Freeview
to launch on 30 October
The Hits, UK 主播大秀style, F tn and The Music Factory join channel
line-up
Freeview,
the new digital terrestrial television service, will launch on Wednesday
30 October it was announced today (Thursday 3 October) by the 主播大秀,
Crown Castle International and BSkyB.
Freeview
is a fresh start for digital terrestrial television in the UK.
For
a one-off cost of around 拢99 for an adapter, viewers will
be able to enjoy more quality programmes and channels on their television
sets.
Four
new television channels and five new radio stations have been added
to the previously announced Freeview line-up.
The
television channels are two new music channels - EMAP's The Hits
and MTV's The Music Factory - and two general entertainment channels,
UK TV's UK 主播大秀Style and Flextech's F tn (Flextech Television Network),
bringing viewers up to 30 digital television channels, plus interactivity
and digital radio, through their rooftop aerial.
As
well as these four new television channels, commercial radio services
Kerrang!, Smash Hits, Kiss, oneword and jazz fm are added to the
existing 主播大秀 digital radio networks on the new service.
Andy
Duncan, Director, Marketing and Communications, 主播大秀 said: "Freeview
is a fresh start for digital terrestrial television - providing
a simple way for people way to see all eight of the 主播大秀's digital
television channels, including the soon to launch 主播大秀 THREE, and
to listen to 主播大秀 digital radio stations.
"It
will also offer interactive services, linked to a wide range of
主播大秀 programmes from sport to children's and documentaries."
Berwyn
Roberts, Sales and Business Development Director, Crown Castle,
added: "Freeview offers something new to viewers who want more
quality TV channels but haven't yet been attracted by pay digital
television.
"We
believe we're offering a great range of channels with a broad appeal
to viewers covering entertainment, music, kids' programmes, documentaries
and 24-hour news."
Richard
Freudenstein, Chief Operating Officer, BSkyB said: "Freeview
is a distinctive addition to Europe's most advanced digital television
market.
"Sky
looks forward to bringing three of our basic-tier channels to digital
terrestrial television for the first time and extending the benefits
of increased choice to still more UK viewers."
Freeview
will launch after significant improvements have been made to the
quality and reliability of the digital terrestrial television signal.
These
changes, including the doubling of power at many transmitters and
changing the transmission mode of the digital terrestrial signal,
will increase the number of households able to receive digital terrestrial
television and reduce the number of households affected by interference.
The
主播大秀, Crown Castle and BSkyB are equal partners in DTV Services Ltd,
the company formed to provide consumer and retailer support for
Freeview.
Notes
to Editors
Freeview
Freeview is a new, simple way of bringing people a wider choice
of tv channels through their exisiting TVs. It is delivered through
rooftop aerials, via digital terrestrial television (DTT).
Freeview
channel line up
The current channel line-up for Freeview is as follows. Channels
new to the platform (i.e. not previously available on digital terrestrial)
are shown in bold.
Entertainment
主播大秀 ONE
主播大秀 TWO
主播大秀 CHOICE (to be replaced by 主播大秀 THREE)
ITV 1
ITV 2
Channel 4
Five
S4C (available in Wales only) Sky Travel
UK 主播大秀Style
F tn |
Citizenship 主播大秀 PARLIAMENT (previously on DTT as audio only) The Community Channel
S4C2 (available in Wales only) |
News
and Sports News
主播大秀 NEWS 24 Sky News
Sky Sports News ITN |
Music The Hits The Music Factory
|
Factual
主播大秀 FOUR UK History |
Other
QVC
TV Travelshop |
Children's
C主播大秀
CBeebies |
主播大秀
Radio 1Xtra
6 Music
Asian Network
Radio Five Live
Five Live Sports Extra
主播大秀 7 (to be launched in the next few months)
Commercial
Radio Smash Hits
Kerrang
Kiss
oneword
jazz fm
|
Interactivity
主播大秀i (interactive tv and text)
Other interactive services tbc |
听 |
主播大秀
and Crown Castle name "Freeview" (19.08.02)
主播大秀 and Crown Castle
to champion digital for everyone (04.07.02)
主播大秀
and Crown Castle submit complementary applications for digital terrestrial
television licences
(13.06.02)
|