Freeview News: The Zone, Channel 5 HD and Channel 5 +1

Freeview LogoSome Freeview channel news to report:

Channel 5 HD to launch on Freeview

In the recent bidding for the fifth HD channel on the Freeview platform, only one channel submitted a bid, and that was Channel 5. It appears that regulator OfCom has granted Channel 5 the licence, and we can expect Channel 5 HD to appear on Freeview at some point in the future.

We understand that Channel 5 HD may not be available to all parts of the UK when it launches.

The Zone to launch on Freeview

Freeview Channel 39 sees the addition of “The Zone”. This is a channel owned by ITV, and currently has a caption stating “”The Zone – the place to shop & play”.

We can infer from this that The Zone will be a combined shopping channel / gaming channel. It will launch on Freeview Multiplex A, and apparently timeshare with kids channel CITV.

No idea as yet on a launch date for this new ITV service.

Channel 5 + 1 coming soon to Freeview

We understand that Channel 5 + 1 is set to join the Freeview channel list shortly, with the date of the 6th of December 2011 being suggested by one of our site visitors.

21 comments

  • Stuart

    The Freeview EPG suggests that The Zone starts at 1800 on 14/11/11 , it also suggests that it continues 24 hours into 15/11/11, but of course the EPG can be wrong, especially where ITV is concerned :)

  • mark

    i remember TheZone from ITV1 on the night time.. be good to see something new on freeview as at times the same old channels do get boring. and few channels only come on for a hour or so then go of be good to remove them and bring in some film channels like hallmark tcm truemovies, not sure why we need another channel 5 plus 1 tho but good to see it coming soon!

  • Jamie Hill

    Wow . . .Graet . ..Just what we all want, another time shift channel . .. .What a waste of time with all the PVR’s around.

  • gary

    more channel waste, why? not put horror channel or movies for men
    it seems when a slot becomes free it’s always +1 or shopping

  • lewis

    more rubbish,is this what we have to look forward to after switch
    over 2012, we need something to watch not switch off

  • Darren

    I agree with the ones who say “forget” the +1 channels ( if you have a pvr or able to record then use it). What’s missing is a couple of movie channels like TCM or TrueMovies, a variety! Why we need another shopping Channel/ games channel beggars belief. I did see though (through another website)that “roughly” around May 2012 their could be upto 40 HD channels on the horizon for freeview. Let’s hope we get a variety of channels to suit a wide range of tastes. Everyones different, has different ideas on entertainment, know freeview deliver it.

  • lewis

    yeah but freeview hd is not available in all area’s, i’m in london
    on the crysatl palace transmitter i tryed a freeview hd box and did
    not receive any hd freeview channels had to return the box

  • Graham

    Another vote to get rid of pointless +1 channels in favour of more variation.(Nat Geo,Movies etc.) But do not understand Lewis HD has been available on Crystal Palace since Dec 2009.

  • gary

    anyone know what channel number 5+1 going to be?

  • mark

    13 Adult Channels, run by babestation. i can’t see the point in that to be honest, why 13 Channels. Why not remove them and make room for channels worth watching as a family such as -> Film, Music, Comedy, Drama, Etc!

  • lewis

    i agree,i blame ofcom because they give broadcasting licence for
    this rubbish to brodcast, after switch over 2012 means more channels
    more shopping,adult,& pay-per-view

  • chris

    i’m gutted because manchester region has moveis for men 1&2 on
    freeview,we get rubbish channels

  • gary

    please ofcom sort it out no more licence for shopping,+1,adult
    and kick top up tv off and sky sports 1&2 and all pay channels it’s
    FREEVIEW after all

  • Simon

    Some can only get sky sports on top up….

  • Al Catraz

    if you want movies for men & all that stuff, get yourselves a freeSAT box & plug it into your redundant $ky dish! YOu still get all the rubbish shopping channels. Personally, I like the +1’s even with a pvr you still miss things sometimes & +1 gives you the chance to catch it.

  • lewis

    so why? is espn,sky sports 1&2 in the freeview channel line up
    they should be removed if thy are top up tv channels and not
    freeview channels

  • brmitch

    +1 channels are useful on Freesat, especially for disorganised or busy people. They appear on Freeview because some of the channels you guys are keen to see don’t want to be on Freeview because there is no money in it. TCM, Hallmark etc. are extremely unlikely. Any channel on Freesat is more realistic but most, like Movies4Men, are poor quality channels.

  • i think that freeview seems to be getting bigger and better but if freeview managers can keep hold of really and the zone then it could be getting better but i think some channels are missing
    like
    1.Sky Sports News-Pay Per View Service
    2.Sky 1-Free 2 month trail after that it becomes a Pay Per View Service
    3.G.O.L.D.-to be a free tv channel as top up tv do not sell it anymore
    4.Home-to be a free tv channel as top up tv do not sell it anymore
    5.Watch-Free 2 month trail after that it becomes a Pay Per View Service just like Sky 1
    6.Sky Movies-A free movie service just like film 4
    7.film4+1- only one movie channel on freeview so far unless you live in manchester only

  • there is a way to get ESPN,Sky Sports 1 and 2 for free for 2 months and i know how if you get a Freeview top up tv box available in argos you get a 2 month free trail of ESPN Sky Sports 1 and 2 but if you wan them free forever i know of a certain website where you can get them free forever with no need of a top up tv box or a tv ever again if you want to know the website where i watch ESPN,Sky Sports 1 and 2 for free please reply

  • nathan williams

    looking forward to have channel 5+1 on freeview channel number is go to be number 44 where pick tv+1 was and sky 181

  • GuiltySpark

    To all those people that are hating the new shopping channels etc..
    Panic Not!!, coz in 2012 most people won’t be able to view anything due to the 4g network being launched and interfering with reception.

    Yay!!!!.

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