[tomee]

http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107052052

BBC advertise for a new Freeview HD channel
The BBC have placed an advert in Broadcast magazine asking for a single HD channel to join the Freeview HD line up - or even three SD channels.

Published on 14th December 2012 at 17:38 by Brian Butterworth
The advert states that the services may start very soon:

BBC MAKES AVAILABLE CAPACITY ON DTT MULTIPLEX B

The BBC is offering to the market an amount of spare digital terrestrial television capacity on Multiplex B which could enable the acquiring party (or parties) to launch TV channels as early as spring 2013. Channels carried within this capacity will be able to be watched on all Freeview HD and You View receivers.

The capacity will be available on a 24 hour 7 day a week basis and is suitable for either one high definition television channel one provider or up to three standard definition television channels which may come from either one or a number of different channel providers.

The capacity is being offered to the market through a competitive bidding process.

If your company is interested in part or all of the capacity, you can register your interest by email at dttcapacity@bbc.co.uk

Expressions of interest must be received by 5pm on 20th December 2012. Further information, including commercial and technical details about the capacity and the sales process, will then be sent to you.

Hi every one i just brought you some big news.

I hope that 3 SD channel get the hours UKTV could bring more of it channel to freeview.

[freetoview33]

I would rather have 3 good SD channels (not shopping) I've always been sceptical that any company would pay that much money for a HD channel on Freeview. You must admit if Channel 4 and 5 decided against launching more/any (other than 4HD) what are the chances of another existing broadcaster going HD, other than Dave, and who is so desperate to watch repeats of Top Gear in HD. I hope for something like Horror Channel, CBS Action and CBS Reality think they could be a good mix, better than shopping related rubbish! Or in my eyes Top Gear HD!

[MacLondon]

If it was to be 3 SD channels, they would still only be available to people with HD boxes as they would be on Mux B.

[prking]

Didn't this get advertised earlier in the year with an anticipated start of September? Does that mean no one applied?

[Paul237]

Channel 5 HD please.

[Fairyprincess0]

3 sd please.....

Horror channel
Nhk world
Kix

[mossy2103]

Why would any (quality/non-shopping) SD channel be prepared to launch on the HD mux when they have had ample opportunity to launch on existing DVB-T muxes? The HD mux penetration is limited by Freeview HD uptake by viewers, whilst the existing DVB-T mux penetration is to a large extent limited by the fact that it might not be available to Freeview Lite areas.

And where any additional DVB-T capacity has been used by the major broadcasters for +1 channels?

[freetoview33]

Originally Posted by Paul237

Channel 5 HD please.

They had the chance and didnt take it. Don't think they would of changed minds

[Sue_Aitch]

Originally Posted by MacLondon

If it was to be 3 SD channels, they would still only be available to people with HD boxes as they would be on Mux B.

This does seem odd: I was able to watch The Space on my Connected PVR before DSO as it was on an SD mux (the old Mux B, I think, not the BBC B / PSB3 Mux) at the time.

[Dansky+HD]

This is a joke we should be getting 24hrs of BBC Two HD

& a retained and extended 24hr BBC HD
with a mix of CBBC & CBeebies 6am-6pm
and mix of BBC Three & BBC Four on 6pm-6am.

It's logical and affordable despite what the beloved BBC say taking our money giving us a substandard next generation TV service.

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

Yeah Channel 5 HD would be good so my wife could stop recording the shite she watches from that channel on our Sky box

[kasg]

I think it's disappointing that the "3 SD channel" option is being offered at this stage and that the HD mux should be restricted to just that, HD channels. In future there is the prospect of a new "600MHz" mux using DVB-T2 and carrying SD channels and that's fair enough, but at the moment I think Freeview needs more HD.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by kasg

I think it's disappointing that the "3 SD channel" option is being offered at this stage and that the HD mux should be restricted to just that, HD channels. In future there is the prospect of a new "600MHz" mux using DVB-T2 and carrying SD channels and that's fair enough, but at the moment I think Freeview needs more HD.

I would agree with that

[technologist]

Originally Posted by Dansky+HD

This is a joke we should be getting 24hrs of BBC Two HD

& a retained and extended 24hr BBC HD
with a mix of CBBC & CBeebies 6am-6pm
and mix of BBC Three & BBC Four on 6pm-6am.

It's logical and affordable despite what the beloved BBC say taking our money giving us a substandard next generation TV service.

But the BBC will get income if this slot is sold - and it costs money for the BBC to fill the slot if it is not used - so a doubly whammy .... for a BBC which is being pressed by the reduction in LF in real terms -
and things like the top slicing for funding UK broadband roll out which Could pay for lots of more emission space...
but isn't connected TV the next generation TV services ...... so it is doing that (far more than anyone else!)

