[Community Television] Media Guardian: analogue switch-off

[Ian Fergusson]

Analogue switch-off issues 'not being addressed' 

Owen Gibson, chief reporter 
Monday October 11, 2004 

Influential consumer groups today called on the government to
immediately make enough money available for those on low incomes or with
disabilities to upgrade their TV sets and video recorders to digital. 
They warned the government that most people remain opposed to switching
off the analogue TV signal, adding that it would miss its own 2012
deadline if it didn't help the elderly and those on low incomes to
convert to digital. 
The Consumer Experts Group made its concerns felt in a report
commissioned by broadcasting minister Andrew McIntosh to look into the
implications of digital switchover for consumers. 
The pressure groups, including representatives from the Consumers'
Association, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the National
Consumer Council, Age Concern and others, today said that there was
still a "long list" of issues that weren't being addressed. 
"Despite more than half of households having adopted digital TV, the
majority have only converted their main television set, and most
consumers are opposed to analogue switch-off," said the report,
commissioned by the Department of Culture Media and Sport. 
It said that there was still a "long list of outstanding consumer issues
which need to be addressed", including "coverage, affordability, take
up, accessibility, protection for vulnerable groups, consumer support
and information". 
The prospect of even tens of thousands of elderly or poor people being
left without TV is a political nightmare, and this report heralds the
prospect of a major campaign for government handouts. But consumer
groups fear the number of people who could refuse to upgrade could run
into millions.
The government did help the hard core who refused to upgrade their TV
sets from 405 to 625 lines but it took more than 15 years to phase the
new broadcasting system in during the 1970s and early 1980s. 
Although over half of all households now have at least one digital set
through satellite, cable or the BBC-backed free-to-air service Freeview,
all the available research points to a hard core of up to a fifth of the
population that is unable or unwilling to make the switch voluntarily. 
What do we do about 2nd sets?
The report also points to the so-called "second set problem" - the fact
that most people have two or three sets in the house, which would all
have to be converted to digital, and that most video recorders would
also have to be converted to work with the new technology. 
"Although these issues are now well-known and well-understood, the
government's existing policy does not ensure that they are addressed as
part of the switchover timetable," said the report. 
The Consumers Expert Group said that the government should not announce
a switchover date until more than 70% of consumers had already gone
digital. "This would amount to a radical change in government policy
from 'if the market delivers, we will switch' to 'if we switch, the
market will deliver'," it argued. 
Although culture minister Tessa Jowell has yet to announce a firm
timetable for switchover, the BBC has suggested a switch off date of
2012. 
And under draft plans drawn up by media regulator Ofcom, switchover
would begin as soon as 2007 with the borders region earmarked as the
first to lose its analogue signal altogether. 
But the consumer groups said that the government should introduce a new
test, promising not to announce a timetable for switchover until seven
out of 10 consumers had digital sets and vowing not to turn off the
analogue signal until 95% of all consumers had switched. 
Another problem inherent in the strategy to switch off the analogue
signal is the fact that the Freeview signal cannot be boosted to reach
remote rural areas and portable sets until after the analogue signal is
switched off. 
Broadcasters and the government hope that the imminent launch of a
free-to-air satellite service from BSkyB and a similar BBC-backed
"freesat" plan will help to fill in the gaps in Freeview coverage. 
The report said that the government must "persuade rather than compel"
viewers to switch to digital. "This means taking the outstanding
consumer issues seriously," it said, adding that broadcasters and the
government should stop labelling those weren't yet ready to switch to
digital as "refuseniks". 
Broadcasting minister Mr McIntosh said that the government would listen
carefully to the proposals and moved to reassure viewers that their
needs would be put first. 
"In highlighting some of the issues we face in reaching this goal, the
Consumer Expert Group is knocking on an open door. We know there are
still challenges. We are working closely with industry, leading
charities and consumer organisations to address them," he said. 
"But viewers can be assured that their interests, particularly those of
the most vulnerable, will be at the heart of every decision we make." 
(ENDS)
--------------------------
Ian K. Fergusson * Manager, Press & Publicity *  BBC Bristol /  BBC West
& Southwest
Room 20, Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR, England,
UNITED KINGDOM
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(+44)-(0)117-923-7147   
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