I might be wrong but I think under the weird rules of Freeview the channel would have to broadcast in ITV's hands for a few months rather than a few weeks. CCXTV is probably the more likely candidate, though I think they may opt to give Sky Arts the Pick slot - it would fit in quite well after BBC4 and ITV3, and actually Pick wouldn't be out of place next to ITV4 either.
This is all extremely weird. I don’t think we’ve ever had it before that a major broadcaster launches a new channel with no publicity, little fanfare, basic pres, no ads, all for a few hours in the evening.
I’ve no idea what motive ITV have towards ‘Merit’, and now it’s launched I’m still as baffled as ever.
I can only assume it’s some kind of contractual thing either to keep a channel space or to show the programmes that they’re showing.
This is all extremely weird. I don’t think we’ve ever had it before that a major broadcaster launches a new channel with no publicity, little fanfare, basic pres, no ads, all for a few hours in the evening.
I’ve no idea what motive ITV have towards ‘Merit’, and now it’s launched I’m still as baffled as ever.
I can only assume it’s some kind of contractual thing either to keep a channel space or to show the programmes that they’re showing.
The motive has been discussed earlier in the thread. It's a placeholder channel that will be sold to another broadcaster who wants it for its low(ish) Freeview EPG position, as has happened a few times before. Merit will then swap EPG positions with the channel that's higher up the EPG and eventually Merit will close/become an overnight squatting channel/something else.
:-(
A former member
On satellite, straight after midnight (and a couple of minutes of the Merit filler) the feed went black and the Citv DOG reappeared.
Before BBC3 completely ceased broadcasting as a linear channel - and after its promoted-as 'last night' - it screened about three hours of repeat programming from about 2am every day IIRC for about a month-and-a-half. At the time, I read somewhere it was a requirement or something for any channel to air at least three hours of programming or something during a given day to keep the license to stay on air - or something to that effect (I believe it remained on the EPG during that time basically to aid viewers in the brand's transition to online only). I think that reinforces our consensus Merit's a placeholder.
If we're in luck we'll get ratings for it. Looking forward to a sea of asterisks in its BARB report(!)
Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by sea of asterisks? (*)
BARB used to place a * next to a programme in certain very-low-rated channels' reports that rated extremely low (below 1,000 viewers IIRC). Not sure they do it anymore, though; e.g. in the pre-four-screens reports (https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-10/) AMC would often get shows with asterisks next to them in its early years (2016/17), but it seems now they give the number no matter how low it is (e.g. a report from last August has two shows at 100 viewers and four at zero; that channel makes ITV2's launch and its 700 viewers look high in comparison!)
placeholder or not, it's still going to launch as an actual channel and likely have actual adverts on it.
What makes you think it'll have adverts? I can't imagine advertisers lining up for this, at most they'll give it away as a crap freebie to clients of ITV's other channels.
Transmission capacity isn't free, playout services aren't free, programme schedulers aren't free, graphic design isn't free, and broadcast rights aren't free. I was expecting at least some attempt at recouping some costs with ads - but it appears I'm wrong!
Looks like they're spending as little as possible on it with the hope of recouping the costs when the slot is sold.
I'm assuming that the rules don't permit an EPG number to change hands on its own, and there needs to be a channel that goes along with it?
