How to Identify Geoblocked Channels in Free-TV/IPTV: The Ⓖ Marker Explained

TLDR: In the Free-TV/IPTV repository, geoblocked channels are identified by the circled "G" character (Ⓖ, Unicode U+24BC) appended directly to the channel name in Markdown definition tables.

The Free-TV/IPTV project maintains curated lists of international television channels available via IPTV. Contributors and users need to identify which streams are restricted to specific geographic regions, and the repository uses a standardized visual marker to denote these geoblocked channels directly in the source data.

The Ⓖ Marker: Unicode U+24BC in Channel Definitions

The repository uses the circled "G" character (Ⓖ) as the canonical indicator for geoblocked content. This Unicode character (U+24BC) appears immediately after the channel name in the Markdown tables that define each country's channel list.

According to the repository's documentation in README.md at line 174, contributors should indicate geoblocked content: "If you're adding geoblocked URLs specify it …" The implementation follows this convention by appending the Ⓖ symbol to the channel name column.

Where Geoblocked Markers Appear in Source Files

You can find the Ⓖ marker across multiple country-specific list files in the lists/ directory:

• USA: Buzzr Ⓖ appears in lists/usa.md at line 7
• Italy: Rai 1 Ⓖ appears in lists/italy.md at line 10
• Sweden: SVT 1 Ⓖ appears in lists/sweden.md at line 7
• Portugal: RTP2 Ⓖ appears in lists/portugal.md at line 6

This pattern is consistent across all regional lists in the Free-TV/IPTV repository, making it easy to scan for region-restricted content.

How the Parser Processes Geoblocked Channels

The make_playlist.py script handles the generation of M3U playlists from these Markdown tables. When parsing channel definitions, the script extracts the raw channel name—including the Ⓖ marker—and passes it to the Channel class.

The marker is treated as part of the channel name string. No special filtering or flagging occurs during playlist generation; the Ⓖ symbol persists into the final #EXTINF line in the M3U output. This design choice keeps the marker visible to end users while maintaining simple parsing logic.

# Conceptual representation from make_playlist.py

# The Channel class receives the name with marker intact

channel_name = "Buzzr Ⓖ"  # Parsed from Markdown table

# Generated M3U output includes the marker:

# #EXTINF:-1 channel-id="..." tvg-name="Buzzr Ⓖ",Buzzr Ⓖ

Example of a Geoblocked Channel Entry

Below is a typical table entry from the source files showing the marker placement:

| # | Channel            | Link | Logo | EPG id |

|---|-------------------|------|------|--------|
| 1 | Buzzr Ⓖ           | [>](https://buzzrota-ono.amagi.tv/playlist1080.m3u8) | ... | Buzzr.us |

The Ⓖ symbol sits immediately after the channel name in the second column. The link column uses the shorthand [>](url) format, while the marker remains in the channel name column.

Summary

• Ⓖ (Unicode U+24BC) is the standard marker for geoblocked channels in Free-TV/IPTV.
• The symbol appears in country-specific Markdown files like lists/usa.md, lists/italy.md, and lists/sweden.md.
• The make_playlist.py script preserves the marker as part of the channel name when generating M3U playlists.
• No special processing logic is applied; the marker serves as a visual indicator for contributors and users.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact Unicode character used for geoblocked channels?

The repository uses Ⓖ, which is the circled Latin capital letter G (Unicode U+24BC). This character is distinct from the regular letter G and is appended directly to channel names in the Markdown tables.

Does the Ⓖ marker affect how the playlist is generated?

No. The make_playlist.py script treats the Ⓖ marker as part of the channel name string. It passes the complete name, including the symbol, to the Channel class, which outputs it in the #EXTINF line. The marker does not trigger any special filtering or regional logic in the code.

How do I add a geoblocked channel to the repository?

According to README.md at line 174, when adding geoblocked URLs, you should specify this by appending the Ⓖ marker to the channel name in the Markdown table. Follow the existing format in your target country's list file, placing the symbol immediately after the channel name.

Are there other markers for restricted content in the repository?

The primary marker for geographic restrictions is the Ⓖ symbol. The repository documentation focuses on this specific character for indicating geoblocked streams, and it appears consistently across all country-specific channel lists in the lists/ directory.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}