Channel 5 was risking losing the right to two additional digital channels in its delay to begin broadcasting its main service on digital terrestrial television (DTT), until it announced this morning that its DTT launch is on-track for next week.
Although the channel is carried by BSkyB’s digital satellite service, it is the only terrestrial channel not currently being broadcast by digital terrestrial television (ONdigital). When the Government distributed digital channel space, it granted Channel 5 gifted digital capacity, giving it the ability to expand its digital services beyond broadcasting just its branded service. It is this further capacity which it risked losing if it failed to make the deadline on Tuesday.
A spokesperson from the ITC today informed Newsline that it advised the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) not to allow an extension of the deadline. If an extension of the deadline is granted, the ITC has advised the DCMS that it extend it no further than the first few days in January 1999. The decision ultimately lies with the Government, which could ignore the ITC’s advice.
Channel 5 confirmed today however, that it has received a favourable ITC adjudication on what will be charged for its 50% reserved capacity on the multiplex, and the agreement for the supply of programmes content allows the channel to reclaim all the additional capacity for the purposes of its own programmes as early as November 2001. In light of this, it confirmed that it will be launching its digital broadcast next week as planned.
David Elstein, chief executive at the channel, commented: “I am delighted finally to have confirmed our DTT launch. There have been unavoidable delays because of the unique circumstances relating to Channel 5’s position in DTT. We have now achieved all our key business objectives – a cost-free simulcast, a low base charge for capacity, and the flexibility to take fuller advantage of DTT opportunities when both our business and the DTT market are more mature.”
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