CSC Media-owned True Entertainment, which was formerly Showcase TV, will offer a schedule of ‘true to life’ programming, including true story films and dramatised documentaries.

Showcase, which is a new channel from Information TV, will offer a broad mix of drama, music and [...]]]> True Entertainment (EPG 142) and Showcase (EPG 403) have today gone live on Freesat

CSC Media-owned True Entertainment, which was formerly Showcase TV, will offer a schedule of ‘true to life’ programming, including true story films and dramatised documentaries.

Showcase, which is a new channel from Information TV, will offer a broad mix of drama, music and science fiction programming.

Freesat’s head of channels Mark Briggs commented:

“The exciting launch of both of these channels to the Freesat service further emphasises our dedication to delivering real choice and high quality entertainment to our viewers,”

“True Entertainment and Showcase complement our existing entertainment and lifestyle lineups perfectly and we expect them to prove popular with our audience.”

Information TV commercial director Tony Blin-Stoyle commented:

“We’re delighted that Showcase is now on Freesat, a platform that offers access to a million new viewers.

“As our channels develop and we bring new programmes and formats to digital television, it is essential that the viewer can choose where they want to watch them.”

CSC managing director Remy Minute added:

“True Entertainment features rich and rewarding programming that we’re sure Freesat viewers will love.”

You will need to force a re tune if your receiver or TV does not prompt you.

The news channel beat the BBC News channel, Bloomberg, CNN and BBC Radio 5 Live to the accolade.

Best Entertainment Channel went to E4 ahead of BBC HD, BBC Three and ITV2, while ‘Best Music Channel’ was given to urban music [...]]]> Al-Jazeera English was named Best News Channel at the second annual Freesat Awards held in London

The news channel beat the BBC News channel, Bloomberg, CNN and BBC Radio 5 Live to the accolade.

Best Entertainment Channel went to E4 ahead of BBC HD, BBC Three and ITV2, while ‘Best Music Channel’ was given to urban music network Flava.

Food Network UK was a very popular choice as Best Lifestyle Channel, and the Horror Channel took home the accolade for Best Themed Channel.

BBC Cbeebies won the Best Children’s Channel competing against CBBC, along with Kix and Milkshake.

Best Shopping Channel was awarded to QVC, while the Judges’ Special Award went to ITV1 HD.

In the viewer-voted categories, shopping channel Ideal World was named TV Channel Of The Year and Planet Rock scooped Radio Station Of The Year.

Freesat managing director Emma Scott commented:

“I’d like to congratulate all the winners honoured for their massive contribution to Freesat’s continued success,”

“We”re proud to celebrate the original, high quality programming that keeps our audience entertained and informed and we look forward to bringing viewers even more exciting channels and services in the future.”

BBC One HD, which will simulcast a network version of the BBC One schedule for the first time, will see some of the BBC’s most loved programmes including EastEnders, Holby City, The One Show, The Apprentice, The [...]]]> The BBC today announces it will be launching a simulcast of BBC One in high definition (HD) this Autumn.

BBC One HD, which will simulcast a network version of the BBC One schedule for the first time, will see some of the BBC’s most loved programmes including EastEnders, Holby City, The One Show, The Apprentice, The Weakest Link and QI move to HD by the end of the year. They will be broadcast alongside Autumn schedule highlights including Strictly Come Dancing, Human Planet and Waterloo Road.

Plans are also underway for HD moves for Songs Of Praise and Casualty, as well as Match Of The Day, A Question Of Sport, and Blue Peter.

BBC One in HD will be made available to all digital television platforms offering HD channels – Freesat, Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media.

It will be in addition to the existing BBC HD channel, which will showcase the best of the rest of the BBC in HD. It is also announced today that the BBC HD Channel itself will extend its regular broadcast hours over the coming months from around nine hours a day to 12.

The BBC is charged with “delivering to the public the benefit of emerging communications technologies and services” under its Royal Charter. With today’s announcement, the BBC continues its transition to deliver all its programmes in HD, with BBC One leading the way.

Jana Bennett, Director BBC Vision, says:

“BBC HD has established itself as the most popular HD service, and these changes are important next steps in improving that service still further, providing an opportunity to showcase the wide variety of BBC programmes in the highest possible quality. We recognise that audiences have already been enjoying many of their favourite programmes in HD, and I’m delighted that we can now broaden their choice.”

