Return of the Chart Show TV brand earlier this year appears to be short-lived, as channel’s owner plans to replace it with dance music channel.
- Chart Show Retro launched in March
- Channel owner That’s Media described the channel as a pilot.
- That’s Dance takes over Sky slot
After just three months, Chart Show Retro is due to disappear from the Sky satellite channel list as That’s Media launches another music channel.
That’s Dance, which features a range of dance and club tracks from across the decades, will take over the slot on channel 360, according to Sky.
The dance music channel has already received a channel slot on Freeview, taking over from That’s 90s slot, but currently off air.
Eagle-eyed viewers may have already noticed a part-time takeover of That’s Dance on sister channel That’s 90s in recent weeks.
Chart Show Retro brought back the old Chart Show TV brand, which was on air via Sky between 2002 and 2019. The channel had been taken over by Trace Music, who discontinued their traditional broadcast music channels in the UK in favour of streaming-only services. That’s Media purchased the rights to the brand, plus Trace Music’s last remaining Sky slot.
In its latest financial filings, That’s Media described the “nostalgic music channel” as “an initial pilot” on the Sky platform.
Context
The launch of That’s Dance featuring music from across the decades is part of a wider trend among music channels to target older audiences who grew up with music channels. That’s Media also operates music channels featuring music from the 1960s to the 1990s, going head-to-head with rival NOW Music on Sky. As a result of the aging viewership of remaining music channels, adverts are more likely to feature over 50s insurance plans than ringtones. Channel 4 will be closing its portfolio of music channels after the end of this month.
Meanwhile, younger audiences routinely favour platforms including YouTube, Amazon Music, Spotify and Vevo for their music fix.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Chart Show Retro screengrab