Pointless TV channels?

[BPH]

What exactly is the point of E4+1 and More4+1? Are they not just taking up valuable air space? (For the benefit of anyone who is not familiar with E4+1 and More4+1, they are digital television channels, available on Freeview, which merely repeat, one hour later, what has been shown on E4 or More4).

[vehelpfulguy]

There are a lot of these on Sky as well, UK gold + 1, Discovery +1 etc

I guess it gives people who have missed the start of a program the chance to watch it when it starts an hour later.

I have certainly been flicking round the channels on Sky, found a program already on I like the look of, and watched the one starting an hour later.

I guess it also is good for advertisers and they get a chance have their adverts shown twice. Not sure how much more they pay for this.

Overall I do not see it as a problem as it means you have 2 chances to watch a program rather than 1.

[snook]

I agree, it just gives you a little extra flexibility in the way programs are aired. With so many channels available now, it's quite common to come across something you like the look of but that's already started - when that happens, you can (in some cases) hop over to the +1 channel and catch it from the beginning.

There was a time when you could glance at the newspaper listings for that day and spot a few programmes that you wanted to watch. And actually remember to watch them! Anyone fancy leafing through a 10 or 15 page directory of channels to see what's on today?? And memorising the times (and channels) of programs that take your eye? Mmm... me neither!

[BPH]

Yes, but where's it going to end? Are we going to get E4+2, More4+1+1, Discovery+5? Surely there are better ways of utilising these slots. Or maybe not!

[gary baldy]

I love it!
So many programmes fill the prime time slots and this means you can essentially stretch the golden period from 8 til 10 over 4 hours. Saves you messing around videoing stuff. I sometimes wish they would repeat the whole days schedules the next day.

[Whickerman]

It's really handy for me. Due to work and study commitments, I miss'prime-time' shows. Now i don't have to. And it's not like there's a scarcity of available airspace...

[joko]

you pay no extra for them - you would if they were new channels - not sure why you're bothered...

[BPH]

Two things - I wouldn"t say I was "bothered" by the situation, and I think there IS a scarcity of airspace on Freeview. But thank you all for your contributions!