 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2016) |
| Founded | 1997 [1] |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
SDN (S4C Digital Networks) is a company that operates one of the six multiplexes of channels on digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom. Although it was co-founded by Welsh channel S4C in 1997, the company has been wholly owned by ITV plc since 2005.
When digital terrestrial television was first launched in the UK, it was decided that Multiplex A must carry Channel 5 nationally, S4C in Wales and TeleG in Scotland. The right to operate the multiplex (and therefore the rest of the space) was to be given to the highest bidder. S4C (who were already guaranteed their 'gifted' space on the multiplex), United News and Media and NTL set up S4C Digital Networks (each owned one-third of the company) and bid for the right to operate Multiplex A. In the event, they were the only bidder and, after having their business plan approved, were awarded the licence to operate Multiplex A by the Independent Television Commission in 1997. Before their licence became active, the name of the company was changed from S4C Digital Networks to SDN.
Upon the activation of the licence in 1998, SDN began broadcasting Multiplex A in 64QAM mode at 24 megabits/second (which allows many channels to broadcast, though makes it more difficult to get a good signal). They rented out their capacity to various free and subscription channels (though S4C did keep their gifted space in Wales to launch S4C2). After the launch of Freeview to replace ITV Digital, the free services carried on Multiplex A became effectively part of Freeview. As SDN was not a member of the Freeview consortium, they were technically not part of the service (though they were available to all Freeview viewers).
In 2004, Top Up TV launched on Multiplex A, though it sub-let its capacity from Five, and not SDN directly. Multiplexes A and 2 were the only options for Top Up TV as the regulations set out by Ofcom directed that only free-to-air television channels could be broadcast on multiplexes 1, B, C and D, despite there being available space on some of those multiplexes. This regulation has since been lifted.
In 2005, SDN (by now 50.1% owned by S4C and 49.9% by United News and Media) was sold to Granada Media Group, which itself was a subsidiary of ITV plc [2] . As ITV plc was by then a member of the Freeview consortium, the free services on Multiplex A became officially part of Freeview.
Prior to ITV Digital's collapse in 2002, SDN leased out most of its capacity to ITV Select (previously ONrequest). The ITV Select package consisted of five of SDN's streams, plus a sixth as a free "taster" channel. After 11pm, most of the ITV Select capacity was handed over to various adult channels, which included Television X and Adults Only channels 1–3. These channels have since left the platform, however SDN still holds the licences to broadcast these services. Other non-premium channels that were broadcast included BBC Four, CBeebies, BBC Red Button, BBC Knowledge, QVC (and prior to that, Shop!), TV Travel Shop, Simply Money (now Simply Shopping), the ITN News Channel and an NTL EPG. The ITN News Channel, TV Travel Shop and Simply Money time-shared with the ITV Select streams.
ITV Digital was a British digital terrestrial television broadcaster which launched a pay-TV service on the world's first digital terrestrial television network. Its main shareholders were Carlton Communications plc and Granada plc, owners of multiple licences of the ITV network. Starting as ONdigital in 1998, the service was rebranded as ITV Digital in July 2001.
Freeview is the United Kingdom's sole digital terrestrial television platform. It is operated by Everyone TV and DTV Services Ltd, a joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. It was launched on 30 October 2002, taking over the licence from ITV Digital which collapsed that year. The service provides consumer access via an aerial to the seven DTT multiplexes covering the United Kingdom. As of July 2020, it has 85 TV channels, 26 digital radio channels, 10 HD channels, six text services, 11 streamed channels, and one interactive channel.
S4C is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience. S4C's headquarters are based in Carmarthen, at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David's creative and digital centre, Yr Egin. It also has regional offices in Caernarfon and Cardiff. As of 2024, S4C had an average of 118 employees. S4C is the fourth-oldest terrestrial television channel in Wales after BBC One, ITV and BBC Two.
Television broadcasts in the United Kingdom began in 1932, however, regular broadcasts would only begin four years later. Television began as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection of free-to-air, free-to-view and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content. There are six main channel owners who are responsible for most material viewed.
