Millions of Freeview viewers warned SIX stations including Magic will disappear from TVs in days – and more will follow
FREEVIEW users have been warned that a bunch of well-known stations will disappear from the service in a matter of days.
An alert has started popping up on six channels - and more are set to follow in May.
It includes popular radio stations Magic, Kerrang! and Greatest Hits.
Owners Bauer has already yanked channels from Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat last year.
Instead, the company is urging fans to listen on TV via the Radioplayer app, radio, mobile or smart speaker.
The amount of people listening via TV is now relatively small making up only 4 per cent of digital consumption.
Read more about Freeview
But 37million hours were still listened to on a telly in the last quarter of 2023, according to RAJAR radio data.
DAB now takes up the lion's share of digital radio listening, at 59 per cent and 433million hours.
The full list of axed names on Freeview are:
- Greatest Hits Radio
- Hits Radio
- Kerrang! Radio
- KISS Fresh
- KISSTORY
- Magic Radio
The affected stations will no longer be available as a Freeview channel from April 2.
How to carry on listening from your TV
If you own a Samsung or LG smart TV, you're in luck.
The Radioplayer app is available on these platforms to download for free in the app store.
If you have Sky or Virgin Media, these channels have already gone and the Radioplayer app is available in their place.
New Freeview channel launching this month
While you may be losing radio stations there is a new channel launch on Freeview to look forward to in March.
- GREAT! Real
GREAT! Real is devoted to everything real life, such as Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport, Paddington Station 24/7, Island Medics, Emergency Rescue: Air, Land and Sea; and Coast Guard Alaska.
It will be available from March 20 on Sky and Freeview. - Full list of Freeview channel launches and closures in March including the ‘sad’ end of a free sports station