ITV, Channel 4 and five can apply for Freeview HD

Ofcom has announced that public service broadcasters can apply for space on Freeview HD

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 2nd July 2008 at 14:38}

Ofcom has "officially" announced today the availability of multiplex B (or PSB3) as a high-definition DVB-T2 service. This capacity is being created by reorganizing the existing multiplexes:



The BBC will provide one of the services. It has invited qualifying broadcasters to apply to provide other services for this multiplex. These broadcasters are:

• Channel 3 (ITV, STV and UTV)
• Channel 4
• five
• S4C
• the public teletext provider (aka Teletext ltd)

Ofcom's timetable is

• 2 July 2008: The 2008 Order came into force on , Ofcom publishes its statutory notice constituting the ITA
• 13 August 2008, 5pm: ITA process closes (responses to be published on website soon afterwards for public inspection)
• End October 2008: Ofcom issuing draft licences
• End of 2008: Ofcom expects to issue licences
• November 2009: Services expected to be launched in Granada region

Ofcom's criteria for the service are:

• Efficient use of spectrum
• Public service content
  • high quality well-funded and well-produced;
  • original new UK content, rather than repeats or acquisitions;
  • innovative breaking new ideas or re-inventing exciting approaches, rather than copying old ones;
  • challenging making viewers think;
  • engaging remaining accessible and enjoyed by viewers; and
  • widely available if content is publicly funded, a large majority of citizens need to be given the chance to watch it
• Range and diversity of High quality TV

The services are expected to start on the 30Mb/s DVB-T multiplex with two HDTV 720-line services in 2009, with a third "later".

Ofcom is particularly interested in the proposals for the "Evening Peak" (6pm-11pm) period. It expects that applicants may wish to provide a simulcast service (with regional elements replaced by other programming); a non-simulcast service (same content on a different schedule); over-night downloads (in the style of Top-Up TV Anytime, between 11pm-6am) in HD or SD; or a mixture of all three. Overnight downloads could possibly be "rented" to other broadcasters.

The Ofcom application document: Notice of Invitation to Apply for DTT Multiplex B capacity Statutory Notice