Source: digiNEWS Network site tv:uk

ONdigital Chief Executive Stuart Prebble has shown his support for the BBC's proposals to launch two new channels, BBC3 and BBC4.

Speaking at the Royal Television Society meeting last night, he said: "The idea that if you're only receiving BBC1 and 2 you've only got half the set is exactly the one I want to convey. Very few brands are strong enough to just extend themselves numerically - and you have to be as powerful and ubiquitous as the BBC to believe that viewers will come to understand the differences between BBC 1, 2, 3 and 4 just as they currently understand the differences between Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Good luck."

Prebble also showed support for Channel 4's new entertainment channel, E4, and the forthcoming movie channels.

Speaking of ITV, he said, "Thanks to consolidation and common cause among its shareholders, [it is] in a position to bring about a seismic shift in the landscape of pay television in the UK with a small number of strong and well-resourced ITV multi-channels".

Concluding his speech, he said, "When TV can do for advertisers lots of things for which they previously had to rely on other media, more advertising money will move into television, producing better content."