| The Big Deal | |
|---|---|
| Launched | July 2009 |
| Owned by | Square 1 Management Ltd |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV 16:9) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 32 |
The Big Deal (or Big Deal as it appears on the EPG) is a TV channel in the United Kingdom on the Freeview platform.
When launched in 2009, The Big Deal broadcast live interactive quiz show 7 days a week from 22:00-05:00 on Freeview channel 37, then changed to channel 32, timesharing with the RT Network and Create and Craft. Each night, The Big Deal broadcast various games and puzzles, with cash prizes to be won for viewers who guessed the correct answers. Viewers were asked to call in or log on to The Big Deal website to enter these games. Later in the year The Big Deal reduced its timeslot from 22:00-05:00 to 00:30-05:00.
On 6 November 2009, The Big Deal ceased broadcasting its own content. Teleshopping instead commenced broadcasting between 04:00-06:00, later reduced to 05:00-06:00, but in post-DSO areas it was extended to 24 hours which was introduced to pre-DSO areas on 2 March 2011.
On 12 April 2011, The Big Deal began broadcasting TView, a pay-per-view film service, and broadcasting hours were reduced to 18:00-05:00.[1] The service ran until 27 April 2011, when it was replaced by teleshopping, and its hours were reduced to 18:00-22:00. As of July 7 2011, The Big Deal had changed back to its old slot of 05:00-06:00. However, on 6 September 2011 it changed its broadcasting hours to 00:00-04:00. Broadcasting hours were changed again on 20 October 2011 to 03:00-05:00. Despite this, the caption that appears on the channel when tuned in between 05:00 and 03:00 continues to say "Tune in at midnight".