Author: Scott

Sky to Launch Brexit Free News Service

At 5pm today, Sky News is to launch a part time Brexit free version of the channel. Sky News Brexit-Free will be a available on Sky channel 523, from 5pm to 10pm, Monday to Friday, utilising capacity normally reserved for pay-per-view events.

The channel will also be available on the Sky News Youtube Channel, for non Sky TV customers.

Sky News Brexit-Free is being launched in response to a survey which found that around a third or people are avoiding the news, with Brexit being a significant reason.

More Channel Closures

AMC will become high definition (HD) only from Thursday, when the standard definition version of the channel on the Sky satellite platform will come to an end. A small number of viewers with non HD equipment will loose access to the channel. The HD version remains unchanged. Asian music service MTV Beats will also leave the Sky platform in the next week.

Over on the Virgin Media cable platform, standard definition versions of TLC, Quest, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Eurosport 1, and Eurosport 2  have been removed. Where the HD version of the channel was on a lower number, the channel has been promoted to the higher number. Some of the HD channels were on a higher subscription package, but these have been moved down to the former standard definition channels subscription tiers, so no viewers will lose access to the channels.

As all Virgin Media boxes in use are HD compatible, the standard definition versions of the channels were effectively redundant. No viewers will be impacted by the change.

Meanwhile, Your TV has closed on all platforms. The channel was free-to-air, and was acquired by Disney with the Fox business. Disney currently operated no free-to-air channels in the UK.

More HD Conversions and Channel Closures

AMC will become high definition (HD) only from Thursday, when the standard definition version of the channel on the Sky satellite platform will come to an end. A small number of viewers with non HD equipment will loose access to the channel. The HD version remains unchanged. Asian music service MTV Beats will also leave the Sky platform in the next week.

Over on the Virgin Media cable platform, standard definition versions of TLC, Quest, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Eurosport 1, and Eurosport 2  have been removed. Where the HD version of the channel was on a lower number, the channel has been promoted to the higher number. Some of the HD channels were on a higher subscription package, but these have been moved down to the former standard definition channels subscription tiers, so no viewers will lose access to the channels.

As all Virgin Media boxes in use are HD compatible, the standard definition versions of the channels were effectively redundant. No viewers will be impacted by the change.

Meanwhile, Your TV has closed on all platforms. The channel was free-to-air, and was acquired by Disney with the Fox business. Disney currently operated no free-to-air channels in the UK.

Freeview Changes

Newton TV Transmitter
Newton relay Freeview transmitter.

Discovery’s Quest +1 has changed frequency on Freeview, and is now broadcasting 24 hours a day. The timeshift of Quest now occupies space released by Sony following reductions in their TV portfolio. Viewers will need to retune in order to continue watching Quest +1 on channel number 76.

The move will allow arts and crafts channel Hochanda to broadcast 24 hours a day on Freeview channel 86, from the 2nd of October. Hochanda had been slot sharing with Quest since 2017, handing over to Quest at 7pm. On connected devices, Hochanda continued to be available as an online stream after 7pm.

Meanwhile, on Sky and Freesat, Ideal World is switching to HD broadcasts. Ideal World HD and sister channel Create & Craft HD will be available on the existing channel numbers. As the services are switching to HD, the old standard definition feeds will be switched off. This means users of old non-HD equipment will no longer be able to view these channels

BBC to Close Ceefax Replacement

BBC LogoThe BBC is to close the Red Button digital text service, which allows viewers to access news and other information via their TV. Original a digital replacement for the analogue Ceefax system, the Red Button text service will close next year.

With the introduction of internet connected smart TVs, the BBC introduced a Red Button + service in 2012, which allows for text and images to be displayed. This will continue, but is only available on compatible TVs connected to the internet.

Due to financial pressures, it is no longer cost effective for the BBC to maintain two distinct versions of the Red Button service. The move will impact some viewers who have poor or no broadband facility, or an older television which does not support the Red Button + service,

La Liga Coverage Finally Secure as Premier Sports Secures Rights

Premier Sports has secured the rights to show Spanish La Liga football until the end of the 2021/22 season, replacing ITV4 who had temporary rights for the start of the season.

A new channel called La Liga TV will be made available on the Premier Player streaming service from October. This channel is also expected to launch on the Sky satellite platform from January 2020. Prior to the new channel joining Sky, the La Liga matches can be found on Premier Sports 1 and 2 (which can be found on Sky and Virgin Media).

Sister channel Freesports will also show highlights and selected matches.

Streaming Service Updates

Here is a summary of some changes which are taking place on online streaming services.

Freesports is joining the STV Player service, and will be available as a 24 hour online stream. For next 3 years, STV will be the exclusive advertising sales agent for Premier Sports’ online subscription services.

Now TV are implementing price increases this month. Most passes are affected, with the Sky Sports Day Pass rising by £1 to £9.99.

The sports streaming and on-demand service Eurosport Player is to arrive on Amzon Fire devices, as part of a collboration between Amazon and the channel’s owner Discovery. Amazon Fire TV, Fire tablets and Echo Show devices will be able to access the service across Europe.

And finally…

Amazon’s Prime streaming service crashed yesterday, affecting access to the US Open tennis competition. Services were restored by early evening.

Good Food to Close

Former UKTV channel Good Food is to close, with its shows to be merged into the Food Network UKchannel. Good Food is currently a pay TV channel, whilst Food Network is a free-to-air channel on all major TV platforms.

Good Food was acquired by Discovery earlier this year, along with Really and Home when UKTV was split between the BBC and Discovery. Home is to become a UK version of Discovery’s HGTV (Home and Garden TV) channel. Really continues for the time being.

Good Food will close during the night o 13th to 14th September.

Trace Rebrand UK Music Channels

Trace is to rebrand at least 3 of the 4 TV channels in the UK. Chart Show TV, Chart Show Hits, Starz TV, and The Vault were acquired by Trace from Sony last year (2018).

Starz TV will become a UK version of Trace Urban, featuring music from artists such as Stormzy, SKEPTA, AJ Tracy and Steflon Don. The Vault will see a small rebrand to Trace Vault.

One of either Chart Show TV or Chart Show Hits is set to become Trace Latina, and will feature Latin American music. It has not been revealed which channel will rebrand, and what will happen to the remaining channel.

All of the rebrands are expected during November.

Globally, Trace operates 21 paid TV channels, 6 FM radio stations, and a variety of mobile and digital services. Its UK television channels are currently distributed via the Sky satellite platform.

Update (11/09/2019): I have recently come across information which suggests the following rebrands:

  • Chart Show TV to Trace Urban
  • Chart Show Hits to Trace Latina
  • The Vault to Trace Vault

This differs significantly from the information above, and fails to mention any plans for Starz TV. I will continue to monitor the situation, and provide updates when I obtain more up-to-date information.

Freeview Updates

Now 90s has left Freeview following the end of its 6 month carriage agreement. The channel had been on a multiplex covering around 3/4 of the UK. The channel is still on Sky and Virgin Media, and sister channel Now 80s can still be found on Freeview. Now 90s is looking to return to Freeview in the near future.

Meanwhile, BBC Scotland HD and BBC Four have changed channel numbers in Scotland. BBC Four can now be found on 75, and BBC Scotland HD is now on channel 108. The changes come as a result of the closure of Keep It Country, and the removal of the HD version of Al Jazeera.