Author: Scott

BBC to Resume Production

The BBC is to resume production of Top Gear and EastEnders, two of its popular entertainment shows. Both are expected to resume at the end of the month.

Strict social distancing measures will be in force, complying with current government guidelines. Crews will be limited, with cast members responsible for their own hair and make up.

Additionally, ITV panel show Loose Women has also resumed production. Following social distancing, there are only three panel members at the table. The remaining fourth member contributes via video link. For obvious reasons, there is no studio audience.

Website Update

Apologies for the lack of updates here recently, personal commitments have got in the way.

Firstly, some housekeeping. Sister website Scott’s Radio Site will be closing at the end of May. Digital TV UK remains unaffected, but will be accommodating additional radio content, mostly relating to DAB radio, going forward.

Secondly, I’m monitoring the situation over at fellow TV website RXTV Log. That website took over some parts of a516digital when that website closed, initially running a social media news feed, before becoming a full website. ‘RXTV Dan’ had, on the most part run a successful website, and proved to be a strong competitor despite lacking some of the content which a516digital used to provide.

However, its has become apparent that RXTV Log has transferred to new ownership. Updates have slowed to a halt, and when they do occur, many updates come at once. The quality of the website does appear to have slipped. This has therefore given me a renewed enthusiasm, and updates will gather pace.

I have developed a mini action plan, which is as follows:

    • Transfer digital radio content over from Scott’s Radio Site.
    • Complete TV channel lists, including the creation of regional Freeview channel lists for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
    • Recommencement of news provision, most likely from mid-June.

These are the priorities going forward, and the website will be assessed against these at key stages. Additionally, due to the ever increasing numbers of streaming services, the website will focus on connected services such as Freeview Play and key catch up services (BBC iPlayer, All4, ITV Hub), and will no longer cover services such as Britbox, Disney+, and TV Player.

Further Sky Branded Channels to Launch

Sky Documentaries and Sky Nature are due to launch this spring, and will be joined by Sky History and Sky History 2.

Sky History is part of a joint venture between A+E Networks UK and Sky, and will be a rebrand of the current History channel. Both Sky History and Sky History 2 will be available on Sky’s Now TV streaming platform, as well as Virgin Media, BT TV and TalkTalk TV.

The changes are also due to take place this spring, with both channels to continue being operated and managed by A+E Networks UK.

Subscriber Losses for Virgin Media

Cable TV platform Virgin Media, owned by Liberty Global, has lost customers in both the UK and Ireland. In the UK, 110,900 subscribers were lost, while in Ireland the figure is 9,400.

Heavy discounting by rivals has been attributed to the subscriber decline in the UK. However, total revenue in the UK has increased.

Liberty Global have also seen a drop in customers in Belgium and Switzerland. In the UK, Virgin Media also provide internet, phone, and mobile services.

Sewing Street Launches

A sewing channel themed shopping channel has returned to Freeview channel 73, under the name Sewing Street. Sewing Street launched on Friday and is being operated by Gemporia who reacquired the Jewellery Maker channel from Immediate Media, after the latter decided to exit the TV market.

Channel 73 was previously home to Sewing Quarter which has now closed. Gemporia took over the Freeview slot, but not the Sky slot or the Sewing Quarter website. However, a Sky launch for Sewing Street is planned.

Sewing Quarter itself has now closed, but the management behind the channel have transferred to Sewing Street.

Financial Difficulties at Information TV Lead to Channel Closure

Information TV, owned by now collapsed parent company Carlauren Group Ltd, has been in financial difficulties since 2019. This has now led to channel changes.

Sports channel Front Runner has now closed. The channel was home to Greyhound Racing, which has moved to Live 360. Live 360 is available on Sky channel 175, and can be streamed on compatible Freeview boxes via Vision TV on channel 264.

Meanwhile, sister channel Showcase TV is transitioning to new satellite capacity, and is currently unavailable on Sky and Freesat, but is expected to return. Showcase TV allows smaller, niche broadcasters to book out blocks of time on the channel, enabling part time broadcasting.

Retro Movies Removed from Satellite

Retro Movies appears to have stopped broadcasting on satellite. Although still listed on Sky and Freesat EPGs, the satellite feed has went ‘dark’ with no programmes or other content being broadcast.

According to website RXTV Log, Retro Movies is still available as part of Channelbox on Freeview 271, as a streamed channel on devices connected to the internet.

There has been no official word from Retro Movies. Their website (at time of publication) is still live, but the schedule doesn’t list any programmes beyond Friday 24th January.

Talking Pictures, Sony Movies Classic and TCM Movies are alternative channels for those wishing to view older films.

Freeview Updates

There have been a number of changes to the Freeview service over the past few days, which are summarised below.

Taking effect from yesterday (Wednesday 8th January 2020), arts and craft channel Hochanda has reverted to broadcasting between 7am and 7pm on Freeview. The channel started broadcasting 24 hours a day in Autumn 2019, but the cost of extended hours of carriage on Freeview has proven unsustainable.

PBS America has now completely its frequency move, and is now available to 90% of the population on channel 91. As previously announced Paramount Network and 5Spike have now merged into the new version of Paramount Network. Sony Movies Classic has replaced seasonal channel Sony Movies Christmas, with a corresponding change to the +1 channel.

Paramount Network +1 has launched on channel 94, and CBS Justice +1 has launched on channel 69. Both are on the soon to close temporary multiplexes, so have limited coverage and are only available on DVB-T2 (HD, Freeview Play etc) equipment.

Smithsonian Channel (Smithsonian and ViacomCBS joint venture) has changed channel number to 57, and also frequency, meaning the channel now reaches 90% of the population. 5Select has moved up 1 slot to become channel 54, with similar moves for 5Star +1 (now on 55), and 5USA +1 (now on 56).

Upcoming Freeview Changes

There will be changes to Freeview services on 6th/7th January. Some services will only be moving to a new channel number, whilst others will be moving to new frequencies.

As some channels are moving frequency, a retune will be required to restore missing channel. Viewers receiving Freeview from a relay are not expected to be affected, as the changes only affect channels on the commercial frequencies (Arqiva A & B, SDN, COM7 & 8).

Full details of channel changes have been difficult to pin down, as reports have been rather conflicting. As such, a summary of the changes will be posted here after the event.

Box Upfront Not Returning

As Channel 4 starts to fully integrate the Box Plus Network into its main business, it has been confirmed that Box Upfront will not be returning.

Box Upfront had become Boxmas over the festive period. Boxmas will close on 8th January on Virgin Media, and 6am on 9th January on Sky. Adverts on E4 are currently running for a new Box Upfront show for 4Music, suggesting that the Box Upfront brand will continue in a revised form.

The move follows the closure of the Box Plus app, as content migrates to All4. The remaining Box Plus Network consists of 4Music, The Box, Box Hits, Kerrang TV, Kiss TV and Magic TV