BBC to launch "Freeview" TV service

daveyb

Just found this on Yahoo - Wonder if these will be on Astra ??

---

LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC says it plans to launch a new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service by early November, aiming to fill the void left by collapsed pay TV firm ITV Digital.


"We are aiming for the second half of October or early November," Andy Duncan, BBC director of marketing and communications told Reuters on Tuesday when asked about the timing if the launch.


The BBC, which teamed up with Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB channel and transmitter operator Crown Castle International to bid for the broadcast licences of ITV Digital, had said in July that it would aim to launch the service in the early autumn.


The service will be called "Freeview".


The BBC will offer free services in contrast to rival ITV's effort to make money out of pay channels. ITV Digital collapsed in April, having cost shareholders in TV groups Granada and Carlton Communications a billion pounds.

ShaneOC

This is the Digital Terrestrial replacement for ITV Digital. It has been discussed here already. The extra channels that are provided are mostly on Astra already and available to us here FTA(with the obviouse BBC/ITV/CH4/CH5 exceptions).

Genghis

This is in relation to Digital Terrestrial, which is restricted by proximity to a terrestrial transmitter. Hence, unless you live close to the border, or on the eastern coast, it is for UK residents only. Incidentally, the BBC are already 'free' on Sky digital; the required BBC card is the control mechanism they chose to limit the satellite reception to the UK.

DMC

Over to the Terrestrial board for further discussions.

Thread moved.