tony Blackburn debuts new That's 60s music channel for UK". Digital TV Europe. 6 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  3. "First Watch: Tony Blackburn's That's 60s". Radio Insight. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  4. "Legendary DJ Tony Blackburn on new music channel That's 60s". freesat.co.uk. 20 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  5. "Tony Blackburn to launch new 60s music TV channel for the UK". Radio Today. 6 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  6. @WhisperingBob (17 February 2023). "My first-ever show for @Thats60s TV goes out tonight at 6pm" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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