A POPULAR TV channel is set to shut down within days, with Sky and Freeview customers warned of “imminent” future closures.
London Live has provided up-to-date local news to residents of greater London for 11 years, but it will be discontinued at the end of this week.
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London Live will shut down at the end of this weekCredit: London Live
Apart from news reporting, the channel also airs various classic sitcoms and documentaries.
Among them are the cult comedy series Peep Show and Spaced and the sitcom Green Wing.
The news that London Live was to shut down abruptly came after the deal was taken over.
Local TV Ltd bought the channel at the beginning of the month and almost immediately confirmed that it would be shut down.
News of the channel’s closure was first announced on Xu – formerly known as Twitter – in a written statement.
It read: “We would like to inform our loyal followers that unfortunately London Live will be closing.
“The TV channel will no longer be broadcast from 12:00 on January 20, and the final news will be on January 16 at 18:00.
“We want to thank you for following and supporting us for the last 10 years. We loved helping to share the stories that matter in London, making sure the voices that count are heard.
“In our biased opinion, London is the best city in the world, made up of brilliant people. Thank you for being part of our journey. London Live Team x.”
FAST channels have experienced a major expansion this year as a free alternative to Netflix, Prime and other streaming giants.
Even the traditional big players in broadcasting are taking a more streaming-first approach, with ITV making Corrie and Emmerdale available on ITVX first thing every morning before their evening slots on ITV1.
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Meanwhile, Freeview is gearing up for the internet TV future, launching Freely earlier this year which can work without an aerial.
An industry expert told The Sun that more channel closures are likely in 2025 and beyond as the trend continues.
“This is inevitable, more and more broadcasters will turn off broadcast/linear TV channels as viewers flock to streaming services,” said Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight.
“The big TV shutdown is around the corner, with all programming set to be delivered online.
“Viewers are now spoiled for choice with how and where to watch the TV shows they love on a range of connected devices.
“To respond, broadcasters need to be prepared and work more closely with telecommunications providers to ensure a seamless experience for customers.”
Which channels might go next?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, assistant technology and science editor at The Sun
CBBC and BBC Four are big names at risk for 2025.
In 2022, the BBC announced that the pair would disappear as traditional linear channels in a few years and become digital only through iPlayer.
When Channel 4 announced the closure of The Box and other music channels it owns in January, the broadcaster hinted that there could be more to come.
At the time, the company said it was proposing to “close small linear channels that no longer generate revenue or public value at scale, including the Box 2024 channels and others in due course.”
So who might the “others” be? It really depends what Channel 4 considers “small”, but its other channels include More4, E4, E4 Extra, Film4 and 4Seven.
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