Channel 4 is to pull its catchup service All4 and 4HD from Freesat following a change to the platform’s pricing structure.
The two services will be removed on Thursday 22 February.
A C4 spokesperson told Broadband TV News: “We’re disappointed Freesat is changing its charging structure, leading to a very significant cost increase for Channel 4, which ultimately takes funding away from our content investment budget. To reduce the overall burden of our Freesat costs and make internal savings we have regrettably given notice to withdraw All 4 and C4 HD while we consider our long-term relationship with Freesat.”
In a statement Freesat said: “We remain committed to bringing Freesat customers the very best content and hope to see the channels return soon.”
While carriage disputes are increasingly common, what makes this one interesting is that Freesat, is owned by two public service broadcasters the BBC and ITV, and Channel 4 is itself a public service broadcaster.
According to Barb estimates, Freesat is available in 1.14 million households.
