Around 19m homes to receive British classics on Freeview following Arqiva Mux move

Arqiva, the leading UK communications infrastructure and media services company, has today announced that British vintage film channel, Talking Pictures TV, is moving to one of its main standard definition (SD) multiplexes at the end of November – expanding the channel’s reach to around 19 million homes across the UK.

To date, Talking Pictures TV – which launched on Arqiva’s T2 HD multiplex in September 2015 – has been available in SD to Freeview HD customers, and viewers on Sky, Freesat, YouView and Virgin Media. The move, which will take effect on Thursday 30 November, will extend coverage across the country.

Sarah Cronin-Stanley, Director at Talking Pictures TV, commented: “Talking Pictures TV offers TV viewers the opportunity to watch nostalgic films from the 1930s onwards for free. Since we first launched two years ago we’ve built a diverse audience of millions of loyal viewers across multiple platforms, covering the length and breadth of Britain – all sharing our passion for this golden era of film! We’re delighted that, by moving multiplexes, we’ll be able to reach an even broader audience, and hope others may discover a new interest in classic films through discovering our content.”

Mike Finchen, Director, Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) at Arqiva, commented: “During the length of our partnership with Talking Pictures TV, it’s been great to see the rapid growth its business has experienced; it has gone from strength to strength, and the move to our SD Mux will ensure it continues on this trajectory.

“With 91% of the UK population watching traditional forms of television at least once a week[1], DTT and the Freeview platform present broadcasters of all shapes and sizes – especially independent providers like Talking Pictures TV – with the perfect opportunity to air programming to an audience who already know and love their content, and to expand their footprint among devoted TV viewers.”

Subject to retuning their TV and/or set-top box, viewers should be able to view Talking Pictures TV 24 hours a day on Freeview Channel 81 with effect from the afternoon of Thursday 30 November, 2017. For help on how to retune, visit Freeview.co.uk/support or Freeview channel 100.

(Source: Arqiva press release)

[1] Digital UK, Switched on: a guide to UK television, 2017/18