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NOW 90s off-air on Freeview

PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2019 4:56 pm
by dutchman
Music channel NOW 90s was removed on Freeview around midday on Tuesday at the end of a six month carriage period

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Fans of the music channel can still tune in via Virgin Media and Sky, and sister channel NOW 80s continues on Freeview as before.

The suspension of programmes comes six months after NOW 90s commenced a carriage contract with Freeview multiplex operator Arqiva, enabling the channel's signal to reach around 3/4 of UK households via Freeview channel 84.

The channel first launched on Freeview at the end of December 2017* thanks to a carriage deal with the Manchester TV Network, with limited coverage to Mancunian households before securing capacity with Arqiva, making the move to new capacity on 26th February 2019.

The channel is seeking to resume Freeview carriage and it is advising viewers via its Freeview programme listings entries to "keep tuning back" for updates.

NOW 90s is a musical offshoot of the 'Now That's What I Call Music' compilation album business. The music channels were originally set up in partnership with AATW Ltd. Penny Street TV Ltd is the current Ofcom broadcast licence holder.

The channel operator hasn't provided any further information surrounding its availability on Freeview beyond the message already available to viewers on channel 84.

Under rules set by Digital UK, the company responsible for managing the technical platform behind Freeview, a channel may suspend programming for up to 12 weeks in a rolling 12 month period without losing its slot on the Freeview channel list.

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Re: NOW 90s off-air on Freeview

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:55 pm
by dutchman
Now 90s streams back to Freeview

Now 90s - the channel dedicated to 1990s music - is back on Freeview after a break of just over a month following the signing of a new carriage deal.

But in a cost-conscious move, Now 90s will no longer be broadcast terrestrially 24/7. Instead, the channel has opted to be streamed to viewer's sets via compatible connected TVs and boxes.

To avoid being relegated to the section of the Freeview channel list reserved for streamed channels (260-299), Now 90s will be available to non-streaming devices for two hours each morning, broadcasting over the terrestrial airwaves from 05:00-07:00, in order to keep its existing channel number slot on 84.

Two hours of terrestrial broadcasting is the minimum required of any broadcaster showing entertainment programming to qualify for a Freeview channel number in the sub-100 channel range, according to rules issued by Digital UK, who are responsible for managing Freeview channel numbers.

Technically, for those two hours each morning, Now 90s will have a wider reach than it did before, with technical coverage up from around 75% of households to just above 90% of households - so for some viewers, Now 90s will appear on the Freeview channel list for the first time.

Now 90s was taken off Freeview in August when its previous six month carriage agreement had expired.

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Re: NOW 90s off-air on Freeview

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:57 pm
by dutchman
I would dispute it's on 'Freeview' any more as you have to pay for an internet connection. Also the two hours a night it's back on air they show only shopping commercials.