To coincide with last week’s announcement by Chris Smith, in which a timetable for analogue switch-off was set, two reports have been published which look at how the digital platforms are shaping up and tackle some of the most pertinent questions about its take-up: just how interested are British people in digital television, and what will happen to the BBC in a digital world?
A study by .ECON, commissioned by the BBC, reports that interest in pay-TV is low and says an increase in the role of the BBC is vital. Predicting a plateau in digital television take-up with interest in pay-TV limited to only 55% of households, it makes a case for an increase in the cost of the licence fee to allow the Corporation to fully participate in digital development.
Licence-fee funded services would vastly improve take-up, it argues, with well-resourced BBC services broadening the appeal. Surveys have shown that those who are least interested in digital TV are those who put the BBC at the top of their list of preferences, claiming that the blame for slow take-up is a taste issue. Commercial broadcasters are not able to fulfil the broadest range of tastes, choosing genres which create large audiences, such as film and sport, above those which will appeal to a diversity of niche tastes.
A survey into typical viewers found that no such thing exists; fewer than 1% of respondents identified the same subsets of 14 genres as being the ones that they would personally choose to watch. It argues that diversity of taste can only be met by diversity of funding, with an increase in the licence fee enabling the BBC to fulfil its remit to provide a wide range of services. In households which have multi-channel access, the BBC still accounts for over a quarter of viewing; ITV and Sky channels have dropped in comparison.
A similar independent report by Carat Research is less positive about the BBC’s digital future. Interviewing adults who subscribe to Sky Digital or ONDigital, it quotes figures similar to .ECON’s for BBC terrestrial viewing in multi-channel homes, with BBC1 attracting 87% of viewers each week followed by ITV at 85% and Sky One at 83%. It is, however, pessimistic about the BBC’s own digital channels. BBC News 24 is watched by 30% of viewers at least once a week; BBC Choice has 26% of viewers and BBC Knowledge 14%. The report also says that only 4% of adults in digital TV homes are willing to pay the proposed extra £2 a month digital licence fee.
Carat reports overall health in the digital sector however; the vast majority of those who have signed up already are pleased with the service and keen to get new products in the future. There seems to be a lack of knowledge about interactivity however, with 68% of men knowing little about planned services.
Carat Research: 0171 430 6000 Econ: www.dotecon.com
