Tag: Sky

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

Sky to Launch New Channels

Sky has announced two new channels, both to be available on the Sky satellite platform and via the Now TV Entertainment Pass.

First to launch is Sky Crime, in October 2019. This channel will show US crime shows from Oxygen and HBO, and first run content from Jupiter and Woodcut. Sky Comedy will follow in February 2020, and will show content from HBO, NBC and Showtime.

Sky subscribers will receive these channels at no extra cost. As yet channel numbers are yet to be confirmed, and it has not yet been announced if these channels will be available on any other platforms. There is also some speculation that the new channels might be replacements for Real Lives and Sky 2.

Alongside a variety of Sky branded channels, Sky’s channel line up also includes the E!, SYFY, Pick and Challenge brands. Challenge and Pick can both be found on free to air platforms Freeview and Freesat.

Foodxp to Launch

Foodxp is to launch on satellite platform Sky on 1st August, at the same time as its sister channel Travelxp launches on the platforms.

Foodxp will focus on Global and Asian food, in contrast to existing food channels which focus mainly on UK and US food.

The channel has been allocated number 712, in the section of the Sky EPG (electronic programme guide) reserved for Asian channels.

Travelxp Leaves Freeview for Sky

Been away on holiday for a week, so there have been no updates to TelevisionSRS lately. Thankfully, it appears that there is only one major to story to bring to you.

The UK version of Travelxp has closed on Freeview. The closure took place at 1pm on Monday 1st July.

The channel showed back to back travel documentaries, and is expected to return on the Sky satellite platform after a hiatus.

Update: Travelxp have confirmed the UK service will return on the 1st August on Sky.

True Crime Closure and Other True Changes

True Crime will leave Sky (satellite) and Virgin Media (cable), at the end of programming on the 30th June. The channel was reinstated in February, replacing the UK version of the TruTV channel. True Crime is also available on Freeview in Manchester, but it is unclear whether this outlet will continue.

Meanwhile on Freeview, True Entertainment and True Movies and will be reducing their coverage area from midday tomorrow. A re-tune will be required for viewers remaining within the coverage area to be able to continue to receive these services. However, both will gain a more prominent channel number with True Entertainment moving from channel 61 to 48, and True Movies moving channel 62 to 50.

Movies4Men+1 and Sony Movies+1 currently occupy slots 48 and 50 on Freeview (respectively), and it is unclear what will happen to these channels. A move to numbers 61 and 62, would seem likely.

All of the channels mentioned above are owned by Sony Pictures Television.

Sky Reorganises International Channels

Satellite provider Sky has reorganised the International channels on its EPG. Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali and Arabic language channels are now group together, with new numbers assigned to them.

Viewers don’t need to take any action, as the changes will take place automatically. Series links will be unaffected.

A full list of the channels and their numbers can be found on Sky’s website.

STV Launches Regional HD on Sky

STV has launch HD (high definition) versions of its channel for Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Tayside on Sky. This means that all Sky viewers can now find the HD version of the channel on 103, as there is a HD version for all STV regions.

There was a slight delay in the launch of the new versions. They were meant to launch on May 1st, but did not go live until the 2nd.

Freesat viewers are unaffected by the change, as the new versions of STV HD are broadcast on a Pan-European satellite and are encrypted. The Glasgow version of STV HD is still available on 111 for Freesat viewers.