Sep 18 2007
Arqiva has been awarded a contract by the BBC to help create the Freesat platform, due for launch next March. The company has been working with the BBC for more than 18 months to develop initial plans, and began platform testing last month. Alan Boyle, head of BBC distribution operations, said: “The Arqiva team knows […]
Sep 7 2007
Digital TV Group has announced that it is developing a common test specification for Freesat receivers. Richard Lindsay-Davies, director general of the Digital TV Group said: ‘A common specification for service and receiver performance is critical to the success of advanced digital services as it provides the framework for a vibrant and stable market. In […]
Sep 4 2007
Freesat project director Emma Scott has been confirmed as the venture’s first managing director. Announcing the appointment, BBC marketing director Tim Davie, also chairman of the BBC and ITV-owned joint venture, said Scott brought “a wealth of experience and energy to the role and has been instrumental in Freesat’s journey from the start”. Scott was […]
Sep 4 2007
The first officially-approved receivers for the Freesat service will come from Alba, Humax, Panasonic, and Sagem. The BBC and ITV will launch Freesat in early 2008 as an alternative to Freeview for those who can’t get digital TV via their aerial – currently about 27 per cent of the British population. With no subscription, it […]
May 1 2007
Channel 4 is looking for Ofcom to give it an easy way onto Freesat before its Sky encryption contract expires. The broadcaster said it would look forward to joining the BBC and ITV in setting up a free satellite TV service for UK viewers who can’t get Freeview. However the Channel 4 family are all […]
Apr 27 2007
Channel 4 has expressed interest in joining the Freesat proposition, which was approved by the BBC Trust and officially announced by the BBC and ITV today. In a statement, the broadcaster said: “As a public service broadcaster we are committed to offering our innovative, high-quality content to UK viewers across all meaningful platforms. We note […]
Apr 27 2007
The BBC Trust has given BBC executives the go-ahead to launch Freesat, a guaranteed free-to-view digital satellite proposition. Freesat will be made available to consumers on the basis of a one-time initial payment with a guarantee of no further or ongoing subscription charges. It will be future-proofed, by designing in standards for high definition and […]
Feb 27 2007
The BBC Trust is provisionally approving the launch of the corporation’s planned free-to-view satellite service, Freesat, in partnership with ITV. According to the Trust, the service offers licence fee payers alternative access to digital services in the lead-up to the 2012 switchover, which is guaranteed subscription free. The Trust says after considering market impact, it […]
Nov 13 2006
Channel 4 has joined the BBC and ITV in a proposed joint venture to supply free digital satellite television to homes that cannot receive the Freeview service through aerials. The BBC has submitted a proposal for the Freesat service to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and is awaiting its response. The idea was […]
Jul 12 2006
The BBC and ITV’s free-to-air digital satellite proposition has hit a stumbling block, BBC director general Mark Thompson admitted yesterday. Facing MPs on the Commons culture committee Thompson said the service was likely to be delayed until next autumn while talks continued over standards for the Freesat offering. Thompson insisted progress was being made, and […]
Feb 28 2006
ITV has delayed the launch of its joint-venture ‘Freesat’ service with the BBC, according to a report in the Independent On Sunday. The new service – the equivalent of Freeview for satellite – was announced last year and had been expected to be up and running by this June. Now ITV is said to have […]
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Sep 25 2007
Channel 4 to join Freesat
Channel 4 will be joining the Freesat line-up in 2008 when its encryption contract with Sky expires. The broadcaster will be part of Freesat from its launch in early 2008, thanks to Film4, though the other Four-branded channels are currently covered by a Sky encryption contract until August/September 2008 (not confirmed). A Channel 4 source […]
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By Expat • UK Media News • Tags: Channel 4, Freesat