Freeview "important" to Virgin 1

Virgin 1's slot on Freeview is an essential part of the channel's success, Virgin Media TV managing director Jonathan Webb has said.

Speaking at the new channel's launch, Webb said that being on Freeview had informed the design of the channel.

"Freeview is an incredibly important part of how we designed this channel," he said. "For us it's about getting the rhythm and the DNA of Freeview and how we can do something new.

"Freeview is about being available to everyone; it's about ubiquity. It's about being part of national pop culture. It's about cross-platform content... and you'll get a sense from Virgin 1 that it's more than just a linear channel."

When asked about what the assembled Virgin Media team thought about rival Sky One, programmes director Celia Taylor said: "When we were building Virgin 1, we didn't sit there and agonise about what everybody else was doing. We decided that we wanted to have our own personality, our own stance, and be very authentic."

Sir Richard Branson, who hosted the launch at his home in Oxfordshire, said that while "some of its competitors" - indicating he meant Sky One - were only available on one platform, Virgin 1 would be available on three. "It's great that it will be seen by a wider audience."