Plans for new channels defy crowded market and growing pressure from big broadcasters

摘要

The desire to launch new channels in the UK continues unabated, even though few content niches are unoccupied, and there is increasing pressure on smaller channels from the expanding portfolios of the terrestrial networks. Communications regulator Ofcom issued a record number of channel licences in 2005 - 177 compared with 156 the previous year - and nearly 80 channels plan to launch this year, according to research by New Media Markets. A year ago, similar research showed 45 channels with plans to launch in 2005.