Discovery to launch channel on Freeview.

Discovery will launch its first channel on the U.K.'s most popular digital TV platform, Freeview.

Details of the channel's unique selling point are at this stage sketchy, but in common with Discovery's DMAX channel, which made its debut as a free-to-air offering in Germany, the upstart web will not be branded as a Discovery entity.
"We will be announcing the channel's name nearer to the launch date, which will be early in 2009," said Dan Brooke, managing director of Discovery Networks U.K. Discovery, which operates 11 pay channels in Blighty, has bought the Freeview slot from ITV subsidiary SDN in a competitive auction for an undisclosed sum. There is speculation that the outfit will have to fork out as much as £10 million ($17 million) a year for the privilege of being available on Freeview.

Variety

Surely not another channel on the SDN mux - they've already squeezed in 10 , if you can call Smile TV 2 a channel.

DS discussion seems to indicate that this is to REPLACE one of the sit-up channels (BidTV has been speculated as being closed)

Well it's great to hear that it'll be a 'proper' channel coming to Freeview, rather than another shopping, auction or tits channel.

I think this addition will add value to Freeview and strengthen the service..

It's a nice thought but I've always considered Discovery to be a pay tv channel.

But if it shows up on freeview i will happily watch it. Who knows if it's a success it may lead other quality channels to join freeview. Does anyone know when it's launching and on which channel?

According to Broadcast, the channel will not take the Discovery branding.



http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/10/discovery_to_launch_freeview_channel.html

Incidentally the homepage states that the channel is to launch "early next week" but then contradicts itself in the article where it says "early next year", which is obviously more plausible!

Early 2009, as stated above. I doubt the LCN will be announced until much nearer the time.

My initial thoughts were that the new channel would probably be DMAX which is currently available on Sky and Virgin and shows a mixture of Discovery programmes. Although reading this...


Link

...makes me think they'll go for something totally new, as DMAX is very much a male-focused channel, and doesn't include a lot of content traditionally associated with Discovery.

If it's replacing Bid-up TV it's good news then - though possibly means it won't be available in Wales.

I just hope it's more from the factual side rather than filled with more lifestyle crap.

Pray tell where this channel is!

If it does, I expect it will replace Price-Drop - as Bid TV is squeezed into the gaps between GemsTV, Nuts TV and TopUp2.

Alexia? Isn't that a girls name? Dirty girl!

Hey, I'm not bothered, whatever floats your boat, so to speak.

It is, but I'm abidextrous.