ITV News Channel hours cut

The ITV News Channel has had its broadcast hours reduced on Freeview to make way for ITV4. The News channel will now boadcast between 06:00 and 18:00 daily, on a timeshare basis with ITV4, which launches tomorrow. The News Channel is expected to be removed entirely early next year when ITV launch a new children's channel.
Story: DTT Boxes

Sky Three launches on Freeview

Sky Three has launched on Freeview channel 11, replacing Sky Travel. Programmes are broadcast in widescreen.
Story: DTT Boxes

BT reveal hybrid Freeview/Broadband box

BT have revealed their new set-top box capable of receiving Freeview and accessing a library of on-demand content via broadband. Manufactured by Philips, the box will store up to 80 hours of recorded programmes. Trials of BT's on-demand service are expected to start in the Spring with a full launch later in 2006.

Sky News relaunches in widescreen

Sky News has relaunched from new studios and in widescreen. Broadcasting on Freeview channel 82, it's the first Sky channel to broadcast in 16:9 on Freeview, although it is expected that Sky Three will follow suit when it launches on DTT.
Story: DTT Boxes

Top Up TV ads breached regulations

The on-screen messages which appeared on Five advertising the Top Up TV subscription service breached broadcast regulations according to Ofcom. The regulator ruled that the broadcaster must draw a line between banners that inform of changes to the DTT service, such as EPG updates and new channels, and one which is being used to promote paid-for services in future.

EPG re-shuffle

As expected, a major overhaul of the EPG has taken place this afternoon. Children's channels have been moved to the 70s, News channels to the 80s, Adult channels to the late-90s, Text services to the 100s, "hidden" services to the 300s and Radio stations to the 700s. In the "general entertainment" section, ITV3 has moved to channel 10, replacing BBC Four which moves up to channel 9; ITV4 has appeared on channel 30; More4 has moved to channel 13 in Wales, replacing S4C 2 which has moved to the News section.

QVC testing Active text service

QVC Active, the shopping channel's text service, is currently being tested on Freeview. It can be accessed by pressing the correct combination of colour keys:

Main menu, shown after entering colour key combination

(NB: glitches on video are due to weak signal)

Source: Telly Aerial

EPG re-shuffle on the way

There will be an EPG re-shuffle on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 18. All radio stations and many television channels will all be moved to new channel numbers. Following a large number of channel launches and changes over the last few months, the re-shuffle is designed to "tidy up" the numbering system so that similar channels are grouped together more logically.
Story: DTT Boxes

ITV and Channel 4 join Freeview

ITV and Channel 4, who currently broadcast nine channels between them on Freeview, officially became members of the Freeview Consortium today. They join the BBC, BSkyB and Crown Castle, each of whom will have an equal 20% share in the platform's marketing body.

More4 launches on Freeview

More4, the "adult entertainment" channel from Channel 4, has launched on Freeview channel 13 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and Freeview channel 35 in Wales.
Story: DTT Boxes

ITV News Channel to leave Freeview?

The ITV News Channel saga staggers on: Broadcast have revealed that ITV are considering removing the channel from Freeview as they have run out of broadcast space and need somewhere to launch ITV4! Rather than scrap Men & Motors to make way for the new channel, a significant improvement in the lads' channel's viewing figures have forced ITV executives to reconsider the News Channel's future. It significantly under-performs rivals BBC News 24 and Sky News, and (like most news channels) actually loses the company money.
Story: DTT Boxes