Hochanda is to merge its Craft Store channel with newly acquired Create & Craft at the end of February. The new combined service will use the Create & Craft brand going forward.
Create & Craft was bought from Ideal Shopping Direct last month. Since then, both channels have continued to run separately. However, presenters from both services have been making appearances on each other’s programmes.
From 25th February 2022, the two channels will merge in to one. At this point, The Craft Store name, used by Hochanda Global Ltd, will disappear from Electronic Programme Guides.
How this will affect viewers
On Freeview, channel 85 will become Create & Craft. The channel will be live between 07:00 and 22:00. Overnight highlights programmes will be available on smart TVs.
The current Create & Craft service on channel 95 will close.
RXTV understands the timing of the changes coincides with the termination of a Freeview carriage agreement signed by Create & Craft’s previous owners. That agreement with Freeview multiplex operator SDN originally started on 26th February 2020.
On Virgin, the channel’s fate beyond 25th February is uncertain, due to the cable company’s high fees.
On Sky, the combined service’s channel number is yet to be confirmed. It’s also yet to be confirmed if Create & Craft’s current HD service will be maintained, or whether it will revert to SD. The channel will run 24 hours a day, with overnight highlights / recorded shows.
Regarding Freesat, Hochanda says the channel will also be available 24 hours a day with overnight highlights. It has not been able to confirm if Create & Craft’s current HD service and channel number will be maintained, or whether it will use The Craft Store’s current SD channel slot.
Online, a live stream of the channel will continue to be available.
What changes will there be on the channel itself?
Create & Craft will revert to 60 minute shows, replacing the 45 minute format introduced by Ideal Shopping Direct.
What happens to The Craft Store?
The Craft Store name will disappear from TV guides, but the brand will be used to create a new online destination for craft supplies, aiming to reach users who don’t use shopping channels.
What about customer orders?
Current customer orders are not affected. As customers may have already noticed, payment options have already changed as systems move over to Hochanda’s payment platforms.