Five HD to launch on Sky on July 13







Sky has confirmed that Five HD will launch on the satellite platform on July 13.

The channel, which will be a simulcast of the main Five channel offering high definition versions of Neighbours, Home And Away and some US dramas, will be available at position 171 on Sky's EPG.

Five HD will become the 42nd channel to join Sky's HD lineup, with the satellite broadcaster aiming to have 50 HD channels available by Christmas.

Speaking when Five HD was first announced in March, Five's director of strategy Charles Constable described the launch as an "exciting opportunity" for the broadcaster.

He added: "Our programme schedule is more suited to HD than that any other major free-to-air commercial broadcaster given the wide range of high quality series we broadcast, such as our top-rated line-up of US dramas. We're delighted to begin our HD journey with Sky."

However, the launch of Five HD follows confirmation from Ofcom that the channel will not launch on Freeview before 2012, after the broadcaster failed to supply a launch date or programming schedule.

In a statement subsequently posted on the Five.tv website, Five said: "We are exploring options to launch Five HD on Freeview at some future date and are also considering other digital television platforms."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...n-july-13.html