[Community Television] Wales: Digital TV and Ofcom and PSB

[Diane Reid]

Bill Wiggin MP tabled two early day motions today - EDMs 33 at 34
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmedm/50517e01.htm
33	OFCOM AND PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING IN WALES That this House views with
great concern the thrust of the Ofcom Review of Public Service Television
Broadcasting-Phase 2: Meeting the Digital Challenge, which threatens to
leave Wales with no meaningful English language public broadcasting on
Channel 3; believes this to be in breach of Ofcom's duty as laid down in the
Communications Act 2003; calls upon Ofcom to carry out its statutory duty in
the interests of the citizen to maintain and strengthen public service
broadcasting in Wales; and believes that Ofcom's final report should
recognise the needs of Wales as a nation and reflect the need for a vibrant
public broadcasting service for the people of Wales.

34 DIGITAL TELEVISION IN WALES  That this House notes the high take-up of
digital television in Wales in comparison to the rest of the UK and that 56
per cent. of Welsh households currently have access to digital television
despite the inherent difficulty in ensuring access to digital transmissions
due to the topography of Wales; further notes that currently only three
quarters of households can receive digital television through their aerials
and that this will not change until digital switchover; believes that public
service broadcasting is an essential part of democracy and that democracy
will be compromised if decisions on when areas conduct switchover lies with
unelected quangos; is concerned that if the switchover process is based
solely on market forces, rural areas will lose out, as companies will
install transmitters where it is easiest; further believes that in areas
which the signal cannot reach, people will have to pay for digital satellite
and that Wales should therefore be among the first areas to switchover as
this will provide an opportunity to test the technology in a challenging
environment, making it easier for the technology to be transferred elsewhere
in the UK; and calls on the Government to set a timetable for this to
happen.

Note: An early day motion (EDM) is a colloquial term for a notice of motion
given by a Member for which no date has been fixed for debate. EDMs exist to
allow Members to put on record their opinion on a subject and canvass
support for it from fellow Members. In effect, the primary function of an
EDM is to form a kind of petition that MPs can sign.

Diane

Diane Reid
Director
Community Media Association
Access to the media for people and communities
http://www.commedia.org.uk/

BOOK NOW FOR EARLY BIRD RATES!
Festival of Community Media!
3rd & 4th June 2005, The Showroom, Sheffield
http://www.commedia.org.uk/festival2005