We recently reported on Freeview’s plans to bring forward their launch of high definition TV (HDTV) on Freeview in time for the World Cup next summer. The plan is for Freeview HD to be available in 40% of homes in Britain by June next year, with the new HD enabled Freeview boxes to retail for about £200.
The plan is that they will show high definition content from BBC, ITV and Channel 4 after the public service broadcasters were granted licences by Ofcom to launch HD services on digital terrestrial television. Freeview multiplex B is to be reconfigured, in line with digital switchover, to carry three HD services: one each from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and Spare spectrum in major cities could be used to launch HD services earlier than regional switchover dates would ordinarily permit.
However Channel 4 CEO Andy Duncan told the House of Commons Culture Select Committee that both broadcasters were talking to the BBC about funding options. “I would say there’s a problem for us and for ITV in terms of the funding going forward,” he admitted.
Channel 4, which will share its slot in Wales with S4C Digidol, said it may offer an on-demand service or sub-let capacity during overnight hours. At other times, the channel would carry HD programming from Channel 4. ITV, which operates a red-button HD service exclusively available on Freesat, plans to broadcast ITV1′s primetime schedule in HD on Freeview, sub-letting its capacity outside prime to other providers.
In addition, a spokesperson for ITV said the broadcaster was continuing “to explore the viability of launching an HD service on Freeview”. This leaves just BBC apparently on track to launch their HDTV proposition on Freeview without a hiccup.
This will be welcome news to Sky, who currently lead the way in high definition TV (HDTV) with their Sky+HD service which currently offers 33 HD channels for an extra £9.75 per month in addition to the underlying Sky TV subscription cost.