Channel Five will not be available on Freeview HD before 2012

Channel 5

Channel Five has failed to give media regulator Ofcom a launch date or programming schedule for the proposed HD channel, despite being granted a licence for it last June.

Intriguingly, the BBC, which already has an HD channel on Freeview, may step in to provide another HD service, according to the MediaGuardian.

Ofcom, which last June reserved a slot on Freeview for an HD service for Channel Five, said today that it would no longer reserve capacity on the service for the broadcaster, which made a loss last year.

Five was unable "to resolve certain key criteria by the end of 2009" demanded by Ofcom, including committing to a launch date for a high-definition channel and providing a schedule.

The broadcaster had intended to run a selection of its own programming in HD each evening and shows from other suppliers during the day.

Although Channel 4 and S4C expressed interest in taking over the vacant HD slot, Ofcom says they have not submitted a viable plan. So the right to use the unreserved capacity now reverts to the BBC, which runs the Freeview multiplex the HD channels are being broadcast on.

"The BBC will now consider options to ensure the capacity can be used to provide high-definition services that will further benefit viewers of digital terrestrial television," says Ofcom.

However, Ofcom does say that it will give commercial broadcasters another opportunity to provide an additional HD service by 2012.

What would you like to see on the spare channel on Freeview HD? Let us know in the Comments box below.

Follow whathifi.com on Twitter

Latest in Streaming & Entertainment
KK DVD collection
Figures suggest that the streaming market is soaring – but it’s more bad news for DVD and Blu-ray
a woman holds a phone to her ear, looking intensely to the right of the screen
Now Showing: 7 discs we’ve been using to test out the latest TV and AV kit
F1 75 Live at London's O2 arena
How to watch F1 75 Live: stream the Formula 1 2025 livery launch online
Spotify screenshot banner image
Spotify Hi-Fi quality and gig benefits expected in 2025 via $6 Music Pro add-on
Kendrick Lamar standing in front of a white background with an Adventures In AV logo on the left hand side.
I watched the Super Bowl Halftime Show in Spatial Audio, now I'm convinced Dolby Atmos concerts are the future
An Apple TV on a blue background
Amazon Prime Video just launched its latest update for Apple TV – and it has got some neat features
Latest in News
A close-up of the FiiO FT7 headphones' earcups.
FiiO's FT7 flagship headphones take the fight to pricier rivals
A grey WiiM Vibelink Amp on a wooden cabinet between two bookshelf speakers.
The WiiM Vibelink Amp is WiiM's first integrated amp with no streaming elements
Q Acoustics 3050i
Save £650 on this five-star Q Acoustics 5.1 home cinema setup
Optoma Photon Go on white background
Optoma's new on-the-go projector is set to be one of the cheaper USTs on the market
Marantz Cinema 30 AVR
Our Award-winning reference Marantz AVR is still selling at its best price ever
Meze Audio Poet
Meze's open-back Poet cans arrive, and they want to bring your music alive