[michael21]

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/b...030536.article

A new Freeview EPG slot has been put up for grabs with the aim of getting a channel on air as early as October.

The 24-hour Multiplex A channel has been created through the release of additional capacity, and airtime broker Bid Media is handling the sale based on a three-year contract. The current owner of the slot is not known.

DTT management company DMOL will decide where the channel sits on the EPG, with channel 53 thought to be a likely slot.

It is understood that the plan is for a quick, transparent and streamlined sale process, and that Bid Media is seeking expressions of interest in the next few weeks, with a view to kicking off full negotiations soon afterwards.

Sources indicated that the slot could fetch around £7m. The purchaser could choose to air a 24-hour channel or sub-lease some of the capacity to a third party.

Bid Media founder Jamie Martin confirmed the plan: “Capacity on Freeview is such a scarce commodity that we are thrilled to be able to sell a full 24-hour stream.

Digital switchover is around the corner and this stream will allow the broadcaster to join the DTT platform at the point it fully matures.”

Bid Media director Chris Parsons is handling the sale.

In the most recent Freeview deal, Scripps-owned Food Network took a 6pm-10pm daily block on channel 49. And UKTV added another channel to the Freeview platform this month, replacing Dave Ja Vu with Really.

I found the news 1st so if this turn up on other site don't forget to say its from michael21

[michael21]

hope some think good comes to freeview and this also mean the more EPG number are available LCN 53

[daniel2015]

Originally Posted by michael21

hope some think good comes to freeview and this also mean the more EPG number are available LCN 53

LCN 53 is already used in wales. Its contains s4c's hd channel.

It is not going to be possible to move the HD section before october as DMOL has consultations before moving anything.

So if this channel does get 53 it will be in the middle of the english HD channels it might also indicate it been unavailable in wales.

The only channel we know that is 24 hours and not available in wales for 24 hours is challenge tv. My money is on that leaving.

Challenge uses the citv slot in wales which is why they don't get citv and is therefore on a different stream in those parts.

I just hope they don't make a 12th stream on mux A as the picture will be very bad.

If anything leaves though I hope its bid tv or qvc.

[michael21]

Originally Posted by daniel2015

LCN 53 is already used in wales. Its contains s4c's hd channel.

It is not going to be possible to move the HD section before october as DMOL has consultations before moving anything.

So if this channel does get 53 it will be in the middle of the english HD channels it might also indicate it been unavailable in wales.

The only channel we know that is 24 hours and not available in wales for 24 hours is challenge tv. My money is on that leaving.

Challenge uses the citv slot in wales which is why they don't get citv and is therefore on a different stream in those parts.

I just hope they don't make a 12th stream on mux A as the picture will be very bad.

If anything leaves though I hope its bid tv or qvc.

sky are the owners of challenge and i cant see them giving up a 24/7 slot on freeview there no channel called bid tv on freeview but bid would be a good choices

[daniel2015]

Originally Posted by michael21

sky are the owners of challenge and i cant see them giving up a 24/7 slot on freeview there no channel called bid tv on freeview but bid would be a good choices

Bid tv is on channel 23. Until the rename the epg that is exactly what I will call it.

ITV own sdn and sky may not get a choice in the matter. If sdn wants to put the slot up for sale they can as long as the bidding process is fair as the ofcom license states.

So far the evidence points to it not been around in wales and challenge at the moment is the only one that has wales issues. Not a case of sky not wanting to give it up they may have to. Look at bid tv for example they where a few years ago forced of MUX A because SDN decided to put the slot up for sale and discovery out bided them. As it happens bid tv then replaced price drop tv on the same mux and they won a slot on another mux for price drop. However they did have 2 slots on mux A to begin with.

If it is challenge I hope they dump pick tv+1 and put challenge on mux C

Of course the press release may have the channel number there getting wrong. But if its right thats that is the way the evidence points and unless some more facts come out we have to wait till october to see what they do.

I just hope they are not thinking about a 12th stream on mux A as the picture quality on all the current channels would take a bit rate hit and the picture quality would be horrendous

[michael21]

[QUOTE=daniel2015;
If it is challenge I hope they dump pick tv+1 and put challenge on mux C.[/QUOTE]

this is a good ideal as that would mean 24/7 challenge in Wales and better picture quality for ever one