OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

The full story is linked below, but on Virgin Media OFCOM are requiring by 2021:

- Welsh language broadcaster S4C will have to be given a higher slot on Virgin Media's UK-wide channel list by January 2021, so that it appears among the first 24 slots on the channel list.

- Gaelic service BBC Alba will need to be found a higher slot on both Sky and Virgin by 2021, so that it can be seen in the top 24 slots across the UK.

RXTVLog story with details of all the requirements on all platforms.
https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/07/how-...-you-find.html

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

Ridiculous.

Welsh and Scots Gaelic are only spoken by a minority in Wales and Scotland and next to zero speakers in England, so these valuable slots will be wasted.

Next, Ofcom will insist that minority PSB services be given priority on streaming services too.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

I agree it’s ridiculous and I’m Scottish. I’ve never watched BBC Alba, although some football fans will as there are some football games shown on the channel (with Gaelic commentary).

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

Same. And the only thing I've watch on BBC Scotland channel is The Beechgrove Garden, which only moved as BBC2 went deregionalised up here. These channels only need to be regionally prominent.

And though it wasn't said in the article, if the priciple is universal, as it appears to be, it would also mean BBC Scotland channel on VM being moved up for those outside Scotland.

An interesting aside is that when the BBC promote The Nine every night they only use the HD channel number on Freeview. They clearly are fine promoting only Ch115 rather than Ch9.

Given all these forced changes have until early 2021 to be implemented I wouldn't be surprised if many of the platforms left it late in the hope that changes in the TV market in the meantime will help make it as painless as possible. E.g. if Sky Basics decided to go HD-only on VM during this time period that would free up two slots in the specified Top 24 range.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

I do have to confess to one program on the BBC Scotland channel, River City, which is broadcast first on Monday then repeated Tuesday on BBC1 Scotland.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

In fairness if the Netflix Nostradamus is finally right there will only be about 24 linear channels on the EPG anyway by 2021, so they will be virtually last.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

:D

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

And by 2035, we won't even have an EPG!

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

There will, it just won't have channels on it. We'll still need a Guide to find Programmes on the Electronic screen devices, it'll just be for finding programmes, it just won't contain schedules.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

There's an app for that!:D

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

It will be a different kind of finder, but yes, there will need to be a speedy way of identifying the content you want. Given the number of streaming services that will be available, it will need to be capable of finding content regardless of provider, or provider specific, as preferred by the user.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

Normally I only look at favourites so it will make no difference . There again wish I could put Netflix at the top ! Have a Amazon sub but can not recall when I last looked at it .Really should cancel I guess.!

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

RXTVlog have posted a follow-up tweet with a photo of the table OFCOM made.
https://twitter.com/RXTVlog/status/1148500499261509632

In this context I think this will not be as disruptive to the VM EPG as I first thought. Seeing it like this I think it's easy to misinterpret, I don't think it is actually saying regional channels need better numbers on UK wide EPG everywhere, just in the regions they are aimed at. Which is of course more sensible.

BBC1 Wales HD is on Ch101 rather than 108 I believe, so is 108 empty in Wales? If so, surely VM could put S4C on 108 much like BBC Scotland channel is on 108 in Scotland and 162 elsewhere. The omission of BBC Scotland being mentioned on VM in this table I would interpret as OFCOM being happy with this type of arrangement.

Which means the only change OFCOM want that will be a problem on VM is BBC Alba. Making space for one channel rather than two is obviously much easier to do in the 1 and half years they have to implement it though.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

