Ofcom hands Five Freeview HD slot to BBC
Ofcom has handed the BBC the Freeview HD TV slot it was reserving for Five, after the RTL owned broadcaster was unable to resolve “key issues” relating to its application.
Five lost the slot after missing a December 2009 deadline to supply satisfactory details such as a launch date and commitments to a schedule.
Ofcom said: “The only other applicants, Channel 4 and S4C, were unable to provide Ofcom with confirmation of their ability to launch a service within a defined timescale. Ofcom has therefore decided not to reserve capacity for either of the applicants at this time.”
It added: “Any capacity within Multiplex B that is not reserved by Ofcom is available for the BBC to use. The BBC will now consider options to ensure the capacity can be used to provide High Definition services that will further benefit viewers of digital terrestrial television.
“This brings forward by around two years the date when it was anticipated that further capacity on Multiplex B would revert to the control of the BBC Trust.”
Commercial public service broadcasters will get another opportunity next year to apply to launch a Freeview HD service.
ITV last week announced that it will be launching an ITV1 HD channel on 2 April.