Arqiva has today announced the launch of the nostalgic British film channel, Talking Pictures TV – an independent archive film and television company – on Freeview channel 81. Available from 13:00 on Tuesday 22 September 2015, people watching Talking Pictures TV will be able to relax at home and watch vintage and rare films, 24 hours a day, and relive their memories of the ‘Saturday morning pictures’. The channel will broadcast in standard definition nationally in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with just over 72 per cent population coverage, from the Arqiva Freeview multiplex.
Talking Pictures TV is a family-run business, which first began as a classic films DVD label under Renown Pictures Ltd. With its own large library of rights for UK films and acquired programming from many major broadcasters, Talking Pictures began to see a huge demand for its DVD content, and saw the opportunity to launch a TV channel. Targeted at the mature audience who grew up going to the Saturday Morning Pictures, viewers can now watch vintage films from the 1930s through to the 1960s on TV.
Sarah Cronin-Stanley, Director Talking Pictures TV explained “Talking Pictures TV is the only broadcaster to offer TV viewers the opportunity to watch nostalgic films of this genre for free, on Freeview. By launching on Freeview, we’re excited to be able to deliver such a unique experience to a much broader audience of movie lovers, or those people who may discover a new interest in classic films through channel surfing and discovering Talking Pictures TV! ”
Mike Finchen, Director, DTT MuxCo at Arqiva commented, “It’s great to be able to add another movie channel to Freeview. Freeview gives niche broadcasters, like Talking Pictures TV, the chance to not only air content to an audience who already knows and loves its brand, but to engage and expand its footprint with a broader set of viewers who may enjoy vintage films but weren’t aware of the service.”
If viewers are able to receive BBC News HD on Freeview Channel 107, then subject to rescanning their TV or set top box, they should be able to view Talking Pictures TV on Channel 81 with effect from 13:00 on Tuesday 22 September, 2015.