As the BBC has 10 PSB TV channels - to everyone else's 3 .. it is good value for money ....

But the BBC cannot afford to do everything - but if this slot cannot be filled - which looks likely - as non one seems to have applied in September .. and Channel five has repeatedly not taken up its slots... what next ???

It would be nice if More efficient coding came along - .... six HD streams has its attractiveness.

[Jacquicrossland]

Vintage TV on terrestrial - we don't have an oldies pop music channel

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by Jacquicrossland

Vintage TV on terrestrial - we don't have an oldies pop music channel

And maybe the reason for that is two-fold:

1) Lack of commercial attractiveness

2) It would be likely to be a time-consuming and expensive process clearing the rights for such broadcasts.

[mossy2103]

And it would appear that this is the second attempt by the BBC to sell this space - this was posted in April 5th this year referring to an advert in Broadcast magazine:

As the corporation says it has 'no need' for the spare HD capacity on Freeview, it has instead asked for potential bids from the wider TV industry.

BBC bosses have engaged with other broadcasters, content providers, channel operators, TV platforms and media owners on potential plans for the channel slot. An advert for the spare capacity was also run in Broadcast magazine.

Interested parties have until midnight today to register their interest in the channel slot, after which the sale process is expected to last "a number of months depending on the number of parties involved".

"Any party interested in launching a television service or services (e.g. broadcaster, content provider, channel operator, TV platform, media owner) can express an interest in bidding for the capacity," said the BBC in a statement.

"Subject to the BBC's approval, it will be up to the winning bidder as to how the capacity is utilised. In line with the BBC's Fair Trading guidelines, the BBC will apply fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory processes in the handling of all aspects of this sale process and the selection of the winning proposal."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...for-grabs.html


So maybe interest is indeed low to non-existent.

[1andrew1]

Could these be pay channel(s) or do they have to be free to view? If free to view and SD, CBS Drama, Reality and Action would seem good candidates.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Could these be pay channel(s) or do they have to be free to view? If free to view and SD, CBS Drama, Reality and Action would seem good candidates.

Bearing in mind it is the BBC's space, and it is a PSB mux, I would imagine they would be FTA.

[DragonQ]

Doesn't really make sense for multiple broadcasters to club together because of the lower amount of households able to view these channels (Freeview HD only). Could be an opportunity for one broadcaster to put a suite of 3 SD channels on Freeview, but I dunno who'd be able to afford that besides UKTV, who already have lots of SD slots.

I think it'll be an HD channel....or no-one will buy it and the BBC might finally bite the bullet and make 301 HD, leaving the 2 slots on the upcoming second HD mux for BBC Three/CBBC HD and BBC Four/CBeebies HD.

[tomee]

Originally Posted by prking

Didn't this get advertised earlier in the year with an anticipated start of September? Does that mean no one applied?

Originally Posted by mossy2103

And it would appear that this is the second attempt by the BBC to sell this space - this was posted in April 5th this year referring to an advert in Broadcast magazine:


http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...for-grabs.html


So maybe interest is indeed low to non-existent.

I think the space was use for Olympic and Paralympic coverage.

[TelevisionUser]

Originally Posted by freetoview33

I would rather have 3 good SD channels (not shopping) I've always been sceptical that any company would pay that much money for a HD channel on Freeview. You must admit if Channel 4 and 5 decided against launching more/any (other than 4HD) what are the chances of another existing broadcaster going HD, other than Dave, and who is so desperate to watch repeats of Top Gear in HD. I hope for something like Horror Channel, CBS Action and CBS Reality think they could be a good mix, better than shopping related rubbish! Or in my eyes Top Gear HD!

I would personally prefer the 3 new SD channel option and for all three of those channels to be entertainment channels. However, we don't who who will be putting in bids and whether the BBC will go for channel quality over amount of bid money.

I would certainly be disappointed if more than 1 of any 3 new SD channels went to a shopping channel but the BBC might be tempted because of the budget cuts that have been foisted upon them.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by tomee

I think the space was use for Olympic and Paralympic coverage.

Indeed it was (and I think that was always in the plan), but as i recall the slot would have been available after that point, leaving plenty of time for any winning broadcaster to finalise the deal and to put in place the necessary technical changes to launch such a channel

[Colin_London]

Previous negotiations must have broken down for the BBC to readvertise. The interested parties can't have been prepared to pay what the BBC wanted.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by Colin_London

Previous negotiations must have broken down for the BBC to readvertise. The interested parties can't have been prepared to pay what the BBC wanted.

Or the proposals did not meet with the BBC's approval (or standards)

Whichever it might be, it does not look particularly promising - but maybe the BBC will be minded to use the space themselves if this advert fails to attract a worthy contender.

I live in hope.