Freeview Announces Record Penetration
Freeview has announced that sales of set top boxes and integrated televisions have now passed the 10 million mark, with the free-to-air television service now present in 6.4 million homes.
The growth comes as interest in Freeview from broadcasters reaches fever pitch. Recent months have seen the launch of ITV3 and ITV4, while Channel 4’s More4, E4 and most recently FilmFour now have a home on the platform.
This month also sees ITV launch a dedicated children’s channel via Freeview, with the CiTV channel scheduled to launch on 11 March, following a one month delay from February (see One Month Delay For ITV Kids Channel).
According to the latest figures from Freeview, month on month sales of free-to-air enabled products, such as PVRs and integrated digital TVs, are up by over a third on the same periods in 2005, with the trend for growth showing no signs of slowing.
Welcoming the positive results, Ilse Howling, general manager at Freeview, said: “People love Freeview’s simplicity, our great channels and the one-off payment. With the addition of new entertainment channels, including E4, More 4, Sky Three, ITV 4 and CITV, and with FilmFour on the way, we offer a compelling and simple route to digital TV.
“Our audience is genuinely mass market and mainstream – with the new channels attracting a younger audience than when we launched in 2002.”
Freeview’s growth means the gap between the free-to-air service and satellite rival Sky is smaller than ever. Sky’s latest figures show the broadcaster in 8.1 million homes, with record growth in Sky+ and Multiroom households (see BSkyB Enjoys Record Growth In Subscribers).
Freeview’s channel portfolio currently comprises 30 television channels as well as 20 digital radio stations. The operator’s stakeholders include the BBC, National Grid Wireless, BSkyB, ITV and Channel 4.
This year will see the platform play host to Britain’s first terrestrial high definition broadcasts by the BBC, with the Corporation planning to air HD content from BBC One in a technical trial in the London area. Running alongside a similar trial for all BBC channels through cable and satellite, the new technology offers vastly increased picture quality, as well as extra services such as surround sound (see BBC To Launch HDTV Trial On All Platforms Next Year).
Freeview: 08708 80 99 80 www.freeview.co.uk