 | Press ReleasesBBC HD launches on Freesat |
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. MO2 | 
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