M-Net says its M-Net HD (DStv 170) and M-Net channel (DStv 101) won't become exact mirror channels from April yet since it still needs to accomodate some high definition sport broadcasts on the M-Net HD channel - although the pay broadcaster says that eventually all of its channels will be broadcast in high definition (HD).
Yesterday I asked M-Net specifically about the broadcaster's HD strategy moving forward and whether the M-Net channel and M-Net HD will become exact simulcast channels by 1 April. Last year sources told TV with Thinus that the plan was for M-Net and M-Net HD - both on satellite - to become 100% simulcast channels when M-Net does the split between its M-Net channel on satellite and its analogue channel this year, and which will now happen on 1 April.
''HD is the future of television. In the end all channels, all M-Net's channels, will be in HD,'' says Lani Lombard, M-Net's communications manager. ''It's very difficult still, and very very expensive to shoot in HD as well, so moving to HD is a gradual process. At this stage the M-Net channel (DStv 101) on DStv and M-Net HD (DStv 170) are very close and the gap is getting smaller and smaller,'' she says.
''As soon as possible M-Net HD and M-Net will become exactly the same mirror channel. We will put all of our schedules and programming together in HD and then down convert it to standard definition.''.
Is there a specific date and will it be 1 April? ''There is not a specific date for that... yet,'' she says. ''But it is coming. It's definitely coming.'' For the time being M-Net HD still needs to accomodate some HD sport broadcasts, while all sport will move away from the M-Net channel from April. Therefore M-Net HD and the M-Net channel can't yet look exactly alike.
