A new TV channel focussing on the music of the 1960s launches today.
That’s 60’s will be opened by the broadcaster Tony Blackburn, who made his name on the pirate radio ships of the 1960s before going on to be the first breakfast host on Radio 1 will be the launch presenter.
Blackburn will open That’s 60’s with Flowers in the Rain by The Move, the same track he used to open Radio 1 in September 1967.
That’s 60s will broadcast performances from the artists of the era. Whilst music videos were not always produced by recording artists until later decades, That’s 60s plans to show many live band performances made for TV shows around the world during the 60s. Blackburn will be joined by other presenters from the era including David Hamilton and Bob Harris.
“I loved the 60s because I was young and I was having a ball. I was a singer in a dance band in Bournemouth, then I went on to be a DJ on Radio Caroline, Big L Radio London and Radio Luxembourg and I opened up Radio 1,” said Blackburn, who turns 80 later this month. “On That’s 60s I’ll be playing some of the wonderful music we had and talking all about it. I mean it’s the 60s – what more could you ask! It’s the best decade ever!”
That’s 60s is targeting viewers who lived through the 60s or were born in later decades and brought up listening to the music of their parents. The new channel is being launched as a sister service to archive TV channel That’s TV which also broadcasts nationally
“We secured some of our highest ever ratings when we played 60s music on That’s TV last year and it made us realise that there’s a need to launch a dedicated 60s channel,” said That’s 60’s Head of Programming, Kris Vaiksalu. “So many other TV services seem to be targeting younger and younger audiences. We are proud to unashamedly do the opposite and launch That’s 60s as a new national TV channel particularly focused on super-serving the silver generation.”
That’s 60s parent company, That’s Media Group, will continue to broadcast its original channel, That’s TV, on Freeview channel 65, Sky channel 183 and Freesat channel 178. That’s TV also broadcasts in 20 regions of the UK on Freeview channel 7 or 8, the channels allocated to local TV services, which That’s Media also provides.
