RIP Freesat (aka freesat the failure)

pinkhelmets

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There have been rumours for a long while regarding ITV attempting to make deals with Sky for its non-PSB channels, such as ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and of course ITV-HD.
It is known that 'free' TV channels are struggling to find funds due to lack of advertising revenue during these hard times. Previously Sky have not been willing to make deals with ITV due to their rival investment in freesat, and also since Sky are known to not make deals unless the balance heavily tips in their favour.

Tomorrow we should get a public announcement that a deal between ITV and Sky has been made. It is highly likely ITV-HD will no longer be freesat exclusive, but the main concern is the outcome of ITV2, ITV3, ITV4. Sky will want these on their Pay-TV platform and ITV need the stable revenues Sky can offer. At this point, it is not looking good for freesat having long-term access to these channels!!

On the side-line, Channel 5 are uninterested in moving their non-PSB channels away from Sky, towards freesat. Five-US and Fiver will remain only available on the Sky platform. Whilst also waiting are Channel 4, who are openly struggling and have failed to get extra licence fee help to fund their losses and help save their non-PSB channels such as More4 and E4. It seems they will also easily be ready to sign back to Sky exclusivity on these extra channels, making them Pay-TV only. In any case, the outcome of the ITV and Sky announcement tomorrow will help map the direction for Channel 4 and its current finances struggle.

So with Sky holding the cards, and broadcasters desperately ready to jump ship, it is not looking good for freesat. Obviously this is on top of the already massively damaging effects that hardware manufacturers are creating for freesat. Many months of not supplying new low-budget receivers, and a constant lack of good supply since freesat launch, shows they arent ready to support the freesat platform, anticipating its failure maybe? All this goes on whilst the current recession (and cardsharing) is only helping Sky Pay-TV growth and market power.

Finally, all this with the extremely slow and poor lack of development, the bureaucracy of the governing bodies, and the lack of efforts and content from a 50% shareholder, you can do nothing but agree freesat has little future.

RIP freesat.
 
I did post about ITV channels in the TV Talk room Pink

but I didnt know it was this bad m8 :(

great :(
 
What so freesat will be losing one of the two hd channels it only has ?! Great fun!
 
There have been rumours for a long while regarding ITV attempting to make deals with Sky for its non-PSB channels, such as ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and of course ITV-HD.
It is known that 'free' TV channels are struggling to find funds due to lack of advertising revenue during these hard times. Previously Sky have not been willing to make deals with ITV due to their rival investment in freesat, and also since Sky are known to not make deals unless the balance heavily tips in their favour.

Tomorrow we should get a public announcement that a deal between ITV and Sky has been made. It is highly likely ITV-HD will no longer be freesat exclusive, but the main concern is the outcome of ITV2, ITV3, ITV4. Sky will want these on their Pay-TV platform and ITV need the stable revenues Sky can offer. At this point, it is not looking good for freesat having long-term access to these channels!!

On the side-line, Channel 5 are uninterested in moving their non-PSB channels away from Sky, towards freesat. Five-US and Fiver will remain only available on the Sky platform. Whilst also waiting are Channel 4, who are openly struggling and have failed to get extra licence fee help to fund their losses and help save their non-PSB channels such as More4 and E4. It seems they will also easily be ready to sign back to Sky exclusivity on these extra channels, making them Pay-TV only. In any case, the outcome of the ITV and Sky announcement tomorrow will help map the direction for Channel 4 and its current finances struggle.

So with Sky holding the cards, and broadcasters desperately ready to jump ship, it is not looking good for freesat. Obviously this is on top of the already massively damaging effects that hardware manufacturers are creating for freesat. Many months of not supplying new low-budget receivers, and a constant lack of good supply since freesat launch, shows they arent ready to support the freesat platform, anticipating its failure maybe? All this goes on whilst the current recession (and cardsharing) is only helping Sky Pay-TV growth and market power.

Finally, all this with the extremely slow and poor lack of development, the bureaucracy of the governing bodies, and the lack of efforts and content from a 50% shareholder, you can do nothing but agree freesat has little future.

