menuMENU    UK Free TV logo TV

 

 

Click to see updates

Channel 5 HD on Freeview cancelled ... again

Ofcom have notified today that Channel 5 have withdrawn from Freeview HD.

Ofcom have notified today that Channel 5 have withdrawn from Fr
published on UK Free TV

Email from Ofcom today says today:

Ofcom has been notified by Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited that it does not wish to proceed with its application for the fifth HD capacity slot on Digital Terrestrial TV at the present time.

Subject to any future Ofcom decision to re-advertise the slot, the capacity will remain with the Multiplex operator BBC Free-to-View Limited and can be used by it for BBC services or services provided by a third party via a commercial arrangement.

See also Channel 5 again ditches plans to launch HD channel on Freeview - Media - guardian.co.uk .



Help with High Definition?
Whenever i watch moving sport especially football I experience much poorer pictu1
In this section
Freeview removes com8 channels 1
20 Freeview HD TV channels to close March/June 2019 in Cornwall2
Channel 4 abandons Freesat HD in TWO DAYS3
Five tips for when you are buying a new TV to watch Freeview or Freesat4
Why do less than one in five people with an HD set watch in HD?5
All five public service channels now free to air!6

Comments
Friday, 16 December 2011
L
Lee Donaghy
3:21 PM

No great loss.

link to this comment
Lee Donaghy's 14 posts GB flag
Ian Grice
sentiment_satisfiedGold

4:38 PM
Hinckley

How many times has this happened?

link to this comment
Ian Grice's 497 posts GB flag
Ian's: mapI's Freeview map terrainI's terrain plot wavesI's frequency data I's Freeview Detailed Coverage
T
Trevor Harris
sentiment_satisfiedGold

5:32 PM

Sounds like they could not agree on price with BBC. Prehaps they are hoping for a better deal when more multiplexes become available.

I know its not a PSB but I think the viewers choice would be for Film 4 HD to take the slot.

Unless the BBC can find someone to take the slot they have a bit of a dilemma.

link to this comment
Trevor Harris's 367 posts GB flag
C
ChrisW
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

10:56 PM
Otley

I hope the BBC keep hold of the channel, at least until after the Olympics. Other than that possibility, I expect it to go to a third party, the BBC could do with the income.

link to this comment
ChrisW's 21 posts GB flag
ChrisW's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Mark A.
sentiment_satisfiedGold

8:25 PM

This will mean that I can only watch Neighbours at;
2:15pm and 5:30pm on Channel 5.
3:15pm and 6:30pm on Channel 5 +1
3:00pm and 7:00pm on 5*
4:00pm and 8:00pm on 5* +1
So I will only be able to watch it 8 times a day and not 10 times,
unless I watch it on Demand 5.
:o(

link to this comment
Mark A.'s 374 posts GB flag
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Dave
sentiment_satisfiedSilver

12:19 AM
Brighton

Crazy. One of the main channels not on freeview HD ?? I guess not on Freesat HD either now

link to this comment
Dave's 126 posts GB flag
Dave's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
D
Des Collier
sentiment_satisfiedSilver

7:45 PM

Bet they are still on sky!!!!,flamin' ridiculous,give the space to someone WHO really wants it.

link to this comment
Des Collier's 171 posts GB flag
Ian Grice
sentiment_satisfiedGold

9:19 PM
Hinckley

Des I totaly agree. tell them to bugger off and sell the slot to someone that is more reliable.

link to this comment
Ian Grice's 497 posts GB flag
Ian's: mapI's Freeview map terrainI's terrain plot wavesI's frequency data I's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:21 PM

Des Collier, Ian Grice: Channel 5 were the only applicants. Unless there was some kind of gentlemen's agreement that ITV (or other Channel 3 licensees) and Channel 4 would not bid this time, you have to assume there isn't that much interest at this time.

ITV plc did announce plans to acquire Channel Television at about the same time, perhaps indicating a problem getting agreement among all ITV licensees. The Order directing Ofcom to run these auctions requires any bid from "Channel 3" to represent at least 13 regional licencees. With the acquisition of Channel TV, which completed on 24 November, ITV plc now own 12 plus the national breakfast licence.

link to this comment
Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
Monday, 19 December 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

8:12 AM

Mike Dimmick: I suspect that the problem for Channel 5 is our old friend, the cost of providing services to the last 8% of viewers.

Channel 5 has never had to provide a "universal service" and was broadcast from a number of high-service area masts on analogue.

As the "C5 HD" would have been a slot on the BBCB multiplex, the costs of broadcasting to all viewers would have been too high.

It is easy to forget that watching TV in high definition is a minority activity at the moment, and whilst Freeview HD is doing well, the number of homes that would watch C5 HD in the small number of homes covered by the smaller 1000+ transmitters must be very small at this time.

Even the BBC can't be bothered with a regional news service on BBC One HD on Freeview, and ITV1 has only regions for adverts.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Select more comments
Page 1

Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.