Freeview lines up new channels

The UK's upcoming digital terrestrial platform Freeview will launch on October 30 with new music channels from Emap Performance and MTV, alongside new entertainment channels from Flextech and UKTV.

MTV is importing its Music Factory channel from Holland and Belgium, offering music for the whole family. Also included on the platform is The Hits, a rival music channel from publisher-turned-broadcaster Emap.

General entertainment channels include UK Homestyle, a new lifestyle channel to be run by the 50:50 Flextech/BBC Worldwide joint-venture UKTV. Flextech will also supply Ftn (Flextech Television Network), a new service showcasing original commissions from Flextech's four wholly-owned channels: Trouble, Bravo, LivingTV and Challenge?.

The two Flextech services will share one channel, swapping over at 6:00 and 18:00. UK Homestyle will air in the daytime. Another new UKTV channel, UK History, is also in the mix, as are all of the BBC's own digital channels.

The platform, managed by the BBC and transmission outfit Crown Castle International, will also carry three channels from BSkyB, the result of a content alliance signed earlier this year. BSkyB will supply Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Travel.

Another content deal was on the cards with Turner Broadcasting to include kids' service Boomerang, CNN and Turner Classic Movies in the Freeview bouquet but this has yet to be finalised. Crown Castle said it is still in talks with Turner and others for these three slots.

The Freeview service will be free-to-air, available through regulat TV sets and aerials plus a £99 DTT adapter. The platform will use the digital multiplexes vacated by the now-defunct ITV Digital.

The Freeview line-up

Mixed Genre
BBC1, BBC2, BBC Choice (to be replaced by BBC3 in 2003), ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C, Sky Travel, UK Homestyle, Ftn.

News and Sports News
BBC News 24, Sky News, Sky Sports News, ITN

Culture, History & Ideas
BBC4, UK History

Children's
CBBC
CBeebies

Citizenship
BBC Parliament, The Community Channel, S4C2

Music
The Music Factory
The Hits

Other
QVC
TV Travelshop

Interactivity
BBCi (Interactive television and text)
Other interactive services (tbc).

Digital versions of BBC and commercial radio stations are also in the package.