The UK broadcasting regulator has rejected Channel Five’s request for capacity on Freeview’s Multiplex B. Ofcom was not convinced that Five was fully committed to HD broadcasting. Under the rules, the bandwidth will now be allocated to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Ofcom has to assign Freeview HD capacity to non-commercial broadcasters if the bandwidth is not being used by commercial broadcasters. Five was unable to clearly inform Ofcom of when it will begin broadcasting HD or how it plans to maintain a daytime HD schedule.
Ofcom is believed to have been planning to give the bandwidth to Channel 4 or S4C instead, but both also failed to commit to a service that would meet Ofcom’s requirements.
Five will now have to wait until 2012 when Ofcom will again allow commercial broadcasters for pitch for HD capacity.
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Sky has purchased 15,000 3D televisions from LG Electronics and plans to install them in pubs around the country to promote its 3D broadcasts. Back in January, Sky broadcast a Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United and held screenings of the event in nine pubs to show off the technology.
The broadcaster is set to launch a 3D service for wide use in the UK in April, while consumer electronics manufacturers are pushing out new 3D flat-panel televisions. The industry hopes that growing interest in 3D movies in theaters will spur interest in 3D TV at home.
Sky hopes that showing football matches and other sports events in pubs in 3D will generate some interest in it. LG also benefits from the deal in that its televisions are being promoted as part of Sky’s demonstrations.
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Showing off the app at the MIX event, Microsoft Windows Phone 7 devices will have a Netflix streaming app (currently in prototype stage) that will allow for movie playback over 3G or Wi-Fi.
The popular Netflix “Watch Instantly” streaming service has over 12,000 movies, TV episodes and documentaries.