Entertainment - Right Now:
000. Live Events Channel
100. Virgin Media Showcase HD
101. BBC ONE (England only)
101. BBC ONE Scotland HD (Scotland only)
101. BBC ONE Northern Ireland HD (Northern Ireland only)
101. BBC ONE Wales HD (Wales only)
102. BBC TWO England HD (England and Scotland only)
102. BBC TWO Scotland (Scotland only)
102. BBC TWO Northern Ireland HD (Northern Ireland only)
102. BBC TWO Wales HD (Wales only)
103. ITV (England and Wales only)
103. STV HD (Scotland only)
103. UTV (Northern Ireland only)
104. Channel 4 (Outside London)
104. Channel 4 HD (London only)
105. Channel 5
106. E4
107. BBC FOUR HD
108. BBC ONE London HD (England only)
108. BBC Scotland HD (Scotland only)
109. Sky One HD
110. Sky One
111. Sky Witness HD
112. Sky Witness
113. ITV HD (England and Wales only)
113. UTV HD (Northern Ireland only)
114. ITV +1 (England and Wales only)
114. STV +1 (Dundee areas only)
114. STV +1 (STV Central - Edinburgh and Glasgow areas only)
114. UTV +1 (Northern Ireland only)
115. ITV2
116. ITV2 +1
117. ITV3
118. ITV4
119. ITVBe
120. ITVBe +1
121. Sky Two
122. Sky Arts
123. Pick
124. GOLD HD
125. W
126. Alibi
127. Dave
128. Really
129. YESTERDAY
130. Drama
131. Dave ja vu
132. Comedy Central
133. Comedy Central +1
134. MTV
135. SYFY
136. SYFY +1
137. Universal TV
138. Universal TV +1
139. Challenge
140. Sky Witness +1
141. Channel 4 HD (Outside London)
142. Channel 4 +1
143. 4Seven
145. E4 HD
146. E4 +1
147. More4
148. CBS Reality
149. horror channel
150. Channel 5 HD
151. 5STAR
152. 5SELECT
153. 5 USA
154. 5Spike
155. Channel 5+1
156. E!
157. FOX
158. FOX+1
159. For full list of Local channels on Virgin Media see - Local TV:
160. Real Lives
161. BBC ALBA (Red Button for English audio on Live Sports)
162. BBC Scotland HD (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)
164. Universal TV HD
165. SYFY HD
166. S4C HD (Red Button for English and Welsh audio)
167. TLC
168. TLC HD
169. TLC+1
170. I.D.
171. I.D.+1
172. Quest
173. Quest +1
174. ITV3 +1
175. ITV4 +1
176. ITV2 HD
177. ITV3 HD
178. ITV4 HD
179. ITVBe HD
180. Challenge +1
181. Comedy Central HD
182. Comedy Central Extra
183. MTV HD
184. BET
185. 5 USA +1
186. 5STAR +1
187. Paramount Network HD
188. Paramount Network
189. True Entertainment
190. W +1.
191. Alibi +1
192. CBS Justice
193. Sony Crime Channel
194. GOLD +1
195. More 4 HD
196. More 4 +1
197. CBS Drama
198. YouTube
199. FOX HD
200. YESTERDAY +1
201. CBS Reality +1
202. horror channel +1
203. 4Seven HD
204. Netfilx
205. Virgin TV Ultra HD (Only on V6 Boxes).
206. Sky Arts HD
207. Real Lives+1
208. Lifetime HD
209. Crime + Investigation HD
210. hayu
211. W HD
213. DMAX
214. DMAX +1
215. Quest Red
216. Blaze
217. Quest HD
218. Your TV
219. Vice
220. True Entertainment +1
222. Crime + Investigation +1
226. Alibi HD
227. Dave HD

