Channels Timeline
80 results.
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23-09-1998 BBC Choice launches
Today saw the launch of the BBC's first new channel in 34 years. BBC Choice, the group's new digital channel, launched at midday. It will be available on all digital platforms - digital TV through an aerial, digital satellite and digital cable.
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28-09-1998 Digital TV line-ups unveiled
The race to provide digital television services in the UK is on, with two rival companies launching packages this week.
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28-09-1998 ONdigital announces channel packages and launch date
ONdigital announced that it is to launch its digital service on the 15th November, and also unveiled the package deals for its new service.
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08-10-1998 Pace receivers launch BBC Choice digital channel
To support the launch of the BBC's new digital TV channel, BBC Choice, Pace Micro Technology provided both the digital satellite and terrestrial receivers for the BBC, to enable a live demonstration at launch.
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08-12-1998 ITV stretches its digits
Pop star Billie and footballer-turned-film star Vinnie Jones launched ITV's new digital channel on Monday.
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01-07-1999 MTV launches ONdigital
MTV begins transmission as a primary channel on channel 30.
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22-10-1999 SKY Sports 2 ONdigital from November 1
ONdigital announces that Sky has agreed to supply the Sky Sports 2 channel for broadcast by ONdigital from November 1.
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01-11-1999 Sky Sports 2 launches ONdigital
ONdigital now offers its customers an unbeatable choice of sports channels with Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports 3 and British Eurosport.
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11-01-2000 ONdigital and SDN sign pay-per-view deal
SDN and ONdigital today announce that the formal agreement for their joint venture to launch digital terrestrial pay per view services (PPV) has been signed. The service, to be branded ONrequest, will offer up to five channels of top class movies and other events on a pay as you go basis.
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27-04-2000 ONrequest - Pay Per View Service goes on air on 1st May 2000
ONrequest (the joint venture between ONdigital and SDN) will broadcast the world's first digital terrestrial Pay Per View movie at 12noon on 1st May 2000. The multi-Oscar winner Shakespeare in Love and children's cult film The Rugrats Movie will be the first titles screened.
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01-05-2000 ONrequest launches
ONrequest (the joint venture between ONdigital and SDN) broadcast the world's first digital terrestrial Pay Per View movie at 12noon. Shakespeare in Love and children's cult film The Rugrats Movie were the first titles screened.
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11-05-2000 Travel with SDN
It would appear SDN is to launch TV Travel Shop on digital terrestrial television, an 'add channels' puts the channel on number 44. Broadcast details of this channel are currently unknown.
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15-05-2000 Second shopping channel launches
TV travel Shop launched today at 6am from channel 44 on the SDN multiplex. It is to be broadcast FTA from 6am-12noon weekdays and 6am-10am weekdays, sharing capacity with ONrequest 2.
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03-06-2000 Sky solves rights issue?
It appears that Sky Premier has resolved some of its rights issues. Two movie studios have previously claimed that Sky didn't have "Terrestrial" rights to their movies. Therefore, when movies from these two studio are shown via Sky Premier ONdigital customers receive an "alternative" film. However, Karate Kid 3, 3 Ninjas and Primary Colours which have previously been blocked from the ONdigital version were aired on 2nd June 2000. This follows recent observations by ONdigital viewers that previously blocked films have appeared in June's channel listings.
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08-06-2000 More games available
ONgames2 has launched today on channel 46. The new games are Dr Quiztoast and Memory Jnr.
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08-06-2000 Tune into your money
The channel number for Simply Money has now been made live using channel 43. The channel will launch on Monday 12 June 2000 at 7am. Exact operating hours of the channel have not yet been confirmed. This channel will using channel capacity while one of the ONrequest channels is off the air. (Currently TV Travel Shop uses capacity when ONrequest 1 is off the air.) To add the channel you need to perform an "add channels" operation on your idTV or Set Top Box.
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12-06-2000 No launch for Simply Money today
Simply Money failed to make its launch date today. Instead an SDN Test Transmission screen was shown on the bark background. The now & next, guide now reports that the channel will launch tomorrow.
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13-06-2000 It Simply isn't Money!
Again, Simply Money failed to launch again today. The SDN Test Transmission was again shown with the bark background. However, the ONscreen Guide states that the channel is now broadcasting 7am to 10am (the same broadcasting hours as Sky Digital).
