page_title: Television in the United Kingdom
section_title: Analogue terrestrial television
hierarchical_section_title: Television in the United Kingdom / History / Closed and aborted television providers / Analogue terrestrial television
caption_attribution_description: Crystal Palace Transmitting Station Mast
context_page_description: Television in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection of free-to-air, free-to-view and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content. There are six main channel owners who are responsible for most material viewed. There are 27,000 hours of domestic content produced a year at a cost of £2.6 billion. Since 24 October 2012, all television broadcasts in the United Kingdom have been in a digital format, following the end of analogue transmissions in Northern Ireland. Digital content is delivered via terrestrial, satellite and cable, as well as over IP. As of 2003, 53.2% of households watch through terrestrial, 31.3% through satellite, and 15.6% through cable.
context_section_description: Analogue TV was transmitted via VHF (1936) and later UHF (1964) radio waves, with analogue broadcasts ending in 2012.
  VHF transmissions started in 1936 and closed in 1985 (with a gap 1939–1946), carrying two channels.  The launch channel was the BBC Television Service, known as BBC 1 since 1964. This was joined by Independent Television, a network of regional franchises launching between 1955 and 1962. The channels transmitted in monochrome using the 405-line television system at 25 frames per second, initially with an aspect ratio of 5:4, switching to 4:3 in 1950.
  UHF transmissions started in 1964 and closed in 2012.  The launch channel was BBC 2. This would be joined by BBC 1, the ITV network, Channel 4 or S4C in Wales, Channel 5 as well as a network of local TV channels. Transmissions started using the System I standard, a 625-line monochrome picture at 25 frames/second (576i) and a 4:3 aspect ratio.  Technical advancements included colour (1967), teletext (1974), and stereo sound (1991).  The drive to switch viewers from analogue to digital transmissions was a process called the digital switchover.
  Whilst there are no longer any analogue broadcasts in the UK, a PAL signal may be present in closed RF distribution systems, e.g. a video feed from an intercom in a block of flats, or a security system.
caption: Crystal Palace transmitter. Constructed in 1956, it is the main transmitter for London.
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