Just been reading that Viva is to stay on Freeview even after Spike TV starts, albeit for only two hours a day.

I'm assuming that this is so that Viacom can keep the EPG slot and extend the channel again when capacity becomes available.

Perhaps they could put it on the HD mux in the same way that other SD channel owners have done.

I would imagine that the two hour capacity has been taken from the downtime (or Teleshopping) from part of another one of their channels.

Not sure which one, as I don't have Freeview- just thought i'd share the good news with others

All that is needed for the ten terrible songs they play on that channel.

If they went 24 hours in the future they could do well the only music channel on freevie 24 hours a day.

Let me guess, Viva will be broadcasting from 4am in the morning to 6am.

EPG actually says 09:00-11:00

Well suck a duck! A sane time share for once!

I know right, was quite surprised myself, they actually avoided choosing 2hrs of teleshopping for a change.

As I mentioned here "There is content from 9:00 to 11:00 for 16th & 17th."

Lmho that is a funny thing to say

I've never even noticed it was there.

There's a few music channels on TVPlayer, i haven't checked but aren't they 24 hours?

You do have to have an internet connection though.

I did have a look at the Viva EPG last night to see if Spike's shows had started to slot in, and noted that after Wednesday the guide consisted of big slugs of 'programmes start at 9.00am' with occasional Viva-esque billings floating between these: I'd assumed it to be some sort of EPG gibberish based on the channel's impending closure, but it sort of makes sense for Viva to hold onto something in the Freeview world given that once it goes Viacom/MTV won't have a music presence on DTT, which seems odd given their heritage and presence in the music telly sector. Keeping Viva alive also keeps 4Music on their toes rather than handing the entire market over on a platter.

There is potentially more capacity coming available - not least the BT Sport 1 slot when that goes off in May - so there is an option for Viva to go full-term again in the future - the fact it's staying, apparently still FTA, on satellite/cable rather than closing down entirely suggests the broader plan is to restore Viva or a simiar music service to Freeview in the longer term.

Where the 0900-1100 bloc is coming from is another matter - Spike listings I've seen currently have the channel down as running from 0900 daily, the same as Viva had, but it's possible that Spike's service for DTT viewers will begin at 1100, in the manner of, say, Rocks & Co...

Spikes hours for Freeview are 09:00-03:00, so unlikely.

Why can't they replace 5+24 with Viva if they want to keep the channel on freeview?

You mean you've never sucked on a succulent Duck à l'Orange cooked at a good restaurant? Try it; you might like it!


I assume that it's purely a rational decision by Viacom in that they think that 5+24 will bring in more viewers than Viva.

C5+24 generally gets higher ratings than Viva.

Well this answers the channel 74 question

Not conclusively, it could still have been reserved for something else.

What's on channel 74? (I don't have Freeview).

Nothing, that's the point.

Well no, not exactly, more likely 791 & 792 since they are also vacant and two into two fits rather nicely.

But the point is that Viva is apparently staying as a proper albeit part-time channel, so will need a proper LCN not one in the temporary holding area.

But won't the holding area be needed to tell people that haven't to retune their equipment? Agreed the 2 hours of Viva will need an LCN, but as mentioned, it may not necessarily be 74.

VIVA could go in the teleshopping hours of the channel.

If it is moving mux, as seems likely, the old (current) version will get pushed in the holding area. The new one will get 74 (or 76).

I don't get the reference for two into two fits nicely though, what's the other channel for the holding area??