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Press Releases
BBC HD launches on Freesat
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From today, viewers have a new way of getting BBC HD – the BBC's
high definition channel – as it launches on Freesat, the new
subscription-free satellite service.
BBC HD showcases some of the best of the BBC's drama,
entertainment, sport, performance and factual programmes from
across all other BBC channels.
The channel broadcasts for four
hours a day on weekdays and six hours a night on weekends, with
flexibility to extend hours during key live events.
Seetha Kumar, Head of BBC HD, says: "Today marks an exciting and
significant development for BBC HD. Freesat offers viewers a new
way of watching the BBC's HD output, complementing the existing
services on Sky and Virgin Media.
"2008 represents our most
ambitious year yet with the channel being extended throughout the
summer to cover the Beijing Olympics, Euro 2008 finals,
Wimbledon, Glastonbury and the BBC Proms, so we're really pleased
that viewers have even more choice to watch these events in
fantastic high definition."
Other upcoming programmes on the channel include Wild China, Who
Do You Think You Are?, Strictly Come Dancing, Torchwood, Heroes,
Little Dorrit, and the BAFTA-winning Gavin And Stacey.
The Freesat announcement comes as the BBC confirmed it will
extend BBC HD's hours to five hours daily in September and
eventually to nine hours, as the number of programmes made in HD
increases.
The BBC has already announced an aspiration towards
moving as many programmes as possible to HD over the next decade,
having already doubled the total number of hours of HD
programming from 583 in 2006 to more than 1,000 in 2008/9.
Notes to Editors
 BBC HD can be found at the following EPGs –
Sky: 143
Virgin: 108
Freesat: 108.
More information, including how to get BBC HD and schedules for
the channel, can be found at bbc.co.uk/bbchd.
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