Changes to BBC services for the Olympic Games

The BBC is making changes to their services over the period of the Olympic Games to allow viewers to get the most from the event. In particular BBC three will broadcast during the daytime for the first time, BBC Parliament will close on Freeview and CBBC in the unswitched regions (North East and Northern Ireland) will require a retune.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 14th May 2012 at 22:02}

BBC three

BBC three will be used to cover the Olympic Games and will, during the event, broadcast during the day. To allow this to happen, the channel has moved transponders on satellite (to number 45), and on Freeview the BBC Parliament channel will close down, but run the usual summer service on cable and satellite.

BBC three will prove a useful addition as it can be found without knowledge of "red button" or "interactive" services.

Freeview HD - the fifth slot

On Freeview HD, a fifth slot (alongside BBC One HD, BBC HD, ITV1 HD and C4/S4C HD) was to be allocated to Channel 5 HD, but will be used for the Olympic fortnight for "301 HD", a high definition version of the "first interactive screen" on channel 304. Before the games, the "slot" will be used to provide the access to the Olympic Arts project "The Space" on Freeview HD channel number 117.

Red Button 302

The long-since deleted second interactive stream on Freeview, channel 302, will make a return from 7pm each evening during the games, whilst CBBC is off air. As BBC three and CBBC normally share a "slot", whilst BBC Parliament is off-air, 302 will broadcast when CBBC closes down each evening.

CBBC in Northern Ireland and North East England

In the two areas which will not have done digital switchover before the start of the games, CBBC will be broadcast on Multplex B, and will appear as channel 73 on Freeview, with the usual channel 70 being off-air for the fortnight.

BBC Radio 5 live Olympics Extra

There will be an extra BBC DAB channel, BBC Radio 5 Live Olmpics Extra on DAB from July 23, in addition to 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra. You may need to retune to find the service.