Danielle Nagler, Head of BBC HD, says:

 ”HD is the future of television: people who have HD have clearly told us that they want more of their licence fee-funded content in HD. I’m delighted that the HD simulcast of BBC One will become available on satellite, on cable, and now also on Freeview’s new HD service. This is a key moment for us on the journey to HD becoming the norm for all our programmes and channels.

“Audiences have already been enjoying many BBC One programmes in HD on our existing HD channel and the arrival of BBC One simulcast in HD will make it easier for them to find the programmes they love in high definition. BBC HD – the most popular HD channel in the UK – will continue to show programmes from across all BBC channels.”

Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, says:

“HD is the gold standard for broadcasting, and it’s right that we bring all the excitement of HD to BBC One – the most watched channel in the UK.

“BBC One HD will bring families together for shared viewing of their favourite programmes from EastEnders and Strictly Come Dancing to The One Show, in incredible and vivid detail.”

The Autumn launch is the first stage in delivering BBC One in HD. The majority of programmes in the BBC One network evening schedule will be available in HD at launch, and by 2012 it is expected that the vast majority of all BBC One titles across all hours will be in HD.

The BBC’s existing HD Channel will continue to remain home to the best of the BBC’s programmes from across all its channels, including Top Gear, the Proms, Later… With Jools Holland, The Culture Show, Dragons’ Den, Being Human, Mad Men, sporting programmes including Wimbledon, as well as CBeebies favourites In The Night Garden and ZingZillas.

Around 70 per cent of the total TV sales for the quarter were HD ready (2.33 million), with quarter 4 also seeing the highest quarterly sales of TV sets so far (3.36 [...]]]> Sales of HD ready TVs reached almost 23 million by the end of 2009, Ofcom’s Digital Progress Report for Quarter 4 2009 today revealed.

Around 70 per cent of the total TV sales for the quarter were HD ready (2.33 million), with quarter 4 also seeing the highest quarterly sales of TV sets so far (3.36 million).

The report also revealed that:

• Sky added 482,000 extra subscribers to its HD service, the highest quarterly additions to date. Total HD subscriptions are now almost 2.1 million equivalent to around 21 per cent of its customer base (up from 8.4 per cent in Q4 2008).
• Virgin’s V+ HD service added 112,700 subscribers to reach 862,000 by the end of 2009, equivalent to 23 per cent of its TV subscriber base (up from 14 per cent in Q4 2008).
• High Definition receivers accounted for 80 per cent of BBC/ITV freesat sales by the end of the quarter, equivalent to around 720,000 sales.
• In March this year, 4.5 million homes received Freeview HD coverage for the first time, including the cities of Birmingham, Leeds and Cardiff.

The report also showed that digital TV had reached 91.4 per cent of UK homes.

The full report can be found here: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/tv/reports/dtv/dtv_2009_q4/

Freesat, the free-to-air satellite TV service, will become home to the first ever HD World Cup with matches being shared by BBC HD and ITV1 HD this summer. For a one-off payment of just £68 [...]]]> Football news, views and a comprehensive match planner– helping to get UK viewers prepared for the first ever HD World Cup

Freesat, the free-to-air satellite TV service, will become home to the first ever HD World Cup with matches being shared by BBC HD and ITV1 HD this summer. For a one-off payment of just £68 viewers can upgrade their World Cup viewing to high definition and enjoy it all completely subscription free with Freesat. The new online guide – at freesat.co.uk/worldcup - will feature a range of football content to help people get ready for the tournament, including exclusive news blogs from Match of the Day’s Lee Dixon.

‘Freesat is offering everything World Cup followers need this summer’ says Lee Dixon. ‘Not only will they be showing games in HD but their online guide will feature a host of information to ensure everyone is set for the beautiful game – from comprehensive match planners to brilliant world cup facts to impress your mates. Plus, on my personal blog you’ll find my views and analysis on stories as they emerge from the England camp, predictions for the group stages and my view on who could be this year’s champions’.

With Freesat everyone can watch this festival of football in HD from as little as £68, wherever they live in the UK. With no contract, no monthly bills to pay, just a one-off payment, Freesat makes substituting your standard TV for High definition hassle-free. HD really brings football on TV to life, making viewers at home feel like part of the action. From high speed tackles to that breathtaking golden goal – you won’t miss a thing watching in pin sharp clarity.

