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Captions are used to explain to viewers when they switch, and, that they will need to install or re-tune any digital equipment so that they are ready for the digital switchover.
The campaign focuses on those viewers watching analogue TV. The equipment and technology is able to distinguish and radiate the message to those watching an analogue signal.
Captions are transmitted at 6 months out from the first digital switchover (DSO1) date and run intermittently through to the night before the second digital switchover (DSO2) date. On the night before DSO2, analogue viewers will receive a final caption explaining that their analogue signal will cease permanently just after midnight. Viewers are informed that they will need to retune their digital TV equipment in order to receive the new high powered digital services which become available at DSO2.
Specific captions display the date on which a specific transmitter starts the switchover process, and after DSO1 these captions will state the DSO2 date from which transmitter group the viewers analogue signal is being broadcast.
In certain circumstances it is necessary to use generic captions. This arises when the lead DSO transmitter is line fed from a main DSO transmitter which switches to digital on a different date (i.e. the Douglas transmitter is line fed by the Caldbeck transmitter).
In this scenario the 'daughter' site viewers would receive the captions radiated from the 'parent' site. To counter any mis-information to the viewer, the caption will inform the viewer that there is a retune necessary to keep receiving television.
It must be noted that there will always be a specific caption, which states the DSO dates, radiated by one or more broadcasters to a viewer.
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