NHK WORLD-JAPAN debuts on Freeview UK

6 September 2022

NHK WORLD-JAPAN debuts on Freeview UK

NHK WORLD-JAPAN launches on Freeview channel 271 via the Channelbox platform.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN, the international English-language channel from Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, delivers to the world the latest information about Japan and Asia. This channel reaches over 380 million households in 160 countries and regions via local satellite and cable TV providers.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN is available in the UK on Sky and Freesat and now became available also on Freeview, channel 271 bolstering the Channelbox news category which includes Bloomberg, Euronews, France24, TVP World and many other international news channels.

“NHK is a window to Japan and Asia and this TV channel is a perfect addition to the Channelbox and Freeview lineup of news channels”, said Tanya Kronfli, Head of Channelbox content and business development.

Channelbox is a multi-channel platform available on connected Freeview, channel 271, and Channelbox mobile applications.

Channelbox is free-to-air and has over 60 TV channels including Euronews, Fashion TV, NTD, France24, Fuel and many others.

UK launch for Current Time on Freeview

5 May 2022

UK launch for Current Time on Freeview

Current Time, a Russian-language 24/7 TV channel broadcasting from Prague, has launched on Freeview UK, channel 271, via the Channelbox platform.

Current Time is a Russian-language TV channel headquartered in Prague and produced by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in cooperation with Voice of America. The channel was established as an alternative to Kremlin-controlled media and brings real news, robust debate, and fact-based, unbiased, balanced reporting on local, regional, and international issues to Russian-speaking audiences everywhere.

Current Time has been under attack from the Kremlin since the channel began. It was designated as a foreign agent in December 2017, less than one year after its formal launch.

Following the launch of the Ukraina24 news channel last month, Current Time will further bolster Channelbox’s extensive news lineup, which includes Euronews, France24 and many others.

Channelbox is a multi-channel platform available on Freeview channel 271 and accessible via TV sets connected to the aerial and the internet. Channelbox is also available via its mobile applications worldwide.

“Current Time is happy to welcome its new viewers in the United Kingdom. The partnership with Channelbox is particularly important now as Current Time continues to provide its Russian-speaking audiences worldwide with uncensored news and information about Russia’s war on Ukraine,” said Pavel Butorin, Director, Current Time.

“We are very excited to have Current Time on the platform and to expand its distribution in the UK and worldwide. It is more important than ever for Russian speakers to have access to independent media, which is not controlled by the Kremlin”, said Tanya Kronfli, Channelbox Head of content and business development.

About Current Time

Current Time is a 24/7 TV and digital network for Russian speakers, led by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in cooperation with Voice of America. The Current Time network’s roots reach back to August 2014 and the debut of the currenttime.tvwebsite, soon followed by its YouTube and Facebook channels and, in October 2014, the launch of its first, 30-minute news program. This was followed in February 2017 by the launch of Current Time’s 24/7 TV channel. In addition to reporting uncensored news and debunking disinformation through its Smotri v Oba (“Footage vs. Footage”) program, Current Time is the largest provider of independent, Russian-language films to its audiences. A sampling of Current Time’s best content can be found on the channel’s English portal.

About Channelbox

A free-to-air multi-channel platform available on Freeview devices connected to the Internet. Channelbox is accessible via Freeview channel 271 and mobile applications.

AIB and Channelbox bring Ukraine news TV to UK Freeview

31 March 2022

AIB and Channelbox bring Ukraine news TV to UK Freeview

24 hour rolling news channel direct from Kyiv available via connected Freeview service across the UK

At the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, seven of the country’s largest broadcasters pooled their resources to deliver a 24-hour-a-day news service. The combined channel is available across Ukraine and, thanks to a growing number of agreements with broadcasters and platforms, in a constantly increasing number of countries across Europe.

Today, 31 March, the Ukrainian channel has gone live on the UK’s digital terrestrial TV service, Freeview, via the multi-channel OTT service Channelbox, and on mobile through Channelbox’s iOS and Android applications.

The news and information channel is produced jointly by the 1+1 International, Rada, Ukraine 24, Inter +, ICTV, UATV, and Suspilne media companies. Its purpose is to provide accurate and impartial news from across Ukraine, and to debunk disinformation and fake news that is being propagated about events in the country. The news service is also a vital link with home for the estimated four million Ukrainian citizens who have fled the country as the war has spread.

“The Association for International Broadcasting has been working since the start of the invasion to bring the Ukrainian news channel to platforms in the UK,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the AIB. “We wanted to make a contribution to support Ukraine and its citizens. Bringing Ukraina 24 to viewers in the UK, whether expatriates or refugees, helps maintain links at the most difficult times of their lives. We are delighted that Channelbox is the first UK platform to make the channel available on a mainstream UK TV platform.”

Tanya Kronfli, Channelbox Head of Content and Business development, said: “We are honoured to be part of this project and to be able to help people of Ukraine to have access to the news from home. This is true lifeline broadcasting and demonstrates the way that modern technologies like connected TVs are able to support people at times of crisis.”

The Ukrainian news channel is available 24 hours-a-day on Freeview channel 271, and on IOS https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/channelbox/id1596904340. Android users can access the service at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.synapsetv.channelbox

Main photo: Man outside destroyed apartment building in Kharkiv/Andrii Marienko/UNIAN