Editing Free-to-view (section)

==Commercial restrictions and targeting==
The free-to-view system allows for restricting access based on location of the viewer. For example, in the UK prior to the launch of [[Astra 2D]], UK channels broadcasting from the [[Astra 28.2°E]] satellites used a wide beam and could be received across Europe on small dishes. Those channels which were non-subscription but aimed at the UK only, or restricted from broadcasting outside the UK by way of programme rights (such as [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]]) or governance (such as the [[BBC]] channels), were broadcast encrypted using [[Videoguard]] (as used by [[Sky (United Kingdom)|Sky (UK)]] for its pay-TV services) with viewing cards made available to UK residents only.<ref>Bains, Geoff. "Flight of the Big Birds" ''What Satellite & Digital TV'' February 2012 pp29</ref>

The launch of Astra 2D with a broadcast beam narrowly aimed only at the UK and Ireland enabled UK channels to switch from broadcasting free-to-view to free-to-air, while maintaining their UK exclusivity. The decline of UK free-to-view in favour of narrow-beamed free-to-air has been gradual:

*The BBC's eight digital channels were encrypted under the scheme from their launch on digital satellite until 14 July 2003, when they became free-to-air.
*Shortly after this, ITV stated its intentions to go free-to-air eventually, and launched their newest channel, [[ITV3]], in the clear on 1 November 2004.
*This was followed up by ITV moving its [[Men & Motors]] channel to FTA in July 2005.
*This gradual conversion was completed on 1 November 2005, with [[ITV1]] and [[ITV2]] going FTA. ITV's latest channel, [[ITV4]], was launched at the same time, also as a free-to-air service. All the BBC and ITV channels at this time could be viewed FTA without any subscription or purchase from Sky.
*However, in June 2008, some ITV regional channels were encrypted again due to one of their narrow beam transponder agreements ending.
*In April, 2011, high definition [[Channel 4 HD]] moved from being a free-to-view channel to a free-to-air channel (when moving to a transponder on Eurobird).
*1 December 2011, [[5USA]], 5USA+1, [[5*]] and 5*+1 became free-to-air after moving to [[Astra 1N]].
*6 June 2012, [[Pick TV]] and Pick TV +1 became free-to-air.
*During October 2012, the final free-to-view regions of [[ITV1]], ITV1 +1 and [[ITV1 HD]] became free-to-air.
*25 March 2013, [[Viva (UK & Ireland)|Viva]] went free-to-air.
*28 October 2013, Channel 5 HD switched from free-to-view became a subscription channel on the Sky digital satellite platform and is no longer a channel.
*[[LFC TV]] switched from free-to-view to Sky subscription only.
*7 February 2017, [[4Music]] became free-to-air, although it reverted to being free-to-view on 12 December 2018, but later became free-to-air again on 1 February 2022.

The remaining channel aimed exclusively at the UK that use the [[Astra (satellite)|Astra]] satellites at 28.2°E with a Europe-wide beam and remain free-to-view and encrypted is regions [[STV (TV channel)|STV HD]] ([[Dundee]] & [[Edinburgh]]), [[Local TV Limited|London TV]] and they can be viewed with a Sky Videoguard receiver and a Sky viewing card, either an inactive former Sky pay-TV card or one for the [[Freesat from Sky]] package, bought for a one-off fee.<ref>[http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/ List of Freesat from Sky channels]. Retrieved 30 November 2014</ref>