With the World Cup now only 72 days away, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll be watching the summer’s premiere sporting event and where to get the best deal to get the most out of your HD ready TV this summer.

Freesat enjoyed an excellent Christmas and New Year, increasing sales by 250,000 over [...]]]>

Subscription-free digital satellite TV service, Freesat, has delivered 1 million sales in a little over 18 months since its launch in May 2008. 

Freesat enjoyed an excellent Christmas and New Year, increasing sales by 250,000 over Christmas and New Year. As a result, the service now accounts for 30 percent of all set top boxes (STB) sold in the UK based on value.

The majority of Freesat sales have come from homes with existing satellite dishes, with 40 percent of all sales coming from Sky homes.

Emma Scott, managing director of Freesat comments, “Hitting 1 million sales is significant milestone for Freesat and gives us a great foundation for further growth, specifically with the millions of UK homes that have HD TVs but no HD service. 

“Freesat is a great opportunity for the millions of homes with existing satellite dishes who are used to quality TV but no longer want to pay a monthly subscription for it and we continue to see an increasing number of viewers moving across from pay TV.”

“Much of what we’re now working on is paving the way for next generation free TV with innovations like BBC iPlayer and ITV Player. We will continue to add value to the service by integrating Canvas if approved by the BBC Trust and we are following Ofcom’s Pay TV review with interest.”

John Cresswell, interim Chief Executive, ITV plc, said, “We’re delighted with Freesat’s success – a million sales in less than two years is a terrific achievement. Freesat is an important distribution platform for ITV, providing our audiences with next generation free HD services and the capability for further development. We’re confident Freesat will continue to go from strength to strength.”

 Mark Thompson, Director-General, BBC, said, “The development of Freesat has extended the choices available to viewers in allowing them to receive all of the BBC’s digital channels including BBC HD. I’m pleased to see that they have reached this latest landmark, meaning that more people are enjoying quality BBC content.”

ITV launches its new channel, ITV1 HD, on April 2nd 2010, which will broadcast ITV1’s schedule in high definition for the first time.

ITV this week reached commercial agreement with Sky and Virgin Media for carriage of the new channel. ITV1 HD will also launch on [...]]]> New ITV1 HD channel available on Freesat, Freeview, Sky and Virgin

ITV launches its new channel, ITV1 HD, on April 2nd 2010, which will broadcast ITV1’s schedule in high definition for the first time.

ITV this week reached commercial agreement with Sky and Virgin Media for carriage of the new channel. ITV1 HD will also launch on Freeview*; and Freesat, where it will move from a red button service to a standalone channel for the first time.   The new deals mean that ITV1 HD will be available on all major high definition platforms ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

The ITV1 schedule will be simulcast on the new channel, with the majority of peak time content available in ‘native’ HD, including all live football, and an increasing range of drama, factual and entertainment programming.  Other ITV1 content including GMTV and the daytime schedule, will be ‘upscaled’ – giving viewers a better than ever experience of the nation’s most popular commercial channel.

Upcoming highlights on ITV1 HD will include the final stages of the UEFA Champions League and The FA Cup as well as England internationals and the FIFA World Cup 2010.  HD dramas include Father & Son, Law and Order: UK, Identity, The Prisoner, Foyles War and Lewis.  In factual programming there’s the chance to see Joanna Lumley’s Nile, Greatest Cities of the World with Griff Rhys Jones, and the brand new Survival with Ray Mears all in pure HD.  And, for HD entertainment there’s The Whole 19 Yards, 71 Degrees North, Soccer Aid and the UK’s biggest TV show, Britain’s Got Talent.  ITV1’s Prime Ministerial debate will also be shown in HD.

Peter Fincham, ITV Director of Television, Channels and Online, said:

 “The availability of high definition content is something viewers have come to expect as standard and, as we approach the 2010 World Cup, I’m delighted that we are able to launch our new channel, ITV1 HD, on all major platforms.

“All of our output will benefit from the stunning picture quality that high definition offers, whether it’s ITV’s original drama, landmark factual shows, entertainment events or our live football.”

Notes to Editors:

ITV1 HD will be available on the following EPG numbers:

Freesat   119
Freeview  51
Sky       178
Virgin    113