E4, E4+1 to launch on Freeview in May

Channel 4's entertainment channel E4 and its timeshifted sister channel E4+1 will launch on Freeview next month to coincide with the start of Big Brother, a traditional ratings-winner for the channel. E4 is currently available on Top Up TV: it is not clear if any channel will replace it in the subscription package.
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Men & Motors begins video testing

A video preview for Men & Motors has now started on Freeview channel 38. The channel will start broadcasting at 18:00 on May 2.
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ITV News Channel returns to the North

The ITV News Channel has now returned to the Granada, Tyne Tees and Yorkshire ITV regions after being taken off-air to allow engineering work to take place. It is also available in the London and Central regions on Freeview.
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Men & Motors appears on Freeview

A placeholder for Men & Motors has appeared on Freeview channel 38. The channel launches "soon".
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ITV News Channel returns to Central region

The ITV News Channel has returned to the Central ITV region following the completion of engineering work. The channel is also available on Freeview in London.
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Channel 4 win new Freeview slot

All-but confirming one of the worst-kept secrets in DTT, Digital Spy report that Channel 4 have successfully bid for the Freeview slot recently made available by Crown Castle on multiplex C. Rumours suggest they may launch E4 on Freeview, a new film channel in association with the BBC, or a gaming channel.

Men & Motors to launch in May

ITV's Men & Motors will launch on Freeview next month on the Freeview slot recently made available on multiplex D. The channel is a temporary measure until ITV4 launches later in the year, although the new channel will no longer replace Men & Motors: the two channels will co-exist following changes to the planned format of ITV4.
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Xtraview - Top Up TV for £1 a day

Top Up TV have launched a website for a forthcoming new service Xtraview (channel 36). For £1 per day, viewers will be able to watch a sample of channels broadcast on the Top Up TV service. A viewing card is not required as the system will use the same MHEG encryption techniques as Red Hot. The channel will broadcast between 06:00 and 23:00.
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Men & Motors to launch on Freeview

MediaGuardian has confirmed that ITV have won the latest Freeview channel slot, and that they will launch Men & Motors on Freeview as a temporary measure until the launch of ITV4 later this year. In other news, a Teletext on ITV placeholder now appears on all ITV channels when you press the "text" button.

ABC1 broadcasting widescreen adverts

Just over six months after launching on Freeview, ABC1 has begun broadcasting advertisements. The commercials are broadcast in widescreen, even though all the channel's programmes are filmed in 4:3.
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New look BBCi arrives on Freeview

BBCi has been given a new look on Freeview. changes include a new "bridge" menu, a new logo and "fastext"-style buttons along the bottom of the screen. No new content has been added.

Switchover begins!

Two Welsh villages taking part in a digital television trial will have analogue television switched off tomorrow (except BBC Two Wales, as only BBC 2W is available on Freeview). Ferryside and Llansteffan have been trialling digital TV with free set-top boxes for months, and 98% of residents voted to be the first places in the UK to fully switch to digital.
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ABC1 tests widescreen

ABC1 has been broadcasting widescreen switching signals in preparation for carrying advertisements in widescreen from April 1. The channel has already altered its schedule in preparation for the forthcoming ad breaks.
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Xtraview appears

The Top Up TV Sampler channel has been renamed Xtraview. The channel, still connected to Top Up TV, ceased video and audio broadcasts a few days ago.
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Teletext C becomes Teletext Cars

"Teletext C" has been renamed Teletext Cars on channel 56, but the service is yet to fully launch. The Teletext TV Guide (previously channel 54) has been removed from the EPG. The Top Up TV Sampler channel has also stopped broadcasting.
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ITV win one slot, Channel 4 to win the other

ITV have won the first channel slot aution for a slot on multiplex D, and Channel 4 are expected to win the second slot on multiplex C. ITV will use the space to launch a replacement to pay-television channel Men & Motors called ITV4, which could launch as early as next month on Freeview, digital satellite and cable.
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BBCi gets a new badge

BBCi, the BBC's text and interactive service is to be given a new look on Freeview in the next few weeks. The new logo, featuring a "red button", differentiates the service from the BBC website (formerly known as BBCi).
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Another Freeview slot up for offer

Crown Castle are planning to make another Freeview channel available, this time on Multiplex C, in the next few months, according to Broadcast. An announcement on the winner of the transmission company's first auction is expected shortly: Channel 4 and ITV are the favourites to win.
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Top Up TV has 160,000 subscribers

Digital Spy has revealed that pay-television service Top Up TV has attracted 160,000 subscribers since launching in April last year. It is estimated that there are currently around one million receivers that are capable of viewing the service. Top Up TV has a break-even target of 250,000 subscribers.

Red Hot launches

Adult entertainment channel Red Hot has launched as a pay-per-view channel on DTT. A compatible DTT receiver is required to view the service, charged at £5.99/night. No subscription to Top Up TV is required. The channel has already proved controversial: lawyers acting on behalf of Freeview (the company) have already taken legal action against the channel, as their website used the Freeview logo without permission.
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Ofcom announces switchover plans

Ofcom have published proposals for the switchover to digital television. Under the plans, which are based on the ITV broadcast regions: Wales, Westcountry and Border will be the first to switch off the analogue signal in 2008; Granada, West, Grampian and Scottish will switch in 2009; Central, Yorkshire, Anglia in 2010; Meridian, London, Tyne Tees and Ulster in 2011; the Channel Islands will be the last to convert in 2012.
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Teachers' TV launches on Freeview

Teachers's TV has launched on Freeview channel 47, and will broadcast daily from 00:00 (midnight) to 06:00. The channel is available 24-hours a day on satellite and cable.
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E4 to switch to Freeview?

E4 could become free on all digital platforms, including Freeview, by the end of the year, according to reports. Channel 4 are reported as saying that it is a simply a case of when, and not if, E4 will become a solely advertising-funded channel. The channel is currently broadcast on subscription service Top Up TV.

Teachers' TV, Red Hot appear on Freeview

Two new channels have appeared on Freeview: Teachers' TV (channel 47) and Red Hot (channel 61), both from multiplex A. Teachers' TV launches on Freeview at midnight on February 9 (broadcasting from 00:00 to 06:00 daily).
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