News and updates about traditional broadcast and streaming TV platforms for users and installers.
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Changes to ITV1 and ITV2 as CITV closes:
▶ ITV1 will screen children's programmes for the last time this Sunday morning.
▶ ITV2 launches a new four hour children's slot on 2nd September
While the UK and Ireland migrates gradually from SD to HD TV, in France, there's already talk of turning off HD. Two new UHD channels were given the green light to launch on France's equivalent of Freeview, ahead of the Olympics.
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Noel's House Party back on TV as BBC opens up its light entertainment archive.
▶ BBC Four will feature other fondly remembered Saturday night shows including Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game and Blankety Blank in the coming weeks
The operator of
@Forces_TV
has confirmed the channel is closing.
The former military documentary channel that gained new audiences when it became the home of cult TV classics.
Here's why it's closing:
Each colour in the refreshed ITV corporate logo represents the three main areas of ITV's operations - streaming (ITVX), broadcast (ITV1) and TV production/distribution (ITV Studios)
The operators of Freely have confirmed how channels will be arranged on the new platform. The new channel guide will cater for channels delivered via aerial, dish and internet connection
BBC to close SD channels on satellite next year.
▶ The move will coincide with the launch of BBC One HD regions in England and affects viewers with Sky and Freesat.
▶ A short transition with a reduced SD service will take place.
Now ITV confirms it will be closing down SD channels on satellite in January. Border Scotland and Channel to receive HD upgrade.
▶️ Click for more detail:
ITV accepts licence renewal, two days ahead of Ofcom deadline.
The acceptance secures the future of the Channel 3 network in the UK until 31st December 2034
Ofcom tells local TV channels to focus on local news or lose their broadcast licence next year.
It says showing local news between midnight and 6am is not meeting programme commitments.
BT Sport to become TNT Sports from July, but Eurosport remains unchanged for now.
▶ If you subscribe to Discovery+, you'll be able to access TNT Sports and Eurosport in one place
▶ TNT Sports will carry all the live sports currently carried by BT Sport.
Popular children's channel Tiny Pop will go online-only from 20th March, dropping traditional digital terrestrial, satellite and cable distribution in favour of online streaming platforms
Bing Crosby's White Christmas will be one of the classic movies on offer when the latest festive channel arrives on Freeview, Freesat and Sky satellite this week.
Click / tap below for more:
Successful launch of Astra 1P secures future of pan-European satellite TV until end of the 2030s.
But there are no successors yet planned for the satellites that carry services specific for UK and Ireland audiences
All BBC Sky/Freesat HD upgrades to be completed by end of February
▶ BBC originally promised viewers regional BBC One in HD by end of March
▶ South first to go HD, South East will be last.
Plans to accommodate BBC Three's linear return on Freeview have been endorsed.
For viewers, this means dozens of channels will move down a number, subject to BBC Three securing final Ofcom approval.
Meet the Freemoji - the new brand symbol of Freely, launching next year as the streaming replacement for Freeview and Freesat
▶ Hisense announced as first smart TV partner for the new platform.
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W could become a Freeview channel: we look at what's on the channel, it's chequered history as it struggled to find its niche and how UKTV have spent the last two years preparing to change their Freeview channel portfolio
There's a hint that Sky and Warner Bros Discovery may extend their content deal beyond 2025.
But streaming service Max will become the ultimate home of HBO premieres
How Sky is making its older receivers redundant:
Older Sky boxes lose more channels, even if they're still broadcasting while interactive streams are removed from some HD boxes
Two months from now, an entire Freeview multiplex is closing, reducing the number of channels available on the platform. On this page, we've explained what's happening and why, which channels are affected and will update it with the latest information:
BREAKING / The Freeview COM7 multiplex has been turned off as the frequency is reused for 5G.
Remaining channels were pulled at 11:00am.
⏩Channels including BBC News HD, FreeSports, Quest HD and PBS America+1 are no longer available on Freeview.
ITVX Kids to replace CITV channel
▶ Parents will have option to pay for ITVX Premium for ad-free children's programmes
▶ Children's programmes to continue in early morning ITV2 slot and on ITVBe
▶ CITV launched as a standalone channel in 2006.
On 19th July, further changes are taking place on Freeview
▶ GREAT! romance (GREAT! Xmas this autumn) goes national
▶ But children's channel POP will lose its national slot
It seems quite a number of Brits abroad used a satellite broadcast feed intended for relay transmitters in the UK. They've now lost access to the BBC and other channels.
BBC confirms HD switchover plans
▶ BBC One HD rollout to complete by end of March on satellite and by April on Freeview, Freeview Play and YouView
▶ The first of the new HD regions will go live mid-Jan
▶ BBC to launch help scheme for elderly/vulnerable
Vestel to make Freely TVs as Everyone TV confirms its working with UKTV to make its channels available through streaming when the service launches ahead of this summer's big sporting events:
The BBC plans to close down standard definition channels on satellite in March 2024, but is offering extra support to a very limited number of viewers.
Are you eligible?
BBC HD upgrade latest
▶ BBC One East Midlands HD and BBC One East HD arriving today on Freesat
▶ Tests for BBC Alba HD, BBC One W Mids HD and more starting later this week
While the campaign to preserve broadcast TV and radio services in their current form beyond 2040 grows, the Government and major broadcasters are not on board
Energy industry keeps BBC LW signal running until 2025.
But the 31st March is last day of separate R4 FM/LW schedule.
For some homes, digital TV platforms will provide the most reliable reception of ex-R4 LW programmes
The BBC has been told to stop just using speeches and occasional blog posts to communicate planned changes to its services.
▶ Ofcom recommends the BBC sets up a dedicated web page
How the BBC HD switch will affect Sky satellite viewers
▶️ You won't be able to record the SD channel to save disk space!
▶️ BBC Three will get a leg up the Sky channel list in London
▶️ But the switch will also impact viewers in the Republic of Ireland
The BBC says BBC Four HD and CBeebies HD will become more widely available on Freeview at the end of the month as both channels are saved from the impending COM7 multiplex closure. BBC News HD is not so lucky:
Explainer: When BBC One HD isn't HD
▶ Noticed a drop in picture quality on BBC One HD?
▶ In the majority of English regions, the regional service isn't able actually broadcast in HD on the newly regionalised channel.
BBC HD satellite upgrade help scheme delayed:
▶ Still unclear if viewers who have applied for assistance will get help
▶ The BBC switched off the last remaining localised versions of BBC One SD and BBC Two SD on satellite last month to make way for HD.