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BBC shuts down Red Button interactive channels

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  • Posted at 2:38pm
  • 28 October 2009
  • by PaulJones-RT
  • 2 comments

From Tuesday 27 October, the BBC will be switching off two of the three interactive Freeview streams that deliver its Red Button content. Freeview viewers will still be able to see sport, music and entertainment on the remaining interactive stream.

The upcoming launch of HD channels on Freeview requires existing standard definition channels to be rearranged in order to free up bandwidth, and the two Red Button streams are casualties of this.

Viewers accessing Red Button content will no longer see the BBC News Multiscreen and for other content, such as sport and music, there will be less repeats, with content played out in smaller blocks of time.

With fewer feeds available, events such as Wimbledon are likely to enjoy less comprehensive interactive coverage than in recent years. On the plus side, more sport will become available in HD; the BBC is promising 2010 will be a big year, with the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Open golf all available in HD on Freeview.

John Denton, the BBC's managing editor of TV platforms, said: "Although fans of Red Button on Freeview will notice some changes as we prepare for the arrival of HD, they will still be able to access all the latest news, weather and sport via our Digital Text service. Big events like Wimbledon and Glastonbury will still be available from the BBC on Freeview and we're improving our scheduling and listings guide to make sure Red Button programming is easier to find."

Freeview HD transmissions will begin in December 2009 in the Granada and London regions. Freeview HD will be available to viewers when the first Freeview HD digital boxes hit the shops in early 2010.

For more information on Freeview HD and when it's due to become available in your region, see my previous post.

You can keep up to date with BBC Red Button developments on Twitter (@BBCRedButton), and the Red Button Blog.

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Comments

  • Posted on 02 November 2009
  • at 11:08am
  • by DoctorDigital-RT

FAO MazY - Overall, Freeview viewers will lose Red Button services and gain HD ones, including HD sport. But while the number of Red Button options available at any one time has to go down, the way those options are used by the BBC will change. We'll really have to see this in action to know how well it works and how well it will suit what you want to see, but there's no doubt the service will favour big events such as sport.

So we can expect that Red Button services we see on an ordinary week will make room for as much extra sport coverage as possible. That will mean things changing on the Red Button but the BBC's specifically said it will also make things easier to find.

  • Posted on 01 November 2009
  • at 11:46am
  • by MazY

I'm confused. How will this affect the snooker where, traditionally, I have been able to pick which table to watch? Will this no longer be an option?

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