Switchover News July 2007

Posted on 13th July at 10:05 AM, Posted by: Digital UK

100 DAYS TO PREPARE FOR SWITCHOVER

With just 100 days before the UK’s first digital television switchover in Whitehaven and Copeland, Digital UK is telling residents not to leave it too late to convert to digital, and stepping up its communications campaign. From later this month, every household will receive a 20-page guide called ‘It’s time to switch’ and on-screen reminder captions will reappear on analogue channels. More from Digital UK Whitehaven 100 days

PURNELL TAKES BROADCASTING BRIEF

James Purnell, the new Culture Secretary, will take direct responsibility for broadcasting and digital switchover, the DCMS confirmed. The Department’s new Minister of State, Margaret Hodge, hosted a meeting of retailers and manufacturers last month in her former role as Trade Minister. They discussed industry plans to accelerate the availability of digital equipment sales and provide clear customer information during switchover.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS FAMILY’S SWITCHOVER ROLE

Family members will have a key role to play in supporting older and less technically confident people during switchover, new research suggests. Ofcom’s Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People (ACOD) published a study with Digital UK. It found that such groups are not concerned by switchover, but suggested this may reflect low understanding. Digital UK is using the research to help shape its community outreach programme, including a partnership with charities, to provide practical assistance directly to local communities. More from Ofcom.

OFCOM DECIDES ON SELF-HELPS

Ofcom also published proposals designed to ensure that viewers relying on a ‘self-help’ transmitter to receive television will not lose reception at switchover. The regulator will establish a regime for licensing self-help relay transmitters, with the cost for frequency planning to be met by Ofcom and the BBC. The planning costs for new masts will be met by those operating them. The new licences will be available to anybody that needed them, subject to availability of frequencies. More from Ofcom.

SWITCHOVER REVIEW BY NAO

The National Audit Office, the body that scrutinises public spending on behalf of Parliament, is to examine digital switchover. The study will examine the background to the programme and early progress in lead areas. The NAO will assess the role of government departments as well as Digital UK, Ofcom and public service broadcasters, while conducting a separate study into the BBC’s preparations for switchover.

HALF OF ALL TVs READY FOR DIGITAL

More than half of all TV sets in the UK are now showing multichannel TV, which means they are ready for digital switchover. Broadcast regulator Ofcom found that 51% of televisions were connected to either Freeview, satellite or cable. Almost 82% of UK households now have multichannel TV on at least one set. More from Ofcom.

SWITCHOVER BILL BECOMES LAW

The Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill received Royal Assent on June 18. The new Act will allow the Department for Work and Pensions to share limited information about over-75-year-olds and people in receipt of disability benefits with the BBC, to allow targeted assistance with the switch to digital television. More from the DCMS.