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21-06-2000 Finally it starts!
Simple Money finally launched today at 7am, the news reader welcomed ONdigital viewers to the channel.
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01-07-2000 ITN make launch plans
ITN have now announced that their 24 hour news service will be launched on 1 August 2000. However, due to capacity reasons the channel will only initially only be available in the morning hours via DTT.
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11-07-2000 Fifth digital game added
A new game has been added to ONgames2. The new game has been sponsored by Sunny Delight.
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25-07-2000 ITN - tune it in
The new ITN news channel is now available. To add the new channel you need to carry out the add channels function on your ONdigital Set Top Box. The channel has been allocated the channel number of 48. Exact start details and broadcasting hours via DTT are a bit sketchy. The 24 hour services launches on 1st August 2000 via cable and digital satellite.
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01-08-2000 ITN not launching today
Channel 48 (ITN's channel number) was showing a screen this morning showing that the channel launches at 13:30 today. However, the launch will not be shown via the DTT network. ITN's broadcasting hours via DTT are 6am to 9am.
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02-08-2000 ITN finally launches
The ITN news channel has been seen for the first time by viewers on the DTT network. DTT viewers are the last digital viewers to have been able to be see the channel. ITN is available 24 hours on ALL other digital platforms.
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03-08-2000 New game
Vegas Poker is now available via ONgames1. The menu for ONgames1 has changed so it is the same as ONgames2. ONgames1 still uses Mediahighway software while ONgames2 uses MHEG-5. ONgames1 uses the older software as some idTV's and Set Top Boxes still haven't had the software upgrade which incorporates MHEG-5.
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25-08-2000 Prizes from the toaster and a new game!
During September ONgames2 will be giving you the opportunity to win a family (2 adults, 2 children) holiday to Orlando. All you need to do is play Dr Quiztoast Prize Edition and answer 7 out of the 10 questions correctly. 160 runners up will receive the latest Polaroid i-zone camera. Some time during September ONgames2 will have a new game called Forest Fire Fight. The aim of the game is to extinguish all of the fire and is aimed at older children and adults. Expect the SunnyD Ball game to be removed shortly.
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17-10-2000 Two Way TV channel to launch on ONdigital
Digital terrestrial broadcaster ONdigital is to add the Two Way TV channel of interactive games and entertainment to its service from January 2001.
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01-01-2001 Nickelodeon and the Paramount Comedy Channel launch ONdigital
Nickelodeon and the Paramount Comedy Channel both joined the ONdigital line-up today as primary channels.
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18-01-2001 E4 launches ONdigital
E4 launched today, as a primary channel option. It will carry first run episodes of some of the most popular programmes on multi-channel television - including Friends, ER and Ally McBeal.
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12-02-2001 Two Way TV to co-develop TV games with Infogrames
Interactive TV specialist Two Way TV has joined forces with top games developer Infogrames to co-produce games for the Two Way TV channel.
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25-04-2001 ITV sport channel goes to the heart of football
ITV starts countdown to new sport channel launch in August.
A new pay TV sports channel that will offer the very best in European club football and revolutionise domestic coverage for millions of fans was unveiled today by ITV.
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03-07-2001 ITV Sport Channel captures Smith and announces weekend line-up
The ITV Sport Channel has announced the schedule for its launch weekend next month and also the first of its presenters.
The channel will kick-off with two live Football League Division One games over its first weekend including the mouth-watering clash between Manchester City and Watford at Maine Road, as well as separate in-depth highlight shows for all three Nationwide Divisions, exclusive tennis from the USA and top quality international snooker.
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10-07-2001 ITV to rebrand as ITV1
ITV Network is to be rebranded as ITV1 later this year to reflect the extended family of brands created by the alignment with digital terrestrial platform ONdigital. ITV Chief Executive Stuart Prebble today announced the rebranding strategy, and confirmed that ONdigital will become ITV Digital on 11 July. ONnet, the internet on TV service, will become ITV Active from the same date.
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11-08-2001 ITV Sport Channel launches
The ITV Sport Channel, the first premium sport channel to be launched for a decade, launched today on ITV Digital as a premium channel. It will carry live matches from the UEFA Champions League, the Nationwide Football League and the Worthington Cup for £6.99 a month.
