IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR TV3, FOUR, TV3+1 AND C4 VIEWERS USING FREEVIEW

Between September 20 and October 1, 2012, MediaWorks is making a number of technical changes to the way TV3, FOUR, and C4 are broadcast.

These changes could affect your reception of TV3, FOUR and C4 and the MyFreeview series link functionality for programmes on those channels.

These changes are not part of the switch to digital TV which starts in Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast of the South Island on 30 September and continues across the rest of the country through until 1 December 2013.

Reception
In most cases, your TV or Digital Receiver will automatically update when this change occurs, but if your reception of TV3 or FOUR is affected, you will need to retune your TV or Digital Receiver. We recommend you visit the retune website, your product User Manual or contact the manufacturer of your product for instructions.

During this time, music channel C4 will also temporarily stop transmission on the Freeview Satellite service. After 25 September at 1am, C4 will only be available on the Freeview|HD and SKY platforms for a period of time.

Series Link
If you are using the series link functionality on MyFreeview|HD (via UHF) and MyFreeview Satellite, and live outside Auckland, you will need to reselect series links for TV3 and FOUR after the changes have been made in your region.

MyFreeview HD (UHF) users:
If you live in Gisbourne, Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth, Manawatu, Wanganui, Wairarapa or Wellington), your TV3, FOUR and C4 series links will need to be reset after 1am on Sept 20.

If you live in Hamilton, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo and the South Island your TV3, FOUR and C4 series links will need to be reset after 1am on Sept 21.

MyFreeview Satellite users:
All regions except Auckland are likely to be affected, and the change takes place at 1am on Sept 25 so your TV3, FOUR and C4 series links will need to be reset after 1am on this date.

C4
Music channel C4 will temporarily stop transmission on the Freeview Satellite service on 25 September at 1am. After this date, C4 will only be available on the Freeview|HD and SKY platforms for a period of time.

Going Digital
The changes above are unrelated to the Going Digital campaign and the move to digital television. After Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast of the South Island go digital on 30 September, viewers may need to retune their TVs or Set Top Boxes in order to continue to receive TV3, FOUR and C4.

FAQ
Q: I’m no longer receiving TV3 and FOUR.
A: We’ve recently made some technical changes to the way these channels are broadcast.
If you are having trouble receiving TV3 and FOUR, you may need to retune your TV or Digital Receiver. We recommend you visit the retune website, refer to your product User Manual or contact the manufacturer of your product for instructions.

Q: My TV3, FOUR and C4 series links aren’t working.
A: If you are a MyFreeview user (both MyFreeview Satellite and MyFreeview|HD), you are likely to need to reset your series links. The links may look as if they are still working, but because the transmission method has changed, the links no longer point to the programmes on TV3 and FOUR. The good news is that you still have a record of the programmes you’ve chosen to link, but you’ll have to go through and reselect them all.

Q: I can’t find C4 on the Freeview Satellite service.
A: C4 has temporarily stopped broadcasting on the Freeview Satellite service (as of 1am, 25 September). You can still watch C4 via Freeview|HD and on the SKY platform.

Q: Is this related to digital switchover?
A: No, this relates to some technical changes MediaWorks has made in the way that its TV channels are transmitted.

Q: Why are you doing this?
A: This is part of future-proofing the technical side of the business. Viewers are unlikely to notice many differences immediately but an example of an upcoming change is the captioning of some FOUR programmes.

openmedia: Ok so the question now is will the C4 broadcast on Sky be FTA or encrypted.

If they leave it FTA atleast some of us will still be able to get it.

murfeast: Mu understanding is that it will be un-encrypted similar to TVone and two.

davidcole: Doesn't give you a day that you specifically have to retune for Four and TV3 just "September 20 and October 1"

 
MyFreeview HD (UHF) users:
If you live in Gisbourne, Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth, Manawatu, Wanganui, Wairarapa or Wellington), your TV3, FOUR and C4 series links will need to be reset after 1am on Sept 20.