Channel 4 acquires extra freeview slot for digital tv expansion

28 November 2005

Channel 4 has today confirmed that it has acquired additional Freeview bandwidth with a view to expanding its channel line-up on Britain's fastest growing digital TV service. 

The additional capacity, sufficient to launch a new TV channel on Multiplex D, was put up for auction by National Grid Wireless (formerly Crown Castle UK) and has been awarded to Channel 4 after a sealed bidding process. 

In the short term, Channel 4 will use the capacity to launch a time-shifted version of its More4 adult entertainment channel, which launched successfully on Freeview and other digital platforms in October. More4 is already claiming a 0.5% share of all viewing in digital TV homes and a 0.77% share of ABC1 viewing, while its share of viewing on Freeview since launch is 1.07%. 

Longer term Channel 4 is exploring a range of new services to add to its portfolio of channels available on Freeview, which currently encompasses Channel 4, E4, E4 +1, More4 and Quiz Call.

Andy Duncan, Channel 4's Chief Executive, said: "Channel 4 is one of the great digital TV success stories of 2005, with our spin-off services helping to drive the rapid growth in multi-channel TV viewing this year.

"Joining Freeview in May has helped E4 overtake Sky One to become the most watched digital channel amongst 16 to 34-year-old viewers and more than double its share of viewing year-on-year this autumn. More4 is claiming the most upmarket audience for any channel in digital TV homes, with a high percentage of its viewing coming from Freeview homes.

"Capacity on the DTT platform is a scarce commodity and this deal allows us to accommodate our full current line-up of free channels and to keep our options open for further channel launches in the future. We're very confident that this investment will pay off with an increasingly strong showing for our channels in digital TV homes."

Notes to Editors

1.      Channel 4 owns a half-share alongside ITV in Digital 3 & 4, which runs a DTT multiplex on behalf of the two broadcasters.  Channel 4 has the capacity to run four channels on this multiplex.

In May this year Channel 4 acquired a further channel of capacity on Multiplex C as a result of an auction process conducted by National Grid Wireless.