The United Kingdom renews the license to the Freeview DTT platform until 2034

The British government has extended the five national multiplex licenses of the Freeview Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform until 2034.

This guarantees the main spectrum for commercial broadcasters such as ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, as they compete with the streaming giants in a changing media landscape.

Freeview is very popular with British audiences and is broadcast through a series of multiplexes with five or more television channels, radio stations, text services and electronic program guides.

DTT multiplexes ensure that public broadcaster content is free and widely accessible to consumers, thanks to their coverage of almost 99 per cent of the United Kingdom. They have become vital for UK broadcasters, allowing broadcasters to expand their offering with a host of new channels such as ITV2 and E4.

UK Media Minister John Whittingdale said: “We are securing the future of free-to-air television and a wide range of much-loved news, entertainment and documentary channels into the 2030s. Securing the future of Freeview means people can continue to enjoy its great content, while protecting a vital medium for our public broadcasters so they can serve audiences for years to come.”

On the other hand, the government has committed to legislating for the Multiplex 2 property, which is currently jointly owned by Channel 4 and ITV, to achieve public service status. This will ensure that you always have a space on the Freeview platform to serve the widest possible audience.