UK Freesat T&C’s emerge

Satdude

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UK Freesat T&C’s emerge

Freesat is a free-to-air satellite broadcasting model designed to replicate the huge success of the UK’s Freeview digital terrestrial platform. Freesat’s terms are now out.

Freesat’s costs are a fraction of those levied by BSkyB’s Sky Digital platform (now in effect closed to new channels). Freesat will charge £1500 ($3000) for each channel’s pre-registration and a £30,000 fee for a Freesat TV EPG number (or £10,000 for a radio channel). There’s a deadline of Nov 21 for those channels wanting to be on air when the service is launched (“Spring”). A fully completed and signed EPG Agreement must be in place by mid-January.

Would-be members of the Freesat bouquet can select their EPG genre with the usual options available: Entertainment, News & Sport (grouped together), Movies, Lifestyle, Children, Music, Shopping, Radio, Special Interest (see below), Religion, Regional, Gaming & Dating (see below) or Interactive.

Freesat has determined that public service channels”(such as BBC or ITV channels) will be given “appropriate prominence” within genres “at or near the head of the genre lists”. Channels that are associated with another (perhaps ITV 1, 2, 3 etc) will be grouped together, or if a broadcaster offers a time-shifted version. Freesat will make provision for future expansion by holding back certain EPG positions.

Freesat’s Special Interest genre covers foreign language channels, or where a channel’s programming is “not appropriate to any other genre”. The Gaming & Dating genre allows for quiz-based channels or text-based services. However, there’s no obvious provision for “adult” services.

The BBC is managing the application and technical aspects although Arqiva, Globecast and satellite operator Astra are all specifically mentioned as providing technical services for broadcasters.

Regards Satdude.
 
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