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23-08-2001 Shop American gone
Shopping channel Shop American is now no longer broadcasting on the digital terrestrial service. After a short-lived stay of just only a week, channel 35, Taste CFN, has resumed broadcasting a display of Taste CFN's programme schedule.
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27-08-2001 BBC Knowledge multiplex move on the way
In a press release from the BBC, it has emerged that sometime in October this year BBC Knowledge will be moved from multiplex A (operated by SDN) to multiplex 1 (operated by the BBC).
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12-10-2001 Discovery Channel joins ITV Digital
Discovery Channel, one of the premier brands in multichannel TV, is to join the ITV line up of primary channels from November 18th.
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18-11-2001 Discovery Channel launches
The Discovery Channel joined the ITV Digital lineup today as a primary channel.
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01-12-2001 First Day without Taste CFN
Today is the first day on the DTT without Taste CFN. After starting 5 years ago on analogue cable and being broadcast from the start of DTT in 1998, last night at 23:58 (after a day full of never-before seen programming), an announcement appeared on screen - 'To all loyal viewers, thank you and goodbye'. Then at midnight, ITV Digital displayed a message 'Taste CFN has stoped broadcasting, look out for an announcement in New Year' .
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11-12-2001 SDN BBC Knowledge ends
Having broadcast since June 1999 from the SDN operated multiplex A, BBC Knowledge is now no-longer transmitted on it. BBC Knowledge is now only available from the BBC's own multiplex 1 on channel 13. It stills remains unclear as to what will the space left vacant by BBC Knowledge's departure. Channel 800 should be removed from the line-up later this week.
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31-12-2001 Two Way TV shut down
At 4pm today Two Way TV ceased to provide a games service on DTT. This is the first time since June 1999 that there has not been an interactive games service available on the platform.
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31-12-2001 Wellbeing shut down
At 9pm today Wellbeing closed down for the last time. It remains to be seen what channel will replace it.
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07-01-2002 TV Travel Shop for half the day
TV Travel Shop, SDN and ITV Select have reached an agreement to extended the broadcast hours of TV Travel Shop as of today from 06.00 - 12.00 (06.00 - 10.00 at weekends) to broadcast seven days a week 06.00 - 18.00. As a consequence it was decided to reduce the broadcast hours of ITV Select 2 to begin broadcasting at 18.00 all week instead.
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11-01-2002 Best Direct on DTT
Shopping channel Best Direct is now available on ITV Digital to subscribers of one or all of the Sky Sports channels. The shopping channel is broadcast from the closedown of Sky Sports 3 for an hour and a half after Sky Sports 3 closes, and is then broadcast again one hour and forty-five minutes before Sky Sports 3 is due to start broadcasting, only for Best Direct to close again fithteen minutes before Sky Sports 3 is due to start broadcasting.
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17-01-2002 Granada Breeze to finally blow-out
In a press release ITV Digital have confirmed that the channel Granada Breeze will no longer be broadcast to digital terrestrial after 21.00 on Thursday 31st January. Granada Men and Motors will, however, continue to broadcast on channel 31 after this date and the broadcast of this channel is not affected by the Granada Breeze closure on this platform. The closure of Granada Breeze was originally reported by DTT News on 06/12/01 as being due to take place on 07/12/01, however it is thought the delay in the channels removal was part of last-ditch talks between ITV Digital and Granada Sky Broadcasting to keep the channel available on the digital terrestrial service.
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26-01-2002 ITV Select on 47
Channel 47, former position of the now closed Wellbeing channel, has this morning started to show continuous trailers for ITV Select, with a scrolling message informing viewers to go to the ITV Select Info channel for more information, or to order a film. The trailers which are on-air 09.00 - 21.00, are likely to be broadcast until a replacement channel has joined the ITV Digital line-up.
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26-01-2002 Northern Ireland gets more ITV
The UTV2 channel (originally launched as TV-You) has now ceased broadcasting to viewers in Northern Ireland, and has been replaced by ITV2. UTV has now agreed carriage of the ITV Sport Channel on multiplex 2 in Northern Ireland, meaning the channel is now available to all ITV Digital subscribers across the UK.
