QVC

Name	QVC
Logofile	QVC.svg
Logosize	200px
Logoalt	QVC Logo
Launch	1986
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Network	QVC
Owner	Liberty Media
Founder	Joseph Segel
Slogan	Quality, Value, Convenience
Country	USA
Broadcast area	Worldwide
Headquarters	West Chester, Pennsylvania
Web	http://www.qvc.com
Sat serv 1	DirecTV
Sat chan 1	Channel 275
Sat serv 2	Dish Network
Sat chan 2	Channel 137
Cable serv 1	Available on many cable systems
Cable chan 1	Check local listings for channels
Adsl serv 1	Sky Angel
Adsl chan 1	Channel 333
Online serv 1	QVC
Online chan 1	Watch live (US only)

QVC is a West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, USA, multinational corporation, specializing in televised home shopping. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel, QVC broadcasts in five countries (US, UK, Germany, Japan and – from September 30 – Italy) to 160 million consumers. The name is an initialism—standing for Quality, Value, Convenience.

Corporate history

QVC was founded on June 13, 1986 by Joseph Segel. One of the first brands to sign a two year deal with QVC was Sears products. Its first live broadcast took place at 7:30 PM ET on November 24 of that year, reaching 7.6 million TV homes. The corporation later set a new record for first full-year fiscal sales for a new public company of $112 million.

Initially broadcast live from 7:30 PM ET until midnight each weekday and all day Saturdays and Sundays, the channel extended its live programming to 24 hours in January 1987. QVC acquired its top competitor, the Cable Value Network (CVN), in 1989. The $380 million deal contributed to a loss of $17 million during the next fiscal quarter, and then to difficulties in the couple of years that followed.

On February 2, 1995, Comcast purchased a majority shareholding in QVC, Inc., taking control of the corporation. QVC kicked off the "Quest for America's Best: 50 in 50 Tour," a 50-week nationwide product search. QVC.com was founded in 1996.

In July 2003, Comcast sold its majority share to Liberty Media.

In May 2009, QVC became the first multimedia retailer to offer a native high-definition service.

On September 23, 2007, QVC U.S. rebranded itself, changing its logo on-air and online. The rebranding was accompanied by an advertising campaign with the tagline "iQdoU?" ("I shop QVC, do you?") that had preceded the rebrand with billboards in major U.S. cities.The iQdoU? campaign also included a "teaser" website found at iQdoU.com.

On September 30, 2010, at 11pm, QVC is due to start broadcasting in Italy, both on satellite and digital terrestrial television.

Operations

All of QVC's operations (U.S., UK, Germany, Japan and Italy) run 24 hours a day, although live programming hours vary between each region.

Headquarters

QVC has its headquarters in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, near West Chester and by U.S. Route 202. The $100 million QVC Studio Park complex, located on an plot of land, opened in 1997.

QVC US

QVC's U.S. operations are based in the Studio Park complex, which houses its corporate headquarters, studio and broadcasting facilities. Studio Park is the former corporate offices of Commodore Business Machines. Call center facilities are located in Chesapeake, Virginia; Port St. Lucie, Florida; and San Antonio, Texas. QVC's distribution centers are situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Suffolk, Virginia; Florence, South Carolina; and Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

QVC U.S. also operates a series of retail stores across the country, including one at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Its outlet stores are located in Lancaster, Pa.; Frazer, Pennsylvania; Prices Corner, Del.; Rehoboth Beach, Del.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C. (opening in April 2010).

QVC is broadcasts live in the United States 24/7, apart from the Christmas show which is pre recorded to more than 98 million households, and ranks as the number two television network in terms of revenue (#1 in home shopping networks), with sales in 2009 giving a net revenue of $7.4 billion.

QVC UK

QVC UK was launched in October 1993. QVC UK's headquarters and broadcasting facilities are located at Marco Polo House in Battersea, London, while call center and distribution facilities are situated in Knowsley, Merseyside. QVC UK also runs two outlet stores, one in Warrington, the other in Shrewsbury.

QVC UK broadcasts live 17 hours a day (although the channel runs 24 hours a day), 364 days a year. In 2009, QVC UK shipped more than 13.5 million units and handled more than 14,500 phone calls.

QVC Germany

QVC Germany, incorporated in Düsseldorf, runs call centre operations from two sites in Bochum and Kassel, whilst distribution is handled from a dedicated site in Hückelhoven.

QVC Germany broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 363.5 days a year (off-air Christmas Eve (no program after noon) and Christmas Day), with 33.8 million households reached.

QVC Japan

QVC Japan is based in Makuhari, where its corporate headquarters and call center facility are located. Distribution facilities are located in Sakura City.

