If you listen to digital radio over Freeview, you do need to pay attention.
On Wednesday 3rd October, the BBC is moving BBC Radio channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 onto a different streaming system (from multiplex A to multiplex B), following the installation of new equipment.
Channel numbers will not be changing, but you will need to rescan your Freeview box to make sure you can continue to hear these stations. No other services or other platforms are affected.
Further to this FTN is being replaced by Virgin 1, a new channel which is meant to rival Sky One. Virgin 1′s slot on Freeview is an essential part of the channel’s success, Virgin Media TV managing director Jonathan Webb has said.
Speaking at the new channel’s launch, Webb said that being on Freeview had informed the design of the channel.
“Freeview is an incredibly important part of how we designed this channel,” he said. “For us it’s about getting the rhythm and the DNA of Freeview and how we can do something new.
“Freeview is about being available to everyone; it’s about ubiquity. It’s about being part of national pop culture. It’s about cross-platform content… and you’ll get a sense from Virgin 1 that it’s more than just a linear channel.”
Note: even if you don’t listen to digital radio through your set-top box now, it is still worth you doing this anyway for the future. Some people may also find that additional channels or radio stations may appear, as some Freeview boxes do not auto-scan.
To check for new Freeview channels, or to ‘rescan’ to rebuild your channel list, you need to set your box to perform a channel search. Methods of scanning for new channels vary from box to box, so either look through the on-screen menu options, or refer to the box’s user guide. In the on-screen menu, you’ll be looking for an option labelled “Scan”, “Add”, “Setup channels”, “Search” or “Store” channels.