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31-01-2002 Two Way almost gone
Performing a 'store channels' function now removes channel 46 (formerly Two Way TV) from the line-up. The channel, which now simply has a screen advertising ITV Active has moved to channel number 802, where it is expected to be removed from the line-up totally in the next few days.
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31-01-2002 Breeze sails into sun-set
Today at 9pm the lifestyle channel Granada Breeze closed-down for the last time after being on the digital terrestrial platform since it launched in November 1998. Currently there have been no confirmations from ITV Digital as what is likely to fill the broadcast space used by Granada Breeze. An 'add channels' now renames the channel banner from saying 'BreezeMen&Mtrs' to simply, 'men&motors'.
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01-02-2002 ITN extend hours
The ITN News Channel today extended its broadcast hours on the digital terrestrial service. The channel which used to close at 09.00 to give bandwidth to ITV Select 4 and Television X later at night, will now close at 18.00 daily. The decision was made by SDN (who have interests in ITV Select) to make ITV Select 4 start broadcasts at 19.00 as a result. Welsh viewers should note that the ITN News Channel will still close at 09.00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays due to the broadcasts of S4C2. The ITN News Channel cannot broadcast beyond 18.00 currently, due to capacity being required by TeleG for Scottish viewers between 18.00 - 19.00. The now & next service now also lists which individual newsreaders are to be on-air.
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06-02-2002 New BBC channel numbers
At midnight tonight the channel line-up will change to alter the numbers of certain BBC channels. The BBCi channel will move to channel 17, with BBC Parliament moving to channel 45. BBC Knowledge will have its banner changed to 'BBC4' (ahead of the launch of the channel) and will move to channel 10. CBBC and Cbeebies, which are currently testing will move to channels 12 and 13 ahead of their respective launches.
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06-02-2002 For Adults Only 3 launch date set
It has been confirmed to DTT News that For Adults Only 3 will launch this Thursday at 11pm. The launch of this channel means that ITV Select 1 will no-longer broadcast beyond that time.
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08-02-2002 ITV Text+ closes
After a period of nearly a year of broadcasting, the ITV Text+ service has been officially closed today. ITV Text+ has also vacated channel 16, and for a short while can be found on either channel 800 or 801 depending on your transmitter.
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08-04-2002 Last four hours to Shop!
The first ever digital terrestrial shopping channel, Shop! will finally go on-air at 12pm only to close its doors for business at 4pm this afternoon. The channel, originally broadcasting from multiplex D and on channel 36 as a "bonus" for ONdigital subscribers. It was moved in the autumn of 1999 to multiplex A and channel 19, whereby it became free-to-air at the same time.
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09-04-2002 QVC to replace Shop!
At 10pm this evening the screen informing viewers that Shop! has closed was replaced by one stating that QVC will begin at 9am tomorrow morning. The image is also accompanied by a selection of short classical tunes. QVC will be the fifth shopping channel to launch in the UK's digital terrestrial broadcast history.
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10-04-2002 QVC commence broadcasts
At 9am QVC commenced broadcasts on the digital terrestrial service for the first time.
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22-04-2002 ITV Select suspends broadcasts
At 22:00 tonight, ITV Select 1-4 and the ITV Select Info Channel in addition to the ITV Select promos on channel 47 went off-air. Channel 47 is currently displaying the Al and Monkey testcard, whilst some of the channels, including the For Adults Only channels started to display a black screen with white text stating that "This service will not be transmitting for the time being". ITV Select 5 and ITV Sport Select continue to display their usual MHEG5 off-air screens. All pay-per-view ordering information from the ITV Select EPG has been removed.
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01-05-2002 Channels come to a close
As expected at 7am, all channels on the three ITV Digital multiplexes came to a close. They have been replaced by a screen from ITV Digital, informing viewers of the service's closure. Most of the 24 hour channels where turned-off just after 6.57am, making Carlton Cinema the last subscription channel to be turned off. Meanwhile, E4 and FilmFour, from multiplex 2, still remain broadcasting.
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02-05-2002 TV Travel Shop for longer
Holiday shopping channel, TV Travel Shop has taken advantage of ITV Select's closure by making a deal with SDN for the channel to be broadcast 24 hours a day, rather than the previous 6am - 6pm arrangement. The on-screen now/next information has yet to be updated with extended listings information for the channel, though this should change in the next few days. As a consequence of TV Travel Shop being broadcast 24 hours, ITV Select 2 now its close-down screen broadcast in MHEG5 around the clock.
