Satellite series puts Byte into TV heaven

Retailer secures satellite TV tie-in enabling vendors to present and explain computers and peripherals to potential buyers

Byte Computer Superstores is expanding into television after gaining the rights to a series of programmes which will be shown on Granada?s satellite channel.

There will be 10 programmes in the series, each lasting half an hour without an advertisement break. The show, called The Computer Store ? With Byte, will be shown on the Granada Plus satellite channel from 18 October to 20 December. Former Tomorrow?s World presenter Howard Stableford will host the programme, which will feature three sections ? home/office, home/education and leisure.

Byte operations director Steven Rigby said: ?We are picking products to make it as broad and informative as possible.? He said it offered vendors a chance to reach a new market by educating users. Only Hewlett Packard (HP) is confirmed as a partner; Rigby said the company was still finalising other deals with manufacturers.

Vendors will be invited onto the show to present products and explain their purpose. Viewers can then call one of two phone lines ? one for ordering and the other will divert them to their nearest Byte store.

The programme aims to cover everything from desktop PCs to peripherals, including soundcards and upgrades, with demonstrations as well as explanations of a product?s purpose. The show will cover from 10 to 12 products each week.

Richard Hanscott, HP consumer channel marketing manager, said: ?Consumers want to see solutions and benefits rather than just statistics about products.?

After transmission the shows will be put on CD-Rom to provide a demonstration for Byte stores nationwide.

Granada Plus is mainly an archive channel showing reruns of LWT, Granada and Yorkshire programmes although it also has rights to the second choice UEFA cup games starting from 1 October.