RIP freesat.

Has there been an anouncement ????

regards Dave
 
Not really, apart the media mentioned talks have ceased without a final agreement. Kind of like \/irgin vs sky, it is not easy to agree an end result. In any case I think some people dont get what i meant. ITV wont stop broadcasting, they wont stop/shut-down HD on freesat. Free satellite channels will not stop existing, so freesat itself cannot just shut down tomorrow. The problem is that it reached a brick wall months back, it cannot grow and is at a standstill. With all the problems I mentioned above, the likely outcome is that channels will shrink in time and freesat is certainly less attractive to consumers, but even more 'less attractive' for broadcasters to join it.

The 'digital britain' report has also been something broadcasters have been awaiting. That hasnt improved the future outlook of free tv, the internet seems more supported.
 
and it wont help that the BBC have just announced HD programming is to start on 2nd December ...

Freeview HD to launch Dec 2, BBC says it's fast-tracking transmitter upgrades | Home Cinema Choice

That'll stop anyone like me that was going to have Freesat just because they had HD.

Freeview HD was always planned to roll out behind the analogue switch off (or 'digital switch over' as Ofcom call it), and, in some areas, before.

However, I wasn't aware that the Granada area/Winter Hill was going to be first though, esp as some areas turned off the analogue signal late 2008. Whilst the Freeview HD tech has had a few trials (Oxford rings a bell), this looks to be the first mass launch so I'm not expecting it to all run smoothly.

If you weren't aware, you are not going to be able to use your existing freeview equipment to get freeview HD broadcasts. So you are going to need a Freeview HD STB (or a new TV!).

Still its nice to finally get a date for 'switch on' even if the DVB-t2 equipment isn't available yet (currently awaiting PCI/PCI-e DVB-t2 tuners and Win7 to go RTM to complete the latest incarnation of my parent's HTPC).
 
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I have a HD technomate 6900. I know the sat part is HD. but is the Freeview part HD ready? I hope that makes sense!
 
There have been rumours for a long while regarding ITV attempting to make deals with Sky for its non-PSB channels, such as ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and of course ITV-HD.
It is known that 'free' TV channels are struggling to find funds due to lack of advertising revenue during these hard times. Previously Sky have not been willing to make deals with ITV due to their rival investment in freesat, and also since Sky are known to not make deals unless the balance heavily tips in their favour.

Tomorrow we should get a public announcement that a deal between ITV and Sky has been made. It is highly likely ITV-HD will no longer be freesat exclusive, but the main concern is the outcome of ITV2, ITV3, ITV4. Sky will want these on their Pay-TV platform and ITV need the stable revenues Sky can offer. At this point, it is not looking good for freesat having long-term access to these channels!!

On the side-line, Channel 5 are uninterested in moving their non-PSB channels away from Sky, towards freesat. Five-US and Fiver will remain only available on the Sky platform. Whilst also waiting are Channel 4, who are openly struggling and have failed to get extra licence fee help to fund their losses and help save their non-PSB channels such as More4 and E4. It seems they will also easily be ready to sign back to Sky exclusivity on these extra channels, making them Pay-TV only. In any case, the outcome of the ITV and Sky announcement tomorrow will help map the direction for Channel 4 and its current finances struggle.

So with Sky holding the cards, and broadcasters desperately ready to jump ship, it is not looking good for freesat. Obviously this is on top of the already massively damaging effects that hardware manufacturers are creating for freesat. Many months of not supplying new low-budget receivers, and a constant lack of good supply since freesat launch, shows they arent ready to support the freesat platform, anticipating its failure maybe? All this goes on whilst the current recession (and cardsharing) is only helping Sky Pay-TV growth and market power.

Finally, all this with the extremely slow and poor lack of development, the bureaucracy of the governing bodies, and the lack of efforts and content from a 50% shareholder, you can do nothing but agree freesat has little future.

RIP freesat.

Another one of skys competeters defeated then?

which will only mean sky can continue to push prices up :(
 
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