Channel 4 joins Freesat venture

JTMan

Channel 4 joins Freesat venture

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Jon Rees,
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=414580&in_page_id=2

Channel 4 has joined the BBC and ITV in a proposed joint venture to supply free digital satellite television to homes that cannot receive the Freeview service through aerials

The BBC has submitted a proposal for the Freesat service to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and is awaiting its response.
The idea was raised by the BBC and ITV in autumn 2004.

The service would not require a subscription, though there would be a charge for equipment and installation. BSkyB offers its own free satellite service, also without subscription, but charges £150 for installation.

Channel 4 has an agreement for its main channels to be carried on Sky and this deal is thought to have more than 18 months to run. But it means Channel 4's C4 and E4, for instance, would not be available on Freesat until its agreement with Sky ends.

However, the broadcaster's involvement with Freesat is likely to make the proposal more attractive to viewers and equipment suppliers.

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This pretty much guarantees that all of C4s channels will go FTA when their encryption contract with Sky ends.

Tony

I'm hearing dealers are telling customers that Ch4 will be on after christmas, funny hows these rumours always come to the fore around this time of year

DublinWriter

Ah yes, the monthly 'C4 is going free on sat' rumour. Where would ya be without it?

Now if only RTE could get up off their collective arses and start similar rumours, but they're still stratching their heads and getting to grips with the 'So you want to broadcast in DAB' leaflet.

watty

No this one sounds real.

Fungus wrote:

Channel 4 joins Freesat venture

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Jon Rees,
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=414580&in_page_id=2

Channel 4 has an agreement for its main channels to be carried on Sky and this deal is thought to have more than 18 months to run. But it means Channel 4's C4 and E4, for instance, would not be available on Freesat until its agreement with Sky ends.

See bit in bold. Thats what "expert" pundits have been saying since BBC went FTA.

watty

DublinWriter wrote:

Ah yes, the monthly 'C4 is going free on sat' rumour. Where would ya be without it?

Now if only RTE could get up off their collective arses and start similar rumours, but they're still stratching their heads and getting to grips with the 'So you want to broadcast in DAB' leaflet.

Looks like we will have national DRM from RTE and Radio Mannnan (Manx Radio's LW neighbour) befor National DTT or National DAB.

John mac

neighbour of mine got satellite installed last week (not sky ) and has got ch4 how is this? (has been verified by other half)

watty

Not possible unless C4 momentarily testing FTA. You sure not digital MMDS?

John mac

They told me wrong.
I was a sky box with ftv card .
thats how they have ch4 .

channelsurfer

probably means c4 will go fta alright in 2008 cant see them buying sky out of its current contract with them any earlier

watty

John mac wrote:

They told me wrong.
I was a sky box with ftv card .
thats how they have ch4 .

Well, grain of truth, no Sky subscription.

byte

channelsurfer wrote:

probably means c4 will go fta alright in 2008 cant see them buying sky out of its current contract with them any earlier

Yup, I woudl imagine so. As has been predicted here before by various members. I very much doubt that C4 will be available any sooner, or it would have done so already, a lá Film4.

That said, they had the option of having More4 FTA on satellite, but chose not to