Network Two (Euro Republics)

Network Two is a Euroish public television network launched in 1976. The channel covers a wide range of subject matter with a remit to provide programmes that would otherwise be out of place on the more mainstream sibling channel EBC One. The channel can be compared to the likes of El TV Kadsre 2 and.

The channel particularly focuses on promoting new talent and ideas, with an eye to the 16-34 demographic with reality and comedy series, competing against the commercial youth-oriented public service channel TV4. The channel's shift to a younger audience came in 1997 at a time when EBC III was launched, which took over the vast majority of Network Two's arts and cultural programming. The channel tends to partner with sibling radio stations EBC 3FM & EBC Radio 6 to provide music programming. Movies are a regular part of the schedule, and Network Two is also the EBC's main television channel for news coverage.

Despite Network Two supposedly being aimed primarily at a young 16-34 audience, it is still common to see programmes of more depth and substance appear on the Network Two schedules, such as documentaries, cultural programmes and current affairs. One notable example is ER Tonight, the late evening investigative and in-depth news programme, which Network Two has broadcast for over 35 years. The channel also broadcasts some international drama, religious programmes and special news coverage. It has became more common in recent years for lifestyle series to appear in primetime.

History
The channel was launched as ERTV2 on 9th February, 1976, and initally targeted British expats with relayed programmes from BBC1, BBC2, ITV & Channel 4, in addition to American & Australian programmes. There were also some homegrown programmes, mostly news.

This initial lineup didn't work, and soon the channel was repositioned as a more upmarket alternative to ERTV 1 with arts and cultural programmes, as well as taking over ERTV 1's schools programmes in 1981 in anticipation for the main channel to launch a full daytime schedule in the coming years.

In November 1988, a new channel was announced for launch in 1989, known as TV3. Leading up to launch, many ERTV2 programmes were bought by the new channel, which led to an increased amount of new programmes from the Euro Republics.

In March 1989, to compete with TV3, ERTV 2 was given a major revamp and became Network Two, a week after TV3 launched.

As part of this new station ERTV extended its children's programming starting with preschool strand After 2 at 14:15 and the pre-teen slot, 3:45 Live at 15:45 until 18:00, effectively Network 2's afternoon schedule was a children's channel. Duo, a youth strand, would air each week night at 18:00 following 3:45 Live. It preceded the new teenage soap opera Rivertown, which later moved to ERTV1. All these changes were brought to air on the day the newly-branded channel was launched - 3rd March, 1989. This was unusual as that day was a Friday, meaning the shows would not air again the following two days. TV3 managed to override this a week earlier by showing a launch show for all of primetime.

Originally, Emmerdale was to be the channel's flagship soap, whilst Rivertown was going to air on ERTV1, but the shows were swapped when Emmerdale was deemed to older-skewing for Network 2.

This rebrand was very successful, however there were many intended shows that Network 2 eventually didn't air. It was openly stated that the channel wanted to air Australian soap opera Home & Away, before TV3 bought the show, however, said show did eventually come to the channel in 2005.

In Autumn 2020, Network Two was relaunched to target the 16-34 demographic, in an attempt to boost ratings after an abysmal 2019, where it dropped to #4. This culminated with the debuts of The Circle & The Masked Singer.

News and information

 * ER Tonight (1988-present)
 * ER This Week (2003-present)
 * Working Lunch (1997-present)
 * Politics Daily (2012-present)

Reality shows

 * Married at First Sight (2016-present)
 * Ex on The Beach (2017-present)
 * Special Forces (2019-present)
 * The Masked Singer (2022-present; previously on TV3)
 * Rise and Fall (2023-present)

Comedy

 * Good Gentlemen (1996-present)

Lifestyle

 * Hot Property (2022-present)
 * Homeward Bound (2023-present)

Arts and culture

 * The Art House (1992-present)
 * Either Side of Midnight (1997-present)
 * Talking To... (2012-present)

Music

 * 3FM on TV (2006-present)
 * 3FM's One Big Weekend (1996-present)
 * Radio 6 Live (1998-present)
 * Glastonbury (2003-present)
 * The Playlister with Langley & Riley (2022-present)