QVC Japan broadcasts live 24 hours a day (as of June 2004—previously running for 15 hours—making it the first broadcaster in Japan to run a 24-hour live service), to 7.5 million homes.

QVC Italy

In 2010, QVC plans to expand its international presence with the addition of programming in Italy starting on 30 September at 11pm. The primary distribution platform for QVC Italy will be both satellite and digital terrestrial television.

Controversy

In 1998 a class-action suit was brought against QVC. Two former hosts of QVC sued the network, claiming that they were discriminated against by the shopping channel based on their race. The lawsuit went on to state that QVC refused to allow non-white hosts any permanent daytime/primetime spots, which relegated them to the overnight hours, otherwise known as the "graveyard shift." Because of this, the non-white hosts were paid considerably less than the white hosts.

Also in March 2004, the integrity of the company was brought into question when the Federal Trade Commission charged QVC with making "deceptive claims" about weight loss products and the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the company.

Hosts

QVC’s live broadcast is supported by 25 program hosts. They come from a variety of different backgrounds and work three-to four-hour shifts on-air, four to five days a week.

Embedded below is a list of QVC's current hosts in the United States, along with their signature shows:

Jill Bauer (joined QVC in 1993)

*You're Home with Jill

*Just Desserts with Jill

Sandra Bennett (joined QVC in 2006)

*Whole You with Sandra

Jayne Brown (joined QVC in 1999)

*Downtown Style with Jayne Brown

*QVC This Morning Fashion Forum

*QVC This Morning Fashion Friday

Rick Domeier (joined QVC in 1994)

*techCONNECT with Rick

*Get Fit with Rick

*Home Projects with Rick and Dan

Sharon Faetsch (joined QVC in 2003)

Jacque Gonzales (joined QVC in 2003)

*Electronics with Jacque & Friends

Carolyn Gracie (joined QVC in 2005)

*Garden Party with Carolyn

*Kitchen Unlimited with Carolyn

Nancy Hornback (joined QVC in late 2009)

Dan Hughes (joined QVC in 1989)

*QVC This Morning

*For Race Fans Only

*The Great Outdoors with Dan

Albany Irvin (joined QVC in 2009)

Dave James (joined QVC in 2004)

Pat James-DeMentri (joined QVC in 1989)

*QVC This Morning

*QVC This Morning Fashion Forum

*QVC This Morning Fashion Friday

Gabrielle Kerr (joined QVC in 2007)

Shawn Killinger (joined QVC in 2007)

*"No Problem!" with Shawn

*Shawn Says, "Accessorize!"

Lisa Mason (joined QVC in 1995)

Antonella Nester (joined QVC in 2004)

*Antonella's Italian Kitchen

Jonathan Redford (joined QVC in 2009)

Patti Reilly (joined QVC in 2000)

*Friday Night Beauty

Lisa Robertson (joined QVC in 1995)

*Ask Lisa About Style

*PM Style with Lisa Robertson

*What the Tech? with Lisa

Mary Beth Roe (joined QVC in 1990)

*My Time with Mary Beth

*Handbags with Mary Beth

Amy Stran (joined QVC in 2009)

Jane Treacy (joined QVC in 1986 as one of the original hosts)

*Shoe Shopping with Jane

*Enjoyable Entertaining

*Jane's Rock Stars

*Now That's Cool! with Jane

David Venable (joined QVC in 1993)

*Dining With David

*In the Kitchen with David ("Gifts from David's Kitchen" during the holiday season)

*In the Kitchen with David PM Edition(as of September 28, 2010)

*Merry Memories with David (seasonal show)

Dan Wheeler (joined QVC in 1991)

*Home Projects with Rick and Dan

Leah Williams (joined QVC in 1996)

*AM Style with Leah Williams

Models

(This is only a partial list)

* Brenda Brabham

Jenna Meglic

Deanna Fontanez

Rachel Breitag

Angela Izzo

Monica Miraglilo

Linda Kay Hinkle

Stacy Ann Lankford Crossin

Trina Clark

Sheila Alasha

Anne Stanley Glunk

Aiko Siddall

Kerin Martucci

References

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/app.html/params.file.|cp|mainhqpress,html/left.html.file.|nav|navhqabout,html

http://www.multichannel.com/article/263755-QVC_HD_Now_100_High_Def.php

External links

QVC Studio Tours Page US

QVC Italy

Category:Shopping networks Category:American television networks Category:Companies based in Pennsylvania Category:Television channels and stations established in 1986 Category:English-language television stations in the United States Category:Clothing retailers of the United States Category:Retail companies of the United States

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