Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Approval of new Network nD television channels

Date: 27.09.2013     Last updated: 18.03.2016 at 14.32

The Trust has approved the launch of five new network simulcast High Definition (HD) television channels for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Three, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Four, CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, CBeebies and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News.


The Trust's conclusions

The decision means that viewers of any of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s network television channels will soon be able to enjoy their favourite shows in High Definition. The Trust has concluded that the proposals are consistent with the Trust’s universality principle, and building on the previous launches of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One HD and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two HD, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is making its television services widely accessible in the HD standard that viewers increasingly expect.

The launch of five new HD network television channels was proposed to the Trust by the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Executive. The Trust is satisfied that on this occasion it can depart from the presumption (triggered by the need to make changes to key characteristics of the relevant service licences) that a Public Value Test must be applied to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Executive’s proposals because the Trust has decided that the changes are not significant.

The Trust has based its conclusions on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Executive’s assessment of the impact, financial implications, novelty and duration of the proposals which concludes that the launch of these five new HD channels does not create a significant change to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s UK Public Services. The Trust is also of the view that the proposal fits with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's overall strategy to deliver high quality services to audiences everywhere and to make efficient use of spectrum capacity.

In approving these plans, the Trust has also asked the Executive to come back to the Trust no later than January 2014 to set out the technical options and timetable to launch English Regional variants of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One HD and Nations variants of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two HD for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Service licences for each of the five network HD television channels can be found here.