Channel 4 and Five bid for final Freeview HD slot
Channel 4 and Five are bidding for the final high-definition slot on Freeview.
Channel 4 and S4C have made a joint application to Ofcom that would see an HD version of Film4 broadcast between 11am and 4am, with an S4C children’s service shown between 7am and 11am.
The broadcaster said that the remaining three hours could then be dedicated to providing a video-on-demand service between 4am and 7am.
Five is planning an HD simulcast of its existing flagship channel, launching by the end of 2010.
The service would simulcast Five’s existing output between 6pm and 11pm, while a further three hours each day would be dedicated to screening Five’s HD shows.
The Five proposal also includes the possibility of providing an HD video-on-demand service throughout the night.
Ofcom has already awarded the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 a slot each on Freeview for simulcast of their HD services beginning this year. It is expected that the fourth and final slot will become available in July 2010.