Turner Broadcasting System is to encrypt the Astra 1C signal of Cartoon Network and TNT Classic Movies "to restrict its delivery to the United Kingdom". Cartoon Network now has eight localised feeds of its service across Europe. Asked why Turner was contemplating this change when analogue broadcasting was in decline, a Turner spokesman said that the change would encourage European viewers to sign up to their own language feed version of the channel.
Also from October 15, Turner is launching the digital widescreen Turner Classic Movies as a replacement for the classic movies content of TNT. The move follows the launch of the latter channel in Poland and Spain. However, TNT will continue to exist in an analogue form, broadcasting to the UK. Turner has not confirmed if it will be discontinued when BSkyB ceases analogue transmissions from the 19.2 degrees East position in two years time. Turner has not revealed from which satellite position it will broadcast the digital-only Turner Classic Movies.
