Channel 6

[e-dawg]

Back in the analogue days, OFCOM only has room for 5 TV stations in the UK, with Freeview, there's hundreds of channels. Did, UK almost have Channel 6 for TV? I know back in the analogue days, the channel line up was BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4, and Channel 5. What about 6?(The current freeview PSIP 6 is ITV2). I read somewhere in Oxford and southern England did have channel 6, also in Manchester. What happened? I know other countries in Europe has room for Channel 6, such as (M6) in France, (La Sexta) in Spain, (Italia 1) in Italy. In Germany, PSIP 6 probably use for RTL II, Pro 7, or VOX tv since ARD, ZDF, the third programme, and RTL takes over 1,2,3, and 4 for TV slot.

 

[smorris]

I know back in the analogue days, the channel line up was BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4, and Channel 5. What about 6?

UK channel planning was much more conservative than in mainland Europe, even France or Germany - the UK prioritised HQ picture quality and coverage over number of channels. For example, there were more than 20 relays for each channel within the M25 (the London orbital motorway), on top of the 1000kW signals from the Crystal Palace tower overlooking most of the city. As a result there was barely space for Channel 5, let alone 6.

In a few places there were local TV channels licenced, though these were never a great success (local TV didn't seem to have much appeal to the UK audience), and covered very small areas. In some places (like Oxford) these were marketed as "Channel 6".

 

[BMR]

Sorry for the slow reply, this board is so quiet I rarely check it.

Local analogue TV was tried in Manchester, Dundee, Oxford and Southampton. It didn't do well and only Manchester survived (that closed early this year)

The current government wants to try again in the digital age http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/8704.aspx

For full discussion on this, see here http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1600165