Digital TV Sales Overtake Analogue For The First Time

Sales of digital televisions, set-top boxes and recorders have overtaken sales of analogue equipment for the first time, according to market researcher GfK.

In the three months to September, the company revealed that digital sales accounted for 51% of all television equipment sold. Information gathered from 20,000 stores showed year on year growth of flat screen TV sales, up 83%, compared to the steep decline in sales of conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) sets, which fell by 40