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03-05-2002 ITV Sport to go off air
The ITV Sport channel is to close on 11 May following the collapse of ITV Digital.
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11-05-2002 ITV Sport Channel shuts down
Just before 4pm this afternoon, the ITV Sport Channel closed down for the last time, after launching only nine months ago to this day. The channel is currently broadcasting a notice stating that it has closed.
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18-05-2002 Television X ceases DTT broadcasting
The 'adult entertainment' channel, Television X has ceased broadcasting on the digital terrestrial service, this is despite now/next information still being transmitted for the channel, as well as the usual off-air screen inviting people to subscribe to the channel.
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22-05-2002 ITV Select channels removed
Around a month after the ITV Select and For Adults Only TV services had suspended broadcasting, this evening the channel information for them had finally stopped being transmitted from the SDN multiplex. Performing a 'store channels' will remove the channels from your line-up.
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24-05-2002 Channel 4 suspend pay services
Today Channel 4 suspended broadcasts of FilmFour on E4 on the digital terrestrial platform. The channels are currently displaying a message advising viewers to call 0800 064 4114 to continue watching the channel through digital satellite or cable. It is expected, however, that the two channels will resume broadcasting if Channel 4 are able to come to an agreement with any of the future licensees of multiplexes B, C or D.
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01-06-2002 ITN cut broadcast hours
The ITN News Channel has reverted back to broadcasting on a 05.30 - 09.00 basis, instead of broadcasting until 18.00 as it had done for the past few months. The move has almost certainly quashed rumours that the channel was negotiating with SDN for 24 hour broadcast carriage.
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27-01-2005 Bidding war over Freeview slot begins
The bidding battle for a new Freeview channel has commenced. Reports say ITV and Channel 4 are both considering multi-million pound offers for the newly created channel slot, which is being sold by Freeview co-owner Crown Castle UK.
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04-03-2005 Crown Castle frees new Freeview slot
As Crown Castle prepares to announce the winner of its spare channel slot on the digital terrestrial platform, the Freeview co-owner is said to be ready to invite bids for another new channel.
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08-04-2005 Channel 4 Board Confirms Launch of More4
Channel 4 today confirms the launch of More4, its planned public service free-to-air digital channel. The new channel, due on air in October 2005, will have an annual programming budget of £33 million at launch.
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26-04-2005 Channel 4 to Launch E4 on Freeview
Channel 4 has today confirmed that it will launch its digital entertainment channel, E4, on the Freeview platform to coincide with the start of the sixth series of Big Brother at the end of May.
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02-05-2005 Men & Motors launches on Freeview
At 11am this morning, Men & Motors launched on Freeview LCN 38.
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31-05-2005 British Eurosport launches on Top Up TV
British Eurosport launched on Top Up TV today as a replacement for E4, which became part of Freeview on the 27th. British Europsort is on LCN 49, and will broadcast between 2pm and 11pm daily.
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30-07-2005 Setanta Sports launches on Top Up TV
Setana Sports PPV Live Scottish Premierleague football became available today on Setanta Sports in Scottish and Grampian regions (LCN 57).
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16-08-2005 Quiz Call placeholder appears on DTT channel 37
A placeholder for Quiz Call today appeared on the DTT lineup, on LCN 37.
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29-08-2005 Xtraview closes
Xtraview, the pay-per-view Top Up TV taster channel, closed today at 11pm.
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30-08-2005 Quiz Call launches
Quiz Call launched today at noon on LCN 37.
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10-10-2005 More4 Launches
More4, the new adult entertainment channel from Channel 4, launched today at 8pm.
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18-10-2005 DTT EPG shuffle
There were major LCN changes on the DTT platform today.
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31-10-2005 Sky Three Launches
At 5pm today, on the Freeview platform, Sky Travel was replaced with Sky Three, a new entertainment channel from Sky.
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01-11-2005 ITV4 Launches
ITV today launched their fourth channel on the DTT platform. They are also expected to launch a childrens channel which will timeshare with ITV4 in the new year.
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29-11-2005 Channel 4 buys new Freeview slot
Channel 4 has purchased a new slot on the non-subscription digital terrestrial service Freeview.