Disaster-stricken Red Bee Media have restored playout of Channel 4’s music and entertainment network after nearly three weeks off air.
The service returned on Friday morning with a simplified schedule, stripped of its usual non-music entertainment programmes. Subtitles are available.
4Music fell off air on Saturday 25th September, alongside other Channel 4 services, following an incident at Red Bee Media in West London, who are responsible for the playout and distribution of the channels.
But as other services gradually returned on air, technical problems persisted on 4Music and its sister music channels. By Monday 27th September, Channel 4’s music services were reduced to two sustaining services: The Box and Kiss TV. 4Music’s feed was switched to The Box.
On the 7th October, sister channel Box Hits was restored. At this point, 4Music’s feed was switched to Box Hits.
At the time of publication, Magic and Kerrang TV channels are still awaiting restoration and are simulcasting The Box.
All other Channel 4 services are on air, but with reduced or no continuity and access services.
Red Bee Media staff are currently manually restoring services and re-building automated processes destroyed when fire suppression systems were activated. Sources indicate the job of restoring services while broadcasting live channels is ‘similar to rebuilding a house that has been burned down, while still trying to live and work in it’.
Neither Red Bee Media nor Channel 4 are able to confirm how soon it will be before all services are back to normal.