General : Coming soon to Virgin TV 2014

[Tricky Trevor]

Any news about Notts tv coming to Virgin?

http://www.nottstv.uk.com/

[andrewbrown]

Originally Posted by theone2k10

CityTV (Birminghams local tv) to launch on all platforms in April 2014.

Will this just be in Brum itself, or across the West Midlands?

Edit: Found my answer http://recombu.com/digital/news/loca...tv_M11066.html

Looks like we won't be able to get it in Coventry. Shame - looks like they want to broadcast live ice basketball!

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by andrewbrown

Will this just be in Brum itself, or across the West Midlands?

Edit: Found my answer http://recombu.com/digital/news/loca...tv_M11066.html

Looks like we won't be able to get it in Coventry. Shame - looks like they want to broadcast live ice basketball!

Birmingham only, i believe Coventry will get it's own service and other areas such as Wolverhampton. Dudley, Walsall etc will be getting a Black Country service.

[andrewbrown]

Hmm. Coventry's "local" service will probably be located 35 miles away in Northampton...

[greeninferno]

Originally Posted by andrewbrown

Hmm. Coventry's "local" service will probably be located 35 miles away in Northampton...

very good Sir.

[nicknewark]

Just got a tweet back from Notts TV, just saying they are in talks with VM to launch!.

[Tricky Trevor]

Great news,thanks for the heads up Nick!

Do these local channels have any right to distribution? I understand their lack of provision on satellite, but are they guaranteed a space on platforms that can limit locality like Freeview and VM?

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by JustaBloke

Do these local channels have any right to distribution? I understand their lack of provision on satellite, but are they guaranteed a space on platforms that can limit locality like Freeview and VM?

They are guaranteed carriage on Freeview, but not VM.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/con...k_July2011.pdf

Originally Posted by spiderplant

They are guaranteed carriage on Freeview, but not VM.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/con...k_July2011.pdf

Ahh. many thanks. I wonder if VM might feel an opportunity (though only a minor one) to differentiate here?

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

They are guaranteed carriage on Freeview, but not VM.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/con...k_July2011.pdf

Has the capacity on DTT been gifted?

Originally Posted by JustaBloke

Ahh. many thanks. I wonder if VM might feel an opportunity (though only a minor one) to differentiate here?

VM said that they intend to carry local TV, but have yet to decide on a IPTV*, VOD or TiVo app format.

*Since the introduction of NGTV, are all VM channels in effect now IPTV? Has this freed up the former space used by digital TV?

Originally Posted by Chris

That may be because it is effectively impossible to focus a TV satellite beam on one city, which is what they would have to be able to do in order to broadcast it in the clear. Their licence may forbid broadcast outside their own area or they may be concerned about rights issues over some of the material they broadcast.

Originally Posted by jj20x

They didn't say why. Maybe they only meant geographically restricted to London postcodes on the EPG, being encrypted on Freesat wouldn't really work.

After doing some more research, it looks like the member of staff who posted the remark on facebook doesn't appear to be able to differentiate beteen FTA and FTV!

It doesn't look like it's been confirmed as FTA, but the general opinion is that it will be so, even if not put on the Freesat EPG or obtainable on the Sky EPG outside London.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

After doing some more research, it looks like the member of staff who posted the remark on facebook doesn't appear to be able to differentiate beteen FTA and FTV!

It doesn't look like it's been confirmed as FTA, but the general opinion is that it will be so, even if not put on the Freesat EPG or obtainable on the Sky EPG outside London.

That makes sense, as Comux will be dealing with the DTT distribution and providing support where needed, the local channel staff may not be too knowledgeable about the technical details.

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by Chris

That may be because it is effectively impossible to focus a TV satellite beam on one city, which is what they would have to be able to do in order to broadcast it in the clear. Their licence may forbid broadcast outside their own area or they may be concerned about rights issues over some of the material they broadcast.

Wouldn't they be able to get round this by encrypting the signal and then updating viewing cards on a regional basis?

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by andy_m

Wouldn't they be able to get round this by encrypting the signal and then updating viewing cards on a regional basis?

Yes, they could do that, its what the BBC used to do before going FTA. Satellite people are hoping that they won't do this as it would rule out a launch on Freesat and prevent people outside of London like myself being able to manually tune in the broadcasts.

Originally Posted by andy_m

Wouldn't they be able to get round this by encrypting the signal and then updating viewing cards on a regional basis?

Only if they give exclusive satellite carriage to Sky. There is no encryption, and no viewing card, for Freesat.