As covered in mainstream media, a high profile dispute between the BBC and Gary Lineker resulted in significant coverage to football coverage of the weekend (11th/12th March 2023). The dispute resulted from opinions expressed on the presenter’s personal social media account relating to current government policy.
Continue reading BBC Football Coverage to ResumeCategory: Satellite
News stories relating to satellite TV, including subscription platform Sky, and free-to-air platforms Freesat, and the unadvertised and similarly named Freesat from Sky.
ITV to Close CITV
ITV is to close it’s dedicated children’s TV channel in favour of moving content over to it’s new ITV X online streaming platform.
Continue reading ITV to Close CITVHD Upgrade for BBC Alba
BBC Alba, operated jointly by the BBC and MG Alba, is now available on satellite in HD for the first time.
Continue reading HD Upgrade for BBC AlbaNow Rock Launches
All Around the World Productions (AATW), who broadcast 4 music video channels using the Now and Clubland brands, have changed their line-up. Following the temporary festive music service which replaced Now 90s over the Christmas and New Year period, instead of reverting to Now 90s, a new Now Rock channel was launchedin its place.
Continue reading Now Rock LaunchesGovernment Changes Direction With Channel 4
The UK Government have (for now at least), scrapped the controversial move to privatise Channel 4 Television (Channel 4)corporation, abandoning the plan put forward by former culture secretary Nadine Dorries.
Continue reading Government Changes Direction With Channel 4That’s TV Grows with Decade Based Music Channels
That’s TV continues to grow its classic music service, and has rolled out 4 new decade based music channels, expanded on the music service offered at various times of the day on the main That’s TV channel. However, coverage is limited at the time being, with neither channel offered to cable (Virgin Media) subscribers. The new channels collectively replace Classic Hits, itself a rebrand of That’s TV Gold.
Continue reading That’s TV Grows with Decade Based Music ChannelsLike Buses, The News Stories Come All at Once…
Very much a post of just reminding readers that I’m still here, this one. Over the past few weeks, I’ve accrued details on a few significant changes in the TV world. Some stories I’ve held back on due to incomplete information or a lack of author direct observations, others delayed simply due to a lack of hours in the day.
Continue reading Like Buses, The News Stories Come All at Once…GB News Introduces Subtitles
New based opinion channel GB News has introduced subtitles for the first time.
Implemented around a month ago (but missed by the author until now), the system is based around automatic speech recognition alongside human intervention, to provide live subtitling with a claim accuracy of 98.5%.
The channel’s license from regulatory Ofcom does not yet mandate subtitles or other accessibility features, but the channel has brought these in voluntarily. A statement from CEO Angelos Frangopoulos states, “While we always planned subtitles, we brought them forward when viewers contacted us in their hundreds to request better accessibility to GB News.” (Source: Media Mole, January 2023, unverified).
GB News is available on most major TV platforms, including via satellite (Sky and Freesat), cable (Virgin Media), and terrestrial (Freeview – limited coverage). An additional audio only feed is available on DAB+ digital radio in most areas.
Smithsonian Channel to Close
In details first revealed in the listings magazine Radio Times, it has been confirmed that the UK version of the Smithsonian Channel is set to close.
Continue reading Smithsonian Channel to CloseGreat Romance Set for New Year Launch
Narrative Entertainment UK are making a line-up change, to their network of four ‘Great!’ branded channels, once the annual Great Movies Christmas channel comes to an end.
In line with the now annual Christmas tradition, Great Movies Classic has temporarily rebranded as Great Movies Christmas, showing a variety of festive films. However, instead of reverting back at the end of the festive period, Great Romance will launch in its place on January 5th 2023.
The channel will remain free-to-air, and will specialise in feel good romantic films, instead of the more general selection of classic films of its predecessor. It is presumed the annual festive Great Movies Christmas will return again over the 2023/24 festive season.
Great Movies Christmas is currently available on Freeview channel no. 52 (limited coverage), Freesat channel no. 303, channel no. Sky 319 (satellite, not Glass/Stream) and Virgin Media channel no. 424. Great Romance will take over on these channel numbers on January 5th 2023, joining Great Movies, Great Movies Action, Great TV, and Children’s brand Pop, in Narrative Entertainment’s portfolio. This is the first significant change to the line-up since Narrative’s acquisition of Sony’s former TV channel portfolio in the UK.