Popular TV channel to shut down in days as Sky & Freeview customers are warned of more ‘inevitable’ closures
A POPULAR TV channel is set to shut down within days, with Sky and Freeview customers warned of future “inevitable” closures.
London Live has provided local news updates to Greater London residents for 11 years but will be axed at the end of this week.
Beyond its news coverage, the channel also airs a variety of classic sitcoms and documentaries.
These include comedy cult series Peep Show and Spaced and sitcom Green Wing.
The news that London Live would be abruptly shut down came after a takeover of the business.
Local TV Ltd purchased the channel at the start of the month and almost immediately confirmed it would be shut down.
News of the channel’s closure first broke on X – formerly known as Twitter – in a written statement.
It read: “We want to update our loyal followers that very sadly London Live will be closing down.
“The TV channel will no longer be on air from 12am on 20th January and the final news programme will be on 16th January at 6pm.
“We want to thank you for following and supporting us over the last 10 years. We have loved helping to share the stories that matter in London, making sure the voices that count are heard.
“In our biased opinion, London is the best city in the world, made up of brilliant people. Thank you for being a part of our journey. The London Live Team x.”
There have been a huge expansion in FAST channels this year as a free alternative to Netflix, Prime and other streaming giants.
Even the traditional big players in broadcasting are taking a more streaming first approach, with ITV making Corrie and Emmerdale available on ITVX first every morning ahead of their evening slot on ITV1.
Meanwhile, Freeview is preparing for an internet-based TV future, launching Freely earlier this year which can work without an aerial.
An industry expert told The Sun that more channel closures are likely in 2025 and beyond as the trend continues.
“This is inevitable, more broadcasters will cull broadcast/linear TV channels as viewers are flocking to streaming services,” Paolo Pescatore from PP Foresight said.
“The big TV switch off is around the corner, with all programming set to be delivered via the internet.
“Viewers are now spoilt for choice with how and where they watch the TV shows they love across a range of connected devices.
“To respond, broadcasters need to be prepared and work more closely with telecom providers to ensure a seamless experience for users.”
Which channels could go next?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
CBBC and BBC Four are big names at risk for 2025.
The BBC announced in 2022 that the pair would disappear as traditional linear channels in a few years and go digital only via iPlayer.
When Channel 4 announced the closure of The Box and other music channels it owned in January, the broadcaster hinted that more could come.
At the time the company said it was proposing to “close small linear channels that no longer deliver revenues or public value at scale, including the Box channels in 2024 and others at the right time”.
So which could the “others” be? It really depends what Channel 4 considers “small” but its other channels include More4, E4, E4 Extra, Film4 and 4Seven.