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ITV4+1 was added to the Freesat EPG today, accessible via channel 118 on your Freesat digital box; now only a few short of the 150 revised channel target by the end of the year.

We are still unsure of the reasons why ITV4+1 has taken so long to be added, but suspect that channels are being queued for inclusion and that was the first available slot.

We weren’t going to post about the new channel inclusions as they are not the most exciting, but we’ve had a number of emails from readers wondering what the changes were yesterday.

They include the following new channels:

141 BET+1
308 Simply Movies
816 Ideal World

There is also the addition of ITV1 London on 977 for audio description and also Celebrity Shop has been renamed TV Shop on channel 806.

For a full channel line up, click here.

Just to confirm, Channel Five should now be available on your Freesat digital box, the update came through just after 11:30 this morning.

We’d like to welcome Five to the fold, we only wish you had brought your family, Fiver and Five US with you

Now what shall we discuss…

Freesat have today announced the forthcoming addition of Five onto the platform on Tuesday 18th November 2008.

Since launching in 1997, Five has developed a strong reputation for a wide mix of entertainment, documentaries, features, news, sport and children’s programmes. The channel’s Autumn schedule includes Paul Merton in India, 1968 Unseen, Dangerous Adventures for Boys, Unbreakable and Axe Men.

Commenting on the addition of channel Five to the service, Freesat Managing Director Emma Scott said;

We’ve been looking forward to welcoming Five onto Freesat since we launched – and we know viewers have too. Five is a fantastic addition and we’re thrilled that the large number of homes that have already chosen Freesat will now be able to enjoy Five alongside around 140 other channels available without a subscription or contract.

Charles Constable, Channel Five’s Director of Strategy, said;

I am delighted that Five will be available to Freesat viewers. Our launch will support three of Five’s objectives: to be universally available throughout the UK, to let viewers watch our programmes on the platform of their choice, and to enable as many people as possible to watch Five free of charge.

Five (channel 105) will automatically be added to Freesat digital boxes and integrated TVs.

Update: A number of you have asked about Fiver and Five US, the official statement from Freesat is:

Due to lack of availability of appropriate satellite capacity, Fiver and Five US are unable to join freesat currently. However, we are exploring options to secure capacity to enable these channels to join freesat at some time in the future.

Thane Direct, a shopping channel will be added to the Freesat EPG tomorrow, 4th November 2008. Allocated slot channel # 811.

Also joining will be BEN TV, a special interest channel, allocated slot channel #664.

Just thought we’d let you know in case you wonder what’s been added and start looking for channel Five!

Channel Five has today taken a step towards inclusion on the Freesat EPG by broadcasting ‘in the clear’.

You can currently manually add the channel with the following frequency details:

10773 H 22000 5/6 ID 6335

We hope to have news on inclusion on the Freesat EPG soon, but a November launch is likely.

It has been announced that ITV4 will have a timeshift channel, ITV4+1 by the end of the year.

The channel, which will begin BARB reporting on December 1st 2008 will appear on Freesat channel 118, as well as Sky channel 180, but won’t be available on Virgin Media, just like the other ITV timeshift channels, making this an exclusive satellite channel.

There will be no GMTV2 content on ITV4+1. GMTV2 will continue to be carried on ITV4, but this will not be stagger cast on ITV4+1, which will simply carry a caption between 07:00 and 10:24 stating that programming starts at 10:25.

Jazz FM has today been added to the Freesat EPG, channel 729.

This takes the total channels up to 135 (100 TV, 35 Radio). Full channel listing can be found here.

Thanks Nev (avit_now) for the heads-up.

The Travel Channel have taken the decision not to be included on the Freesat EPG, not in the short term future anyway. With over 100,000 Freesat units already sold, and large increases expected up to the end of the year with the introduction of the Freesat+ receiver, it seems a strange decision to take for a small EPG inclusion fee, especially considering the limited number of travel type channels on Freesat at present.

Ashley, a reader of joinfreesat.co.uk received the following response from Travel Channel:

Hi Ashley,

Unfortunately, we do not have plans to launch on the Freesat EPG. But we encourage you to keep watching Travel Channel!

Best regards!

Don’t forget that the Travel Channel can still be watched by manually adding, frequency 12560 V 27500 2/3.

We have been informed that C4 and C4+1 have now appeared in their respective slots on the Freesat EPG (104 and 121), when a Northern Ireland postcode is being used.

We haven’t been able to check this out for ourselves, so if you live in Northern Ireland, post a comment to confirm this is accurate.