Another game of 'Musical Chairs' on Freeview...

Another game of 'Musical Chairs' on Freeview...

Postby dutchman » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:23 pm

Following the demerger of UKTV between Discovery and the BBC:

  • Dave has moved from LCN 12 to LCN 19
  • Yesterday has moved from LCN 19 to LCN 25
  • Home has moved from LCN 25 to LCN 12
("LCN" = Local Channel Number)

It may be possible to continue watching these channels in their old positions without retuning.
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Re: Another game of 'Musical Chairs' on Freeview...

Postby dutchman » Wed Jun 12, 2019 3:26 pm

Why have so many channels changed numbers on Freeview this week?

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This week's Freeview channel reshuffles are part of a deal between BBC Studios and Discovery, as Really and Home switch to Discovery's ownership.

On Tuesday, Freeview channels Really and Home officially became part of Discovery's portfolio of channels, alongside pay-channel Good Food, with BBC Studios retaining the remaining UKTV family of channels, including Dave, Drama and Yesterday.

Control of Freeview channel 12 became part of the negotiations between BBC Studios and Discovery, with it being used as sweetener to help BBC Studios seal the deal.

For viewers, this has meant two channel changes this week.

On Monday, one day ahead of the transfer of ownership, Home moved from channel 25 to 12, resulting in Dave moving from channel 12 to 19, and Yesterday moving from 19 to 25.

On Wednesday, one day after the transfer of ownership, Home moved from channel 12 to 42, allowing Discovery to move DMAX from 42 to 37 and enabling it to promote Quest from 37 to the prime slot of channel 12.

The changes were made in two stages due to rules governing Freeview channel numbering. The rules state that broadcasters can't just trade channel numbers between themselves. What they can do is make one reshuffle every 12 months within their own channel portfolios.

So while all UKTV channels were still under single ownership, Home could be reshuffled to channel 12, allowing Discovery to acquire control of channel 12 at the same time as taking over Home.

Once Home came under Discovery's control, Discovery triggered a reshuffle of its channel portfolio, moving Home, DMAX and Quest.

Unfortunately, viewers and installers were the losers in the process, as they were only informed of the first change a few days before hand; it was at such short notice that TV listings guides were not able to be informed in time and the usual on-screen text pop-ups that often accompany a Freeview channel change were also missing.

The second change was only communicated a few hours before the change was due to take place.

Importantly, though, the changes only affect channel numbers and not frequencies/multiplexes, so viewers with older TVs that don't auto-retune will still be able to access all the affected channels for the time being, albeit on the old channel numbers.

Online, pages relating to Really, Home and Good Food are in the process of being split from the rest of UKTV. The UKTV Play website still has content from Really and Home for the time being, but it appears really.uktv.co.uk will soon change to reallytv.co.uk.

Initially, little will change on screen until Discovery set out their longer term plans for their new channels.

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Re: Another game of 'Musical Chairs' on Freeview...

Postby Melisandre » Wed Jun 12, 2019 7:00 pm

Thank you for that Dutchman. :thumbsup:
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Re: Another game of 'Musical Chairs' on Freeview...

Postby dutchman » Wed Jun 12, 2019 7:08 pm

You're very welcome Melisandre :wave:
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Re: Another game of 'Musical Chairs' on Freeview...

Postby dutchman » Thu Jun 27, 2019 6:36 pm

Sony shuffles True Channels on Freeview

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All change for Sony's channel portfolio on Freeview, in a yet another reshuffle of services - and some viewers will lose access.

At midday on the 27th June 2019, True Entertainment and True Movies are changing channel numbers and reducing coverage - meaning fewer viewers will be able to continue watching the channels after the change.

Both channels are operated by Columbia Pictures Corporation, a division of Sony Pictures Television, which took over the channels in 2014.

According to a short note posted on the True Channels website, True Entertainment will move from channel 61 to 48 and will reduce its UK coverage. True Movies will move from channel 62 to 50 and will also become available to a limited number of households.

Viewers will need to retune - but those that can't restore these services after retuning are likely to be outside of the channel's new reduced coverage area. [This includes Coventry]

It's the third switch-around of Sony-owned channels on Freeview this year. In January, True Entertainment took a national slot, at the expense of Sony Crime Channel, which was reduced to a placeholder slot. In February, TruTV was replaced by True Crime, for viewers in Manchester only. In May, Sony moved Movies4Men+1 and Sony Movie Channel+1 to channels 48 and 50 - the channel numbers now being assigned to True Entertainment and True Movies. It's unclear what will now happen to Movies4Men+1 and Sony Movies+1.

Meanwhile, RXTVlog has been advised that Sony's True Crime channel is to be delisted from Sky and Virgin at the end of the month.

  • There are no changes to True Entertainment or True Movies on Sky, Freesat or Virgin Media.
  • BT TV, TalkTalk TV, Plusnet TV and EE TV viewers however, are affected by the changes, as these services use the Freeview signal to deliver part of their service.

Image


Movies4Men has also moved to a different frequency although its channel number (40) remains the same.
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