A New Freeview Channel, Merit, Is Launching

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Following a month of Freeview channels closing down, some good news are now in order, as a new general entertainment channel, called “Merit”, is launching on Freeview.

The new channel will launch on Freeview Channel 34, and might require a retune of your device. 

Merit will be an evening-only channel for now, and will broadcast daily between 9:00 pm to midnight. It will feature cooking and gardening programmes.

July 29 Update: After a couple of weeks with only a “Coming Soon” message, it looks like Merit is finally launching tonight, starting 9pm, with shows like Britain’s Best Back Gardens, The Hungry Sailors and more.

September 17 Update: The channel has now been closed, less than two months after its launch. Read more about it here.

This is the second new Freeview channel to be added in recent months, after CCXTV launched back in April, bringing The Bold And The Beautiful with it back to the UK.

Established in 2002, Freeview is the United Kingdom’s digital terrestrial television platform. It provides access to free-to-air TV channels and radio stations, including more than 70 standard channels and 15 HD channels.

Freeview Play smartphone and tablet 800

Freeview is, as the name suggests, free – but you do, however, need to pay the yearly TV licence fee in most cases. In order to be able to watch Freeview channels, you need two main components: A TV Aerial (see the ones I recommend here), and a Freeview box.

Merit is operated by ITV Digital Channels, a subsidiary of ITV, and will take over the current ITV3+1 channel, which is moving to Channel 58. Consequently, ITVBe+1 will move from its current Channel 58 to Channel 97.

We have approached ITV for more information on the new channel, but they declined to comment at this point.

NOW 70s freeview channel

Meanwhile, Manchester viewers will also be happy to hear that the NOW 70s channel, which broadcasts 70’s hits from 07:00 to 22:00, is returning on Channel 78. However, yes – it will ONLY be available in Manchester.

11 thoughts on “A New Freeview Channel, Merit, Is Launching”

  1. I have a lot of trouble with both the channels pixelating and some channels looking like the picture on a computer screen looked at from the side BBC is ok but other channels aren’t it’s very annoying

    Reply
  2. Use to watch the now 70s program I was so upset you tuck it off as it was one of the only programs worth watching on tv can’t see why just Manchester will get it as I live in Nottingham and I will not receive it is not on

    Reply
  3. Try going to chanel 271 called Channel Box. As long as your TV connects to the Internet you will find Now 70s channel and the Vaults …. Urban music… Clubland dance channel and Now 90s channel…..there we are everyone…sorted

    Reply
  4. You taken now 70s channel off freeview.that was a brilliant channel to watch my favourite songs are frm the 70s.can you put it back on I live in stoke on trent area.x

    Reply
  5. Itv 3 +1 is not availalbe to me in my area anyway so makes no difference, where i live is called the lite zone, so cannot coment on everything, we get all our tv via freesat and sky, we rarely use freeview, so if merits only going on there it wont last long, freeview is a huge disappointment where i live as we only get about 12 good channels, freesat is our main viewing in terms of free tv, while sky stays top for viewing pay and the 300+ free channels!

    Reply
  6. Dear Team.
    Could you please tell me why the following channels are not available to me on the Rowridge
    (Isle of Wight) Transmitter.
    BBC 4 HD, BBC News HD, Forces TV, Freesport and others.

    I look forward to your reply.

    Regards.
    Ricky C.

    Reply
    • I would be surprised if they’ve done something to the transmitter like they did at Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham’s main transmitter).

      You’ve got to buy a brand new aerial now to pick up these channels. I wasn’t happy as we basically lost all the HD channels.

      Reply

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