STV is to launch its own digital terrestrial TV service, S2, at the
end of this month, targeting a younger audience than the main ITV
station with a mix of established and new programming.
S2 goes air on on Friday 30 April and will broadcast across Scotland
from 4pm to 2am, seven days a week, via DTT and cable.
The channel will target 16- to 34-year-olds and will include more style,
music and youth programming than the analogue STV, which is only
broadcast to homes in the central Scotland region.
The daytime schedule, running from 4pm to 7pm, will feature soaps, talk
shows and lifestyle programming.
S2 Live, an entertainment show, will air at 7pm. ITV drama series such
as Cold Feet will get a second airing on S2, and sports coverage will
include the Rugby World Cup and live boxing.
Airtime sales will be handled by Television Sales Scotland, the STV
sales team based in Edinburgh.
The launch of S2 will be backed by an ad campaign in Scotland. The ads,
created in-house with media buying by Feather Brooksbank, will run in
Scottish newspapers and style and listings magazines.
S2 is the second attempt by STV’s chairman, Gus Macdonald, to expand
beyond STV’s terrestrial analogue station. A satellite venture with
BSkyB, Sky Scottish, was disbanded a year ago.
