The future of television

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Chris

Joining POP, another kids channel, back in linear world. And it’s not just young kids, the kidults who are the main target for BBC Three weren’t watching in sufficient numbers when that channel went on-demand only, so they brought it back.

Linear schedules are going nowhere because they serve a useful purpose. Anyone who hasn’t spent the last 10 years staking their reputation on their extinction can see that.

Going back onto the EPG as linear channels obviously didn't work out for them as the Pop channels will be closing down next month.

The Pop Player app and website, which combines content from Pop, Tiny Pop, and Pop Max, will remain available, as will streaming-only versions of the channels.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Going back onto the EPG as linear channels obviously didn't work out for them as the Pop channels will be closing down next month.

The Pop Player app and website, which combines content from Pop, Tiny Pop, and Pop Max, will remain available, as will streaming-only versions of the channels.

Wrong.

They’re ceasing traditional RF broadcast, but they will continue to offer a linear schedule over IP.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Chris

Wrong.

They’re ceasing traditional RF broadcast, but they will continue to offer a linear schedule over IP.

They won't be on the EPG as linear channels, you're just splitting hairs.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

They won't be on the EPG as linear channels, you're just splitting hairs.

Eh?

The linear (or not) nature of content delivery is a major aspect of this entire discussion. Have you gone wading in without bothering to understand the context (again)?

FAST channels have an EPG. The platform has developed piecemeal so EPGs for linear channels delivered over IP lack a unifying brand name (Freeview and Freesat are, at the end of the day, brand names for an EPG more than anything else, even though the branding encompasses the entire user experience). But nevertheless they all have one.

Notwithstanding any of the above, the major bone of contention ever since this thread and its predecessors got going was whether or not the advent of on-demand streaming services meant that linear scheduled broadcast TV was doomed to end.

FAST channels are the very reason why on-demand streaming *will not* become the exclusive delivery method for TV. Free, Advert-Supported TV over internet protocol, IP being the delivery technology most of us will be using 10 years from now.