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TV5 Europe will be dropped

In a move which will delight many viewers - and annoy quite a number too - NTL has announced its latest change to the Basic Service analogue package. E4, Channel 4's entertainment channel, will join the NTL basic analogue package on 1st May. On the same day, TV5 Europe will be discontinued. The latter move has probably been inevitable for a long time - NTL has hit TV5 with its past two changes to the service. Last August it was banished to 408Mhz, which many TVs cannot pick up, and lost its morning hours. Although the next change saw its morning hours restored, the opportunity to move it to a more accessible position (the former Eurosport frequency of 64Mhz) was turned down, in favour of CNBC Europe. This change will see CNBC Europe take up residency on 408Mhz anyway, as E4 is given the prime 64Mhz - the second lowest chanel number - frequency.

While French speakers will no doubt be extremely annoyed at this latest mistreatment of TV5 - which will remain a part of the Go Digital pacakge - the positive side is that E4 will probably be an extremly popular channel for NTL Dublin viewers. The channel is a general entertainment channel in the Sky One mould, and features such programmes as Friends, Dawson's Creek, and ER. During the summer, E4 will carry comprehensive coverage of the third season of Big Brother. Last year up to 18 hours a day of live coverage from the house was screened, and this is expected to be repeated this year.

E4 replaces CNBC Europe on 64Mhz (Dublin) on 1st May 2002. CNBC Europe replaces TV5 Europe on 408Mhz from the same date. TV5 Europe will remain available on Go Digital.

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