BBC One HD Channel To Launch Autumn 2010
Written by Rob Nichols on June 1, 2010 · Filed under Tech
The BBC announced on Friday that they finally had plans in place to launch BBC One HD this autumn. Up until now, the main BBC channels have been an obvious omission from the plethora of channels such as ITV HD, Five HD, Sky News HD being added to the HD line up, particularly on Sky. OK, so BBC HD has been accessible for a while now, but in all honesty it hasn’t really provided what we really want, in that some of the UK’s most loved shows such as Eastenders and Holby City have not been aired in HD.
The current BBC HD channel, which showcases the rest of the BBC including documentaries will continue to be aired alongside BBC One HD, but will likely be shunned by viewers for the most part as leading shows such as The Apprentice, The Weakest Link, QI, Strictly Come Dancing, Human Planet and Waterloo Road will be all featured on BBC One HD in simulcast with the standard definition channel – this is probably biggest advancement for BBC One since it and BBC Two began broadcasting live on iPlayer.
Jana Bennett, Director BBC Vision, says: “BBC HD has established itself as the most popular HD service, and these changes are important next steps in improving that service still further, providing an opportunity to showcase the wide variety of BBC programmes in the highest possible quality. We recognise that audiences have already been enjoying many of their favourite programmes in HD, and I’m delighted that we can now broaden their choice.”
Danielle Nagler, Head of BBC HD, says: “HD is the future of television: people who have HD have clearly told us that they want more of their licence fee-funded content in HD. I’m delighted that the HD simulcast of BBC One will become available on satellite, on cable, and now also on Freeview’s new HD service. This is a key moment for us on the journey to HD becoming the norm for all our programmes and channels.”
“Audiences have already been enjoying many BBC One programmes in HD on our existing HD channel and the arrival of BBC One simulcast in HD will make it easier for them to find the programmes they love in high definition. BBC HD – the most popular HD channel in the UK – will continue to show programmes from across all BBC channels.”
BBC One HD will be made available to Freeview, Freesat HD, Sky HD and Virgin Media HD platforms so it really is across the board, and with BBC HD currently the award winning, most popular HD channel in the UK at the moment, viewers will certainly welcome the extra high definition content.
Given the BBC is now going down the route of simulcasting, surely the majority of their content will hopefully now be available in full HD goodness, although I wonder how long we’ll to wait for TV shows that the BBC don’t have direct control over the production of, such as Formula 1 – how long until we see F1 HD coverage for the BBC to broadcast on their HD channels?
Via – BBC
