Here we are in November - just two months to 2008 !!! Where does it go ? We have had a nice time with autumn visitors - the weather has not been wonderful for them but we have had a good time – finding some new to us restaurants and bars Cartagena way. Did any of you go to the end of September festivities in that town - what a spectacle. I think its the best of all the “fiestas” in Murcia.
TV news.............. A very significant snippit of information sent to me by Keith B – (please send me any “bits” of information you come across ref UK TV out here in Spain. I search the net, subscribe to various associations and newsletters but I still miss some !) – was from an article issued by “The British Ex Pats Association” which read – One singularly important event for Ex Pats is that following our petition to the European Parliament of 21st November 2005, our petition was accepted, and as a direct result the commission issued a press release stating that “Radio and TV without frontiers within the 27 Member States, had passed its first reading in the E. U. Parliament and was to become a reality by 2008. Many said it would be impossible to achieve but it has happened and means that any E. U. Radio and TV will be legally available anywhere in the E.U.. You may or may not be aware that watching channel 4, 5 and most of the Sky channels is technically illegal anywhere except in the UK and whilst watching BBC and ITV is legal they do not want us to do it – thus the large satellite dishes required. This peice of E.U. legislation will make it legal to watch and hopefully easier to watch. Technically it is possible to watch UK TV down here on a small satellite dish – lets hope that this legislation is a way forward to real open frontiers for all media forms.
Are you aware that there are over 100 channels waiting to launch on the SKY satellite platform but they can not get a slot on the EPG (electronic programme guide) ? SKY can only use 3 figures (100 to 999) because many of the older digiboxes can not cope with more and there are just not enough numbers. It is suggested that channels will have to share slots so day time and evenings may be showing different channels on the same number. Technology needs to catch up. Many of you will not like this but SKY NEWS is going subscription only so you cardless or freesat viewers will not get it. SKY NEWS is the most successful news channel and SKY want you to pay for it. Channel 4 (and its associate channels) has announced that it will join the new BBC/ITV freesat system I have been talking about over the past months but not at launch time in the spring of 2008 as its contract with SKY does not end until the autumn although there is a rumour they will buy out of SKY to join freesat at its launch. They did say the new channel 4 will be on ASTRA 2D which probably means that the smaller dishes hoped for for freesat will not happen, 2D is the satellite BBC and ITV use now and the big dishes down here are and probably will be needed.
Lastly we are often asked what people down here will need to do when the UK switches to digital over the next few years – answer – nothing you are already on digital. All UK TV down here comes from the SKY satellite platform and that is digital.
Just a note to all new property buyers down here in this part of Southern Spain. If UK TV is important to you then have a reputable satellite company survey for TV before you buy. The large dishes required to get UK TV are not always possible to mount in the required direction on all properties.
Article sponsored by RAINBOW SATELLITES who install UK TV throughout the Murcia region. Contact Alan or Matt for free friendly advice. Call (0034) 686 358 475, email rainbowsats@terra.es or look at our website Rainbow Sats