Freeview’s latest monthly channel update includes changes to the availability of a number of channels, plus the arrival of new streaming services.
Romantic film channel, GREAT! romance, which has become the fastest growing broadcast channel of the year so far, is now available to more viewers on channel 52 following a frequency change.
Meanwhile, children’s channel POP (206) has reduced coverage. Viewers unable to restore the channel following a retune can watch POP’s programmes on-demand via the POP Player, which moves to channel 212.
GREAT! and POP! owner Narrative first announced these changes earlier this month. In response to concerns that the changes will result in some viewers losing children’s channel POP, Freeview says the changes to POP will result in a “slight reduction” in coverage for POP.
In fact coverage drops from around 90% of the UK population to under 70% following the change, which sees the channel move from a national multiplex to the local TV multiplex, which serves 34 areas of the UK. GREAT! romance moves the other way, boosting its coverage.
Other Freeview channel updates:
- POP Max joins Freeview on channel 208, for viewers living in a local TV coverage area.
- Tiny POP goes 24/7 on channel 207, again only for viewers living in a local TV coverage area. Viewers out of coverage can stream POP, Tiny POP and POP Max programmes via the POP Player on channel 212.
You’re in a local TV coverage area if you can receive a local TV channel like London Live, Notts TV, NVTV or Teesside TV on either channel 7 or 8.
Streaming additions
- Football streaming service Shots joins Freeview on channel 276.
- Welsh channel S4C’s on-demand service Clic officially launches UK wide via the Freeview Play portal on channel 100.
Channel tidy-up
- Old copies of Together TV and GREAT! tv are removed. You may need to retune to restore these channels if you haven’t retuned recently. Together TV is currently only available on compatible internet connected TVs.
- Adult channel Xpanded TV moves to channel 671.
- Some viewers may find the old copy of GREAT! romance on channel 793 following a retune.
Marc Thornham