BBC Alba on Freeview in Scotland, but at loss of peak time BBC Radio services

The BBC Trust has announced that the Gaelic language channel BBC Alba will be coming soon to Freeview.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 27th December 2010 at 08:22}

To allow for the broadcast of BBC Alba on Freeview in Scotland, between 5pm and midnight, Freeview uses in Scotland will not be able to listen to:

• BBC Radio 1
• BBC Radio 2
• BBC Radio 3
• BBC Radio 4
• BBC Radio 5 Live
• BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
• BBC Radio 1Xtra
• BBC Asian Network
• BBC 6 Music
• BBC Radio 7
• BBC Radio Scotland
• BBC Radio nan Gaidheal
• BBC World Service

In the Border Scotland area, those receiving signal directly from the Caldbeck transmitter will continue to receive the radio services, as long as they are tuned into the English radio services from the mast on C25-. This may require a manual tuning on a Freeview box.

The BBC did consider pulling a "red button" channel during 5pm-midnight, and also the unwatched (but politically important) BBC Parliament channel, but decided that this would cause "likely loss of significant public value". Quite why BBC Parliament could not become an audio-only or quarter-screen service is not explained.

The BBC will be providing at least an extra eight national DAB transmitters in Scotland during 2011, which will mitigate the problems here somewhat.