[jzee]

Originally Posted by chrisy

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/spe...hd_on_dtt/ita/

It doesn't seem to be up to date as it doesn't list the 4th advertisement for the slot that occured in April 2012, but I presume it still specified PSB use. Maybe BBC will just use it as an HD red button?

[Colin_London]

The BBC has been given permission to use the capacity itself or sublet it. Subletting does not needs to be to a PSB. BBC FTV Ltd are advertising the capacity for lease now, not OFCOM.

The confusion arises because the OFCOM licence that would have been issued from the first three advertisements would have been restricted to PSBs - but we are past that now.

[Restorer]

Originally Posted by Colin_London

The confusion arises because the OFCOM licence that would have been issued from the first three advertisements would have been restricted to PSBs - but we are past that now.

Thanks for the info. So does this mean that literally any channel with the dosh will be given the slot or are the BBC expected to exercise some kind of judgement call? Any idea for how long the licence will be granted?

[figrin_dan]

I'm not sure which I'd prefer. One would (hopefully) go towards the current BBC channel's output and the other would (hopefully) mean another decent channel.

[TelevisionUser]

This vvv:

Originally Posted by TelevisionUser

"Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding Channel 5 HD.

While we do not have any current plans to launch this channel on Freesat and Freeview, we are keeping the option under review for the future and your interest in seeing it made available on these platforms has been noted in our Viewer Enquiries Report. This is circulated throughout the company and seen by all relevant personnel.

Thank you for your interest in Channel 5."

The above is the current official line from Channel 5 as of yesterday. It's a case of maybe sometime but not now or in the near future and they are certainly letting their viewers down.

[SimonB79]

Originally Posted by TelevisionUser

This vvv:



The above is the current official line from Channel 5 as of yesterday. It's a case of maybe sometime but not now or in the near future and they are certainly letting their viewers down.

not having channel5HD makes freeview abit of a joke doesnt it?

[jj20x]

Originally Posted by SimonB79

not having channel5HD makes freeview abit of a joke doesnt it?

Not really but, as a PSB, some pressure should have been put on Channel 5 to get the HD version on all platforms. I'd have thought that the PSB licence renewal would have been an ideal opportunity to do this.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by SimonB79

not having channel5HD makes freeview abit of a joke doesnt it?

Not Freeview, but more like Channel 5 and/or the licence being the joke.

[ntscuser]

Originally Posted by SimonB79

not having channel5HD makes freeview abit of a joke doesnt it?

There are Freeview channels I'd much rather have in HD than Channel 5.

[AJRevitt]

Originally Posted by ntscuser

There are Freeview channels I'd much rather have in HD than Channel 5.

Seconded. I would happily see the slot go to someone else.

[Colin_London]

I think one of the main problems is that Sky are making money out of upselling HD channels to their subscribers. Thus they are happy to subsidise channels to broadcast in HD as long as they are kept off Freeview (which would be a disincentive to pay their HD subs).

Whilst this money stream is there commercial broadcasters are going to continue to favour taking Skys shilling, as it's probably more money than the extra they would make from commercials from Freeview HD carriage at the moment.

[jj20x]

Originally Posted by Colin_London

probably more money than the extra they would make from commercials from Freeview HD carriage at the moment.

As anyone wishing to view the content can still watch the SD channel, any additional advertising revenue from adding the HD channel would probably be quite small.

[Mickey_T]

Not to mention you lose specific regional advertising with only having a single version of an HD channel too.

[gomezz]

Does Five *have* any regional advertising?

[Mickey_T]

Yes, the regional variations are what takes up a lot of the room on their satellite transponder. I think there's about five in all.

[DragonQ]

It's not the number of channels on the transponder that causes the poor quality though, it's their out-of-date encoders. Channel 4 manage to have the same number of channels per transponder without issues.

But yes, they have 5 regional variations.

[Paddy C]

The latest?

It's not on Freeview, it's not coming any time soon, and probably won't be coming at all.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by DragonQ

It's not the number of channels on the transponder that causes the poor quality though, it's their out-of-date encoders. Channel 4 manage to have the same number of channels per transponder without issues.

But yes, they have 5 regional variations.

C4 have 6 regional variations. C5 has 5.