International news channel Al Jazeera will cease to be available as a regular broadcast channel on Freeview from the end of September.
- Viewers with Freeview Play or Freely can stream the channel instead
- Streaming version available in HD.
Freeview multiplex operator Arqiva has begun to notify Al Jazeera English viewers of a change in the way the channel is available on Freeview.
A pop-up message inserted on Al Jazeera’s broadcast channel informs viewers the service will no longer be delivered via this method from Monday 30th September 2024.
This is when the current Digital Terrestrial carriage deal between Al Jazeera English and Arqiva expires. The termination of carriage is why the change is scheduled outside of Freeview’s normal monthly channel update (3rd Wednesday of the month).
Al Jazeera has been part of the Freeview channel line-up since 2010, when it first launched as an evening-only channel.
Who is affected?
Al Jazeera’s signal on the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network will end on 30th September 2024.
The DTT signal is used by Freeview, Freely and some EE TV boxes.
This affects Freeview users who watch Al Jazeera English on channel 235.
It also affects Freely users who access the channel on 306 (Freely TVs in aerial/wi-fi hybrid mode).
EE TV customers who use their box in aerial mode will also lose access to Al Jazeera on 235. Al Jazeera is not available on EE TV boxes switched to Internet mode.
How to keep watching Al Jazeera
However, Al Jazeera will continue as a streaming channel, available on smart TVs that support Freeview Play or Freely.
Since March 2023, both the English and Arabic language versions of Al Jazeera have been available as streaming channels on Freeview’s channel line-up.
Following a channel number change in August, Al Jazeera English streams on Freeview channel 251.
Al Jazeera Arabic is available on channel 252.
Both channels are offered in HD resolution (subject to the quality of your internet connection). If you can’t find these channels on the above channel numbers, please retune your TV.
If you use Freely, Al Jazeera will stream on channel 557 (Arabic: 558).
NOTE: Freely users will still need to be connected to a TV aerial despite Al Jazeera being streamed. Freely users with a satellite capable smart TV can continue watching via satellite.
Al Jazeera continues as normal on other platforms
If you access Al Jazeera via satellite or cable (Sky, Virgin Media or Freesat), there are no changes.
Al Jazeera also streams on YouTube.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Al Jazeera