Just when you think the writing is on the wall for Freeview a surprise pops up.
Engineering changes mean Channel 4 has been able to squeeze 4Seven on to its gifted space on one of the public service multiplexes.
Previously this channel was carried on commercial capacity hired by C4.
The new arrangement saves C4 money and means 4Seven is now universally available.
If C4 were to shut this channel in the future, it could potentially use the space for another service like Film4 + 1.
The latest move represents yet another piecemeal improvement to the so-called Freeview Light service.
Gradually a greater number of ITV and C4’s spin-off channels have become universally available.
It is possible that further technical improvements could lead to more of their + 1 services becoming universally available in the future.
This all adds to the argument that reports of the death of Freeview are greatly overstated. Clearly there are still imperatives to improve the service.
Of course, it will be interesting to see how the Freely service takes off. Clearly there are advantages to moving to an internet delivery model.
My argument has always been that maintaining the basic Freeview service will be necessary for a long time – both for resilience and potentially vulnerable consumers.
Turning off Freeview is only viable when only a small proportion of customers rely on it.
Do not read too much into the recent decision to turn off a tiny relay transmitter in rural Scotland.
This transmitter served a tiny number of viewers and was affected by a nearby wind farm.
Any decision to switch off a transmitter should be taken on a case-by-case basis.
I have argued before that some tiny relay transmitters – originally built to deal with analogue problems or serve tiny communities – may no longer be needed in practice. But that’s a different issue to Freeview as a whole.
Do not underestimate how important it is for public service broadcasters to maintain what might seem like outdated distribution platforms to help support the vulnerable.
Yet again, there is still no confirmed date for the end of Radio 4 Long Wave.
The teleswitching service for electricity meters will start to be turned off from 30th June. We can say confidently now that R4 LW won’t go on this date.
All this 15 years after shutting off R4 LW was first seriously proposed by the BBC and more than a year after separate LW programming ended.
New technology does not always mean the end is nigh.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: Channel 4 ident. COPYRIGHT: Channel 4 Television Corporation.