▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁began ▁broadcast s ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁called ▁Channel ▁ 5 , ▁it ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁re - brand ed ▁as ▁Five ▁and ▁later ▁back ▁to ▁Channel ▁ 5 ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁Channel ▁ 5 ▁lic ence ▁has ▁one ▁single ▁license e ▁and ▁provides ▁a ▁nation wide ▁service . ▁Comp ared ▁to ▁the ▁other ▁analog ue ▁broad c aster s , ▁it ▁has ▁relatively ▁few ▁public - service ▁oblig ations , ▁provision ▁of ▁news ▁programming ▁being ▁one ▁exception . ▁Limited ▁space ▁within ▁the ▁analog ue ▁television ▁bands ▁meant ▁Channel ▁ 5 ▁had ▁substantial ly ▁reduced ▁coverage ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁other ▁networks , ▁at ▁around ▁ 7 0 % ▁coverage . ▁ ▁Rest rict ed ▁service ▁lic ences ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁five ▁national ▁networks , ▁a ▁limited ▁number ▁of ▁local ▁stations ▁were ▁broadcast ▁to ▁various ▁towns ▁and ▁cities ▁under ▁what ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁Rest rict ed ▁Service ▁Lic ence . ▁These ▁occupied ▁channels ▁un used ▁by ▁the ▁other ▁broad c aster s ▁that ▁could ▁be ▁used ▁without ▁causing ▁inter ference ▁in ▁other ▁regions , ▁and ▁were ▁frequently ▁broadcast ▁at ▁a ▁lower ▁power ▁than ▁the ▁major ▁channels . ▁Their ▁output ▁was ▁mainly ▁local , ▁and ▁each ▁contract ▁for ▁an ▁R SL ▁last ed ▁four ▁years ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁when ▁media ▁reg ulator ▁Of com ▁stated ▁that ▁each ▁lic ence ▁will ▁be ▁renew ed ▁up ▁until ▁digital ▁switch over . ▁