ITV 4

I don't doubt that you believe this information, but there is no technical or logistical reason why a channel launch is limited to 3 per week. After all Sky Digital launched about 30 on their first week in 1998, and there are tester channel signals & EPG tests running for all of those expected next week!

There is clearly some reason behind it, after all, if a channel could get on air straight away Sky would benefit from the EPG listing charges. I don't know what the reason is, but it's hardly just a random rule that someone made up.

By the way I'm confused by your line "I don't doubt you believe this information".

I meant I'm sure you believe this to be the case, but what is your source? Is there an Ofcom, SES, BSyB regulation regarding the number of channel launches - there is nothing on any of the corporate websites supporting this.

I was just wondering where this "3" came from (since I clearly remember many ocassions since 1998 when far more would appear on the EPG within a week).

Just wondering

I don't know WHY this rule exists, but there is clearly a reason that it does as it is not in Sky's financial interest to stop a channel from appearing on the EPG and indeed if it did prevent access then OFCOM would be investigating. You only have to look back a few weeks to when More4 launched the same day as The Baby Channel and something else I have forgotten about. As a result More4+1 could not appear on the EPG for another week despite being up and running.

What do you believe the reason behind this is, given your sceptical opinion of what I've said?

Well, at least we will be able to watch the launch night of ITV4 on Granada Men and Motors. It will give us a taster of what is to come the week after. I also heard the announcement of the launch night on ITV1 Central being on digital satellite channel 136.

So, we will have to just have to wait and see what happens now.

I don't question your integrity in the slightest. I believe it is some shannanigans between ITV & Sky, but the business reasons are lost on the likes of us.

So ITV4's Launch is now to be simulcast on M&M (as advertised before the ITV News tonight). It shows that ITV wanted their launch of ITV4 on all platforms, so as I said before "a fudge/botch job".

Except that it's also a rule that's been applied to More4+1.

I see the ITV4 website now reads...

On Tuesday 1st November Men & Motors will simulcast ITV4’s Launch Night to enable Sky & Telewest viewers to sample the channel.



The Men & Motors Schedules is now as follows:

18:00 Car Cruzin – Mike Reid
18:30 ITV4 Preview
19:00 ITV4 on Men & Motors: Champions League Live – Real Betis v Chelsea
22:00 ITV4 on Men & Motors: Kojak
22:50 ITV4 on Men & Motors: Carlito’s Way (including Entertainement News Update)
01:35 ITV4 on Men & Motors: The Late Show With David Letterman
02:30 ITV4 on Men & Motors: Richard Pryor: Live on Sunset Strip (including Entertainment News Update)
04:10 Men & Motors Preview

Sorry to be another sceptical one (although I agree something odd's going on), but Sky managed to allow 17 BBC One regions to launch on the EPG on the same day.

I know you might class BBC One as 'one channel', but it's still 17 separate streams and 17 EPG numbers for Sky to accommodate - effectively the same as 17 channel launches on the same day.

Oh sorry

Apologies BOL l0X, it appears that it is simply listed as a simulcast (as BBC TWO did with BBC FOUR on launch night, and not a complete suspension of M&M. They are making a big thing about it being "one night only", but it seems we will be able to get it from the "Other Channels" facility and they won't scramble it until 7 Nov.



Nice one Spencer, I'd forgotten that one. They may transmit the same programmes 99% of the time, but they are essentially 17 seperate channels for logistical/technical purposes. It looks as though this "3-a-week rule" is flexible when Sky want it to be!