Men and Motors FTA

L1011 · 01-07-2005 6:43pm #1

Seems to be from today, M&M is in the clear - no ENC flag even, so a Digibox can catch it with no cards, at all - and also implies not an accident.

Now, considering its not known if M&M will go when ITV4 starts, etc, this could just be its death knock, trying to get a few last viewers; or it could be showing that ITV4 is going clear... whatever, its up there now for those of us with only FTA/FTV kit.

watty · 01-07-2005 7:31pm

Hmm.. in the years I *did* have a Sky sub I don't remember ever wanting to watch this channel. Perhaps when it morphs to ITV4 it will improve.

channelsurfer · 01-07-2005 7:42pm

yep still fta now. could it be permanent or maybe just a freeview weekend or something like film4 do?

L1011 · 01-07-2005 10:10pm

channelsurfer wrote:

yep still fta now. could it be permanent or maybe just a freeview weekend or something like film4 do?

Not once in my years of satellite have I ever seen a generic subscription channel do a free-view weekend. Ever. Only premium channels do - NASN, Setanta and FilmFour all do it frequently.

M&M is on Freeview, and theres probably 2,000,000 FTA or FTV boxes - most people know to keep their dish, box and dead subs card in the UK and Sky have 10% churn... For the first time since about 1989, channels have the option of going free to air and actually picking up enough viewers to, in the case of non "big draw" channels like M&M, to more than offset the extra cost of the EPG number - ITV woudln't have been paid much to anything by Sky, just got free EPG.

A few other broadcasters are realising this - Chart Show TV don't own (they do operate...) any encrypted channels, and they're all of decent quality - no teleshopping, no gaming, no religious salesmanship. ITV are seeing the light, and it looks like EMAP (half of the music EPG) is also doing so, due to Freeview.

Could be an interesting year or two - Sky may have to revert to making a lot more of their own programming and channels, like they did pre-Digital.

channelsurfer · 01-07-2005 10:42pm

are the emap music channels going fta on sky?

Capt'n Midnight · 02-07-2005 12:36am

When did they go on freeview and would that have anything to do with it ?

Channel 136, http://www.menandmotors.co.uk/page/Listings/

Men and Motors is a UK-based ITV-owned television channel
NEW! Freeview, channel 38

L1011 · 02-07-2005 8:30am

channelsurfer wrote:

are the emap music channels going fta on sky?

They're contracted through to anthing from 2006 to 2009; and its not sure what Sky will offer them to stay encrypted. They're already on Freeview to an extent - a few of them are.

watty · 02-07-2005 7:56pm

ITV4 test ch on my sat card is mm FTA

byte · 03-07-2005 6:50pm

I'd nearly put my life on M&M being ITV4. Plus it's started on Freeview too. The DOG seems to have been removed, and the late night totty:) has been replaced with more male-aimed TV (of the less sexual variety!) I am however surprised to see Men Behaving Badly on it, considering it's an old BBC Comedy!

I reckon, when all the rebranding is done, the channel will move to 120, beside ITV2 and ITV3.

Sparky · 03-07-2005 7:35pm

yeah byte im with you on that aswell, and like you say the male stuff at night times has gone

Men and Motors FTA

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