JML Direct TV is a television shopping channel owned by JML Direct Limited that mainly broadcasts infomercials featuring various products from the company. The channel is broadcast on Sky and Freesat.
JML Direct TV originally launched on Sky channel 664, on 1 October 2002 as JML Direct. Due to various Sky EPG reshuffles, this original channel is located on channel 661 . It is on Sky in the UK but not in Ireland.
Channels
JML owns and run a TV channel on Sky 661 and Freesat 806.
Development of the network
Following on from the launch of the original JML Direct channel, there have been a number of changes and expansions of the JML lineup. The majority of these changes have affected channels on the Sky platform, but some JML channels have also been made available on Freesat and Freeview and details of these operations are also listed below. The changes have taken place as follows:
eeZee tv
eeZee tv launched at 10:00 on 1 March 2005, taking the place of the original JML Direct channel, showing a mix of JML and Kleeneze products ranging from Homewares to Beauty. The channel used a fixed price format, which was similar to other UK shopping channels, such as QVC and Ideal World.
The venture proved to be a failure, as live programmes were axed after a few months on the air, and Kleeneze pulled out in Late-2006.
On 3 March 2007, JML regained the EPG slot and rebranded it back to JML Direct TV. The channel continued to show various JML products, using ex-eeZee tv presenters and studios for some pre-recorded JML infomercials.
Expansion
In Early 2007, JML secured a deal with HSN to take over the Sky EPG slots belonging to their shopping networks iBuy and iBuy2, which HSN had previously put the slots up for sale after announcing the closure of iBuy. The slots were located on top of the Shopping EPG on 631 and 632 (next to QVC).
On 25 April 2007, JML announced a joint-venture infomercial channel with Responze TV's US subsidiary Reliant International Media called Showcase TV, which would showcase a mix of US and international infomercials from Reliant’s product range.
On 1 May 2007, JML officially took over the IBuy slots and announced that they would be officially rebranded on 28 May, with 631 becoming JML Direct TV, with 632 becoming the joint-venture channel with Responze and the 667 slot being renamed as JML Extra. The joint-venture was finalised as Shop Now TV.
Purchase of slots from Victor Direct
On 23 December 2007, Vector Direct, a fellow rival infomercial company, went into voluntary liquidation, Victor operated two networks - Vector 24/7 and Shop Vector + on the Sky EPG numbers 652 and 656 respectively, and both were put up for sale. On 27 December 2007, it was announced that JML would purchase both slots.
On 7 January 2008, the main JML networks went under temporary names - JML Direct TV was renamed JML Direct 1 on Sky 631, while the Shop Now TV format was dropped completely, with the network becoming JML Direct 2. Many of the Shop Now TV infomercials were dropped, though those products which JML decided to retain in their lineup would continue to appear, though now under the JML brand. JML Extra on 657 remained as it was. On 28 January 2008, it was announced that JML had successfully purchased the Victor Direct networks and revealed that all the JML networks would be renamed. JML Direct 1 (631) became simply JML TV JML Direct 2 (632) became JML Lifestyle Vector 24/7 (652) became JML Choice Shop Vector + (656) became JML Innovation (originally JML Ideas) JML Extra (657) became JML Solutions
Further Rebrandings
On 6 May 2008, as part of the official launch of the Freesat platform, JML Lifestyle was added on channel 810.
On 21 July 2008, a complete EPG reshuffle of the 'Shopping' section on Sky happened as the majority of channels were shifted down 10 EPG slots to make more room in the 'Kids' section. As a result, the JML channels moved to 641, 642, 662, 666 and 667.
On 6 September 2008, JML secured a slot for an affiliated Jewelry channel Rocks & Co. to launch on 642, replacing JML Lifestyle. On the same day, JML Solutions (Sky 667) was rebranded as the cookery-focused JML Cookshop and two weeks later on 23 September 2008, JML Innovation (666) was rebranded as the health and beauty-focused JML BeautyShop on Sky channel 666. Both network used different coloured schemes, with Cookshop using green graphics, and BeautyShop using pink graphics. On 28 October 2008, JML Lifestyle's slot on Freesat was replaced with JML Cookshop. On 11 November 2008, JML TV was added to Freesat, on channel 809.