Dutch regional TV stations to go on satellite

[Analoguesat]

Regional Dutch public broadcaster RTV Noord, based in Groningen, says that its TV service, and those of other regional public broadcasters in the Netherlands, will be available on satellite by the end of 2006, when the terrestrial analogue service ends. The regional stations had expressed their concern about losing viewers, and after discussions with the government, the provincial governments and KPN, it has been agreed in principle that the regional stations will be delivered on satellite.

RTV Noord’s Director and Editor-in-Chief Roel Dijkhuis says that the broadcasters have received a very good offer from the satellite operator (SES-Astra), and the money saved by closing the analogue transmitters will be used to finance the cost of going on satellite. The Dutch parliament still has to approve the measure, but Dijkhuis is confident that it will be a formality. The regional broadcasts will still be available terrestrially, but only in digital mode. One regional public broadcaster, Limburg’s L1, has been on satellite for some time, with great success.

(Source: RTV Noord via Media Network Weblog)

[Analoguesat]

Heres some info from a contributor over on the DS forum:

By the way - look at www.roosrtv.nl for a map and the names of what the 13 stations are around the country.

The following will be FTA from Nov/Dec 2006

Radio TV Noord (groningen) - Radio and TV channel
Omrop Fryslan (friesland/fryslan) - Radio and TV channel
RTV Drenthe (drenthe) - Radio and TV channel
RTV Oost (overijssel) - Radio and TV channel
RTV Gelderland (gelderland) - Radio and TV channel
Omroep Flevoland (flevoland) - Radio and TV channel
RTV Noord Holland (noord-holland) - Radio and TV channel
Omroep Zeeland (zeeland) - Radio and TV channel
RTV West (northern half zuid-holland) - Radio ONLY
RTV Rijnmond (southern zuid-holland) - Radio ONLY
Omroep Brabant (noord-brabnt) - Radio ONLY
RTV Utrecht (utrecht) - Radio ONLY
Omroep L1 Limburg (limburg) - Radio/TV already on satellite

Things may yet change but as things stand, there will be 9 tv and 13 radio stations.

For those wanting AT5 - this is classed as Amsterdam's local channel and does not have the rights that TV Noord Holland has. This is due to the fact that these regional channels (both radio and TV) are in Holland classed as the emergency broadaster and must be available everywhere.

The reason that only eight regional tv channels will appear is that these channels are the only ones to have analogue transmitter(s) and are worried about coverage after switchover on november 27. The likes of RTV West and RTV Rijnmond do not have anologue transmitters are therefore are less likely to need satellite coverage.

TV West may cover Den Haag/The Hague but also coveres the other towns/cities in northern Zuid-Holland like Leiden.
Same goes with TV Rijnmond for Rotterdam or RTV Utrecht for Utrecht. Theses are all Provincial channels not local. Amsterdam just happens to have a large covering local channel.

[Analoguesat]

Heres the latest list:

confirmed:

TV Noord (Groningen)
Omrop Fryslan TV (Friesland, broadcast in Frisian, their own language)
TV Noord-Holland (province with Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar etc.)
TV Oost (Overijssel)
Omroep Zeeland TV
TV Drenthe
TV Gelderland
TV Rijnmond (Rotterdam)
TV Brabant
L1mburg TV (already FTA)

The following channels have declined:
TV West (Den Haag)
TV Utrecht
TV Flevoland

[Analoguesat]

Now testing on 19E. 11479V 22000 5/6

Currently only carrying test cards.

Also reported on 23E:

11914H 27500 3/4

[Analoguesat]

All channels fired up at 1400 utc today. Screengrabs of all the new channels are in the new "New Channels" section