Channel 4 Snaps Up Spare Freeview Slot
Channel 4 has been awarded a newly available slot on Freeview by broadcast services firm, Crown Castle, beating bids from Five, Disney, Turner Broadcasting, Top-Up-TV and Sit-Up-TV with a bid believed to be around £5 million.
The new capacity on Freeview’s multiplex C is being made available as a result of Crown Castle taking advantage of improvements in infrastructure technology and maximising the value of scarce digital terrestrial television (DTT) bandwidth.
Commenting on the agreement, Peter Abery, Crown Castle’s chief executive officer, said: “This is good news for Crown Castle and viewers of the Freeview service. We have been able to demonstrate our ability to deliver on one of our key strategic objectives and viewers of the Freeview service will have even more channels to choose from.”
Dan Brooke, Channel 4 controller of digital channels added: “Channel 4 performs more strongly on Freeview than any other multi-channel platform but additional capacity is scarce. We are delighted to have been awarded the new channel, which will enable us to further extend Channel 4’s unique brand into an increasingly digital world.
The acquisition of extra space on the Freeview platform is part of the broadcaster’s digital strategy in preparation for switchover, scheduled for 2012 (see E4 Set For Freeview Launch Next Month).
Last month saw Channel 4 launch E4 and its time shifted counterpart, E4+1, on the Freeview platform, filling the broadcaster’s digital terrestrial channel quota. Speaking at the launch of the broadcaster’s spring schedule earlier this year, Channel 4’s director of television, Kevin Lygo, stated that the company has capacity for up to four channels via digital terrestrial. With Channel 4 occupying one slot, and another set aside for the launch of More4 later this year in addition to E4 and E4+1 (see Channel 4 Bets On Drama For Spring Schedule).
However, the latest acquisition of bandwidth could see Channel 4 launch more wide-ranging services, such as an interactive or gaming channel.
In April, Crown Castle awarded another of its empty Freeview slots to ITV, allowing the broadcaster to further extend its presence on the free-to-air terrestrial platform, giving ITV extra broadcast capacity on multiplex D, currently used by UKTV Bright Ideas, ftn and several digital radio stations (seeITV Scoops Crown Castle’s Extra Freeview Capacity).
Crown Castle UK: 01926 416000 www.crowncastle.co.uk Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com