Transmission company Crown Castle is shortly expected to announce ITV and Channel 4 as the winners of its two vacant channel slots on Freeview.

ITV are intending to use the first channel, which becomes available on April 1, to broadcast a revamped version of Men & Motors, eventually morphing it into ITV4.

Channel 4, meanwhile, are exploring a number of options for their slot, which becomes available on June 1. The broadcaster also has a second free space on the platform to utilise as part of their multichannel plans.

Option 1: More4
One of the two slots will definitely be used for More 4, a new factual station launching in October. The channel, which has a budget of £30 million, will target the over-35s with a programme lineup including original documentaries, drama "events" and a daily news bulletin.

Option 2: E4
The broadcaster recently outlined its intent to take flagship entertainment station E4 free-to-air as part of a "long term strategy." Indications have suggested that the move could occur before the end of 2005, however doing so would incur a penalty from Sky, who have an agreement to carry E4 as a pay channel until 2008.

Option 3: Gaming channel
C4 has been in discussions with German broadcaster 9 Live about launching a joint venture gaming channel following a successful two-month trial on E4 last year. The idea is particularly favoured as an alternative route of bringing in revenues.

Option 4: Movie channel
According to Broadcast, a newer idea is to launch a joint venture movie channel with the BBC. A BBC spokesman told DS that the corporation had "no comment" to make on the "speculation."