THREE big changes are happening on Freeview this month including the arrival of a new channel.
To take advantage of updates – and to ensure you’re not missing your favourite shows – you might need to re-scan your TV or box.
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Freeview is used in around 16million homes across the UK.
And much like Sky and Virgin Media, the line-up of channels is constantly evolving.
Last month we saw the arrival of a new music channel, as well as a news channel and another dedicated to religion.
For April, there’s just one new channel joining the TV planner and it’s dedicated to movies.
The channel is called Nolly Africa which showcases the best in Nollywood cinema.
It’s been around as part of the Channelbox service on 271 for sometime now but this month it’ll have its own dedicated slot on Freeview.
Viewers can find it on 593.
However, it remains a streamed channel rather than needing an aerial, so you’ll need to ensure your Freeview TV or box is connected to the internet via a broadband ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.
Elsewhere, Christian radio station Trans World Radio has left Freeview.
This means the slot it occupied at channel 733 is now empty.
More channel closures ‘inevitable’
An industry expert told The Sun that more channel closures are likely in 2025 and beyond.
“This is inevitable, more broadcasters will cull broadcast/linear TV channels as viewers are flocking to streaming services,” Paolo Pescatore from PP Foresight said.
“The big TV switch off is around the corner, with all programming set to be delivered via the internet.
“Viewers are now spoilt for choice with how and where they watch the TV shows they love across a range of connected devices.
“To respond, broadcasters need to be prepared and work more closely with telecom providers to ensure a seamless experience for users.”
Image credit: Getty
Finally, RXTVInfo reports that Alaraby Network has made some technical changes to its broadcasting.
This means that it will have less coverage across the country than it did before.
For those where local TV services are available, you can still find Alaraby Network on channel 264.
Which channels could be axed next?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
The BBC announced in 2022 that CBBC and BBC Four would disappear as traditional linear channels in a few years and go digital only via iPlayer.
However, the pair may have had a bit of a reprieve for now, after the BBC’s head of children’s programmes, Patricia Hildago, recently said “it’s really important… that if children still need us on a linear network, we’re going to be there for them”.
When Channel 4 announced the closure of The Box and other music channels it owned last year, the broadcaster hinted that more could come.
At the time the company said it was proposing to “close small linear channels that no longer deliver revenues or public value at scale, including the Box channels in 2024 and others at the right time”.
So which could the “others” be? It really depends what Channel 4 considers “small” but its other channels include More4, E4, E4 Extra, Film4 and 4Seven.