Factual

 * Praise (religion) (1981-present)
 * Direct Questions (political discussion) (1988-present)
 * Back Benches (politics) (2008-present)
 * Media² (media analysis) (2010-present)
 * Inner Minds (science) (2019-present)

Children's (branded as Nickelodeon)

 * Nick News (2022-present)

Reality shows

 * Survivor (2017-present)

Soap operas

 * Highway to Haven Road (1989-present)

Lifestyle

 * Grand Designs Euro Republics (2007-present)
 * Bargain Hunt (2011-present)

Content deals

 * Paramount
 * MTV Entertainment Studios
 * Sony Pictures Entertainment
 * Columbia Pictures
 * Sony Pictures Animation
 * Fox Entertainment
 * Fox Entertainment Studios
 * Fox Alternative Entertainment
 * Lionsgate
 * SGX
 * Netflix

Reality shows

 * SAS: Who Dares Wins (UK) (2016-present)
 * First Dates (UK) (2018-present)
 * The Masked Singer (US) (2019-present)
 * The Masked Singer (UK) (2020-present)
 * The Rap Game (UK) (2022-present)

Comedy

 * Final Space (US) (2018-present)
 * South Park (US) (2019-present)
 * Just For Laughs: Gags (CA) (2020-present)
 * Crossing Swords (US) (2020-present)
 * Housebroken (US) (2021-present)
 * Star Trek: Lower Decks (US) (2021-present)
 * Welcome to Flatch (US) (2022-present)
 * Digman! (US) (2023-present)
 * Am I Being Unreasonable? (UK) (2023-present)
 * Animal Control (US) (2023-present)
 * Krapopolis (US) (2023-present)
 * Dreaming Whilst Black (UK) (2023-present)

Soap operas

 * Emmerdale (UK) (1976-1988; 2020-present)
 * Home and Away (AU) (2005-present)
 * Shortland Street (NZ) (2012-present)

Drama

 * Criminal Minds (US) (2006-present)
 * Outlander (US) (2014-present)
 * Wolf Howl (EK) (2017-present)
 * The Handmaid's Tale (US) (2017-present)
 * World on Fire (UK) (2019-present)
 * Vienna Blood (UK/Austria) (2020-present)
 * The Pact (US) (2021-present)
 * Minx (US) (2021-present)
 * Industry (UK) (2021-present)
 * Around The World in 80 Days (FR/GR/IT/UK/SA) (2021-present)
 * Yellowjackets (US) (2022-present)
 * Showtrial (UK) (2022-present)
 * Alert: Missing Persons Unit (US) (2023-present)

Children's (branded as Nickelodeon)

 * The Bagel and Becky Show (CA) (2019-present)
 * Born to Spy (AU) (2023-present)
 * The Casagrandes (US) (2023-present)
 * Double Dare (US) (2021-present)
 * Hardball (AU) (2019-present)
 * Henry Danger (US) (2019-present)
 * iCarly (US) (2019-present)
 * The Loud House (US) (2020-present; formerly on 3C)
 * Middlemost Post (US) (2022-present)
 * The Patrick Star Show (US) (2023-present)
 * Rock Island Mysteries (AU) (2023-present)
 * Side Hustle (US) (2022-present)
 * SpongeBob SquarePants (US) (2023-present; previously on 3C)
 * Star Trek: Prodigy (US) (2023-present)
 * The Strange Chores (AU) (2020-present)
 * The Thundermans (US) (2019-present)
 * Tyler Perry's Young Dylan (US) (2022-present)
 * Victorious (US) (2019-present; formerly on 3C)

Preschool (branded as Nick Jr.)

 * Baby Shark's Big Show! (US) (2022-present)
 * Blue's Clues & You! (US) (2020-present)
 * Bossy Bear (US) (2023-present)
 * Deer Squad (US) (2023-present)
 * Dora the Explorer (US) (2019-present)
 * PAW Patrol (US) (2019-present)

Children’s

 * Bluey (2019) (moved to SBS)
 * Floral Magican Mary Bell (1994-1998)

News

 * The Nine O’Clock News (1983-2000)
 * ITN News at Ten (1983-1988)