By January 2021?:
Entertainment:
000. Live Events Channel
100. Virgin Media Showcase HD
101. BBC ONE (England only)
101. BBC ONE Scotland HD (Scotland only)
101. BBC ONE Northern Ireland HD (Northern Ireland only)
101. BBC ONE Wales HD (Wales only)
102. BBC TWO England HD (England and Scotland only)
102. BBC TWO Scotland (Scotland only)
102. BBC TWO Northern Ireland HD (Northern Ireland only)
102. BBC TWO Wales HD (Wales only)
103. ITV (England and Wales only)
103. STV HD (Scotland only)
103. UTV (Northern Ireland only)
104. Channel 4 (Outside London)
104. Channel 4 HD (London only)
105. Channel 5
106. BBC ONE London HD (England only)
106. BBC Scotland HD (Scotland only)
107. BBC FOUR HD
108. BBC Scotland HD (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)
109. BBC ALBA
110. S4C HD
111. Sky One
112. Sky Witness
113. ITV HD (England and Wales only)
113. UTV HD (Northern Ireland only)
114. ITV +1 (England and Wales only)
114. STV +1 (Dundee areas only)
114. STV +1 (STV Central - Edinburgh and Glasgow areas only)
114. UTV +1 (Northern Ireland only)
115. ITV2
116. ITV2 +1
117. ITV3
118. ITV4
119. ITVBe
120. ITVBe +1
121. Sky One HD
122. Sky Witness HD
123. Sky Two
124. GOLD HD
125. W
126. Alibi
127. Dave
128. Really
129. YESTERDAY
130. Drama
131. Dave ja vu
132. Comedy Central
133. Comedy Central +1
134. MTV
135. SYFY
136. SYFY +1
137. Universal TV
138. Universal TV +1
139. Sky Arts
140. Pick
141. Channel 4 HD (Outside London)
142. Channel 4 +1
143. 4Seven
144. E4
145. E4 HD
146. E4 +1
147. More4
148. CBS Reality
149. horror channel
150. Channel 5 HD
151. 5STAR
152. 5SELECT
153. 5 USA
154. 5Spike
155. Channel 5+1
156. E!
157. FOX
158. FOX+1
159. For full list of Local channels on Virgin Media see - Local TV:
160. Challenge
161. Sky Witness +1
162. Real Lives
164. Universal TV HD
165. SYFY HD
167. TLC
168. TLC HD
169. TLC+1
170. I.D.
171. I.D.+1
172. Quest
173. Quest +1
174. ITV3 +1
175. ITV4 +1
176. ITV2 HD
177. ITV3 HD
178. ITV4 HD
179. ITVBe HD
180. Challenge +1
181. Comedy Central HD
182. Comedy Central Extra
183. MTV HD
184. BET
185. 5 USA +1
186. 5STAR +1
187. Paramount Network HD
188. Paramount Network
189. True Entertainment
190. W +1.
191. Alibi +1
192. CBS Justice
193. Sony Crime Channel
194. GOLD +1
195. More 4 HD
196. More 4 +1
197. CBS Drama
198. YouTube
199. FOX HD
200. YESTERDAY +1
201. CBS Reality +1
202. horror channel +1
203. 4Seven HD
204. Netfilx
205. Virgin TV Ultra HD (Only on V6 Boxes).
206. Sky Arts HD
207. Real Lives+1
208. Lifetime HD
209. Crime + Investigation HD
210. hayu
211. W HD
213. DMAX
214. DMAX +1
215. Quest Red
216. Blaze
217. Quest HD
218. Your TV
219. Vice
220. True Entertainment +1
222. Crime + Investigation +1
226. Alibi HD
227. Dave HD

©copyright 2019 Media Boy 2006 - 2019. An ''Keep it real and free'' Production.

Re: OFCOM forcing some EPG changes for PSB channels on all platforms
 

Media Boy, that suggested layout was what I thought they meant when I made my first post in this thread, but as I said in my last post I think I was wrong in my interpretation based on them not mentioning BBC Scotland channel on VM, this suggests they are happy with how VM have implemented the dual positioning of that channel on 108/162.

If OFCOM, as it seems, are OK with that then S4C only has to move in Wales, and I believe 108 in Wales is empty after the big BBC HD switch, so it would be a fairly obvious to have similar 108/166 strategy for it. BBC Alba isn't as obvious, but again it only needs to change Scotland, it can remain on 161 for rest of UK.

Maybe it's more clear in the full documentation, but the wording and layout by OFCOM in that table are pretty ambiguous and open to various interpretations.

With a year and half to go I don't think any platform will implement these changes until 6 months to go at the earliest, unless opportunities arise where it would be done in conjunction with other changes.