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The Freeview Thread

Updates and info on the DTT platform (October 2016)

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BR
Brekkie
It's worth noting that while QVC has held on to 16 in the EPG these changes mean CBBC has moved from 30 to 70 to 120 to 200 since Freeview began and BBC News 24 from 40 to 80 to 130 to 230.

Therefore doesn't seem unreasonable at all to move the shopping channels into their own section when arguably the most PSB sections of the EPGs have been forced further and further down the EPG everytime there is a major reshuffle.

Indeed thinking about it apart from the main 5 channels I think ITV2 and QVC are probably the only channels to be in the same slot now as they were when Freeview launched thanks to various channel rebrands and channel switches.
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RE
Rex
Brekkie posted:
It's worth noting that while QVC has held on to 16 in the EPG these changes mean CBBC has moved from 30 to 70 to 120 to 200 since Freeview began and BBC News 24 from 40 to 80 to 130 to 230.

Therefore doesn't seem unreasonable at all to move the shopping channels into their own section when arguably the most PSB sections of the EPGs have been forced further and further down the EPG everytime there is a major reshuffle.

Indeed thinking about it apart from the main 5 channels I think ITV2 and QVC are probably the only channels to be in the same slot now as they were when Freeview launched thanks to various channel rebrands and channel switches.

Agree. I personally, was fine with the integration of entertainment and shopping channels. But Freeview has expanded to such a point where shopping channels can have their own section on the EPG. Not only that, it frees up multiple EPG positions for other entertainment channels to use.


The explosion of channels appearing on Freeview post-switchover only drove the need for a reshuffle further (as well as hammering on the fact that the entertainment section is fragmented). While integrating shopping channels with entertainment ones was an alright move on Freeview in its early years, it has grown to such a point that the need for a shopping section is much bigger. There's about 13 shopping channels on the platform; enough to create a shopping genre.

I still think there is a strong argument for keeping the EPG as it is - QVC's prime EPG slot in LCN 16 They have held onto that slot ever since the downfall of ITV Digital, and shown a commitment towards Freeview in its early days. I'd imagine most won't notice or care about the disparity in the EPG.

However, sooner or later, Digital UK will eventually implement a shopping genre. As mentioned before, QVC and Ideal World will wrangle to prevent any move like this happening, to protect prime EPG slots.

And as for the children's and news sections, bookends will become the norm on LCN 200 and 230 (meaning that CBBC, for instance, would end up on LCN 201). It will be interesting to see how the revamped EPG will hold up.

A reference to your last point; the original Freeview channel list from 2002 - how times have changed:
https://www.terrestrialtv.uk/dtt.cgi?reg=UK&hist=freeview&col=LoNMTC
JA
JAS84
TCM, Boomerang, CNN? Those remained on cable and satellite only - what happened there?
NW
nwtv2003
JAS84 posted:
TCM, Boomerang, CNN? Those remained on cable and satellite only - what happened there?


Weren't Boomerang and TCM part of the original launch for Top Up TV in the end?
GO
gottago
nwtv2003 posted:
JAS84 posted:
TCM, Boomerang, CNN? Those remained on cable and satellite only - what happened there?


Weren't Boomerang and TCM part of the original launch for Top Up TV in the end?

They were, as was other Turner channel Cartoon Network.
RE
Rex
JAS84 posted:
TCM, Boomerang, CNN? Those remained on cable and satellite only - what happened there?

They were part of the original Freeview 2002 bid by the BBC, BSkyB and Crown Castle, and were expected to launch on the platform, but it never materialised. CBM was tipped to launch on LCN 22, but they never did.

Turner has never really held traction on Freeview; Nuts TV was hardly a success and TruTV fell behind expectations before Sony purchased the channel.


gottago posted:
nwtv2003 posted:
JAS84 posted:
TCM, Boomerang, CNN? Those remained on cable and satellite only - what happened there?


Weren't Boomerang and TCM part of the original launch for Top Up TV in the end?

They were, as was other Turner channel Cartoon Network.

I recall Toonami coming on TUTV some time after the launch, possibly 2005.
In retrospect Top Up TV was an alright idea - giving Freeview viewers a gateway towards pay TV, but the limitations of DTT hampered their business model greatly.
LL
London Lite Founding member
MetalGearRex posted:


Turner has never really held traction on Freeview; Nuts TV was hardly a success and TruTV fell behind expectations before Sony purchased the channel.


Not forgetting the dropping of CNN International, twice. The latter to fill Nuts airtime after it was axed.
RE
Rex
London Lite posted:
MetalGearRex posted:


Turner has never really held traction on Freeview; Nuts TV was hardly a success and TruTV fell behind expectations before Sony purchased the channel.


Not forgetting the dropping of CNN International, twice. The latter to fill Nuts airtime after it was axed.

Although Turner had troubles with Freeview on the whole, their bad luck was illustrated with their plans to close TruTV. By then, it was filled with a diet of crime programmes, and the drive to acquire content fizzled out. A similar situation befell Disney's ABC1, although it was in relation to the inability to extend hours.

CNN was a nice addition to Freeview back in 2009. A shame that it left the platform though, Freeview could do with a few more news channels to be fair!
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DV
DVB Cornwall
Broadcast nicely up-to-date with their image in this .....



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NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Geez, it hasn't been BBCi since, um, well it hasn't for the last decade or so has it? Wink
VM
VMPhil
At least the TV and stand still look modern! I've seen stock footage on TV news of someone watching 1997 era BBC One on a 4:3 CRT…
LL
London Lite Founding member
The VHS recorder is another sign.

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