ITV plc is a British media company that holds 13 of the 15 regional television licences that make up the ITV network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom.
S4C Dau was a free-to-air British television station owned by S4C which, until 2010, broadcast coverage of the National Assembly for Wales at the Senedd. It was also used for extended coverage of events shown on the main S4C service, such as the National Eisteddfod of Wales and Royal Welsh Show.
ITV Digital Channels Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of British broadcaster ITV plc. It manages all of the company's television channels with the exception of ITV1, which is part of the entire network.
Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom encompasses over 100 television, radio and interactive services broadcast via the United Kingdom's terrestrial television network and receivable with a standard television set. The majority of digital terrestrial television (DTT) services, including the five former analogue channels, are broadcast free-to-air, and a further selection of encrypted pay TV services are also available.
Men & Motors was a men's lifestyle television channel in the UK. It was the last remaining station operated by the former Granada Sky Broadcasting joint venture, set up by Granada Television and satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting in 1996. Men & Motors closed on 1 April 2010.
TeleG was established as the first daily digital Gaelic TV channel in Scotland on 31 October 1999, and was available on the Freeview platform until 23 May 2011.
Digital 3&4 is the operator of the PSB2 multiplex for digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom. The company is equally owned by ITV Network Limited and Channel Four Television Corporation. It was established in 1996 to manage the multiplex ITV and Channel 4 were each gifted half of by the Independent Television Commission.
TV Travel Shop was a British television channel that sold holidays.
ITV1 HD is a British free-to-air high-definition public broadcast television network operated by ITV plc, the company which is contracted to provide 13 ITV1 services across the UK. ITV1 HD simulcasts them in high-definition. ITV1 HD is available to view in England, Wales, Scottish Borders and the Channel Islands on Freesat via channel 103, Freeview channel 103, Sky channel 103, Virgin Media channel 103 and in Switzerland on SwisscomTV.
Analogue terrestrial television in the United Kingdom was originally the method by which the significant majority of viewers in the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man received television. Analogue terrestrial television broadcasts have fully ceased in the UK with Northern Ireland being the last region to have ceased transmission analogue terrestrial television broadcasts. Northern Ireland switched off the last analogue television signals, making all of the United Kingdom only capable of receiving digital television, in the early hours of 24 October, 2012. It has been completely replaced by digital terrestrial television and other non-terrestrial means as of the end of 2012.
There are four major forms of digital television (DTV) broadcast in the United Kingdom: a direct-to-home satellite service from the Astra 28.2°E satellites provided by Sky UK, a cable television service provided by Virgin Media ; a free-to-air satellite service called Freesat; and a free-to-air digital terrestrial service called Freeview. In addition, an IPTV system known as BT TV is provided by BT. Individual access methods vary throughout the country. 77% of the United Kingdom has access to HDTV via terrestrial digital television. Satellite is the only source of HDTV broadcast available for the remaining 23%.
High-definition television in the United Kingdom is available via cable, IPTV, satellite and terrestrial television. The first high-definition broadcasts began in late 2005 and since then the number of channels available to view has grown to a maximum of 87 that can be viewed on pay-TV service, Sky.
Freeview is the name for the collection of free-to-air services on the Digital Terrestrial Television platform in the United Kingdom. The service was launched at 5 am on 30 October 2002 and is jointly operated by its five equal shareholders – BBC, ITV, Channel 4, BSkyB and transmitter operator Arqiva. This article documents the history of the Freeview service, from its inception up to the present.
This is a timeline of the British company ITV Digital Channels and its predecessors Granada Sky Broadcasting and Carlton Communications, and digital channels of other ITV-related companies. The timeline does not include events related to ITV network's flagship channel.
This is a timeline of the history of S4C, originally the fourth-oldest terrestrial television channel in Wales. Until 2010 it carried a mixture of Welsh language programmes and programmes from Channel 4 which was not broadcast on analogue TV in Wales. In 2010, Channel 4 became available in Wales on all platforms and S4C became a Welsh-language-only channel.
| Channels/Networks |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Divisions/Programmes |
| |
| Corporate | ||
Website: s4c.co.uk | ||