A news report announces the fact that CNN launches on Freeview this week – effectively replacing Nuts TV. That’s got to be good news for Freeview viewers, giving them an additional news service alongside the BBC News channel (never News 24!) and Sky News (will it remain on Freeview?).
But The Guardian’s report (perhaps based on a CNN press release, and illustrated by a picture of very occassional presenter Mylene Klass) is a little misleading:
News channel CNN International is to join the Freeview digital TV service from Thursday, just days before the inauguration of new US president Barack Obama.
The move will mean Freevew viewers will have the choice of an American viewpoint on Obama’s inauguration on 20 January, alongside that of the digital terrestrial TV service’s two UK-based 24-hour news channels, Sky News and the BBC News channel.
The channel will air on Freeview 84 seven days a week between the hours of 9pm and 1am.
It’s that last little bit that’s problemmatical. While inaugural events are taking place all day, the main address takes place at midday Washington time, which is 5pm UK time. The parade then kicks off at about 7pm UK time. So by the time 9pm rolls around and CNN reaches Freeview screens, most of the key action will have already taken place. BBC One, for example, is carrying live coverage between 4pm and 6pm UK time, while ITV, er, isn’t.
Still, four hours a day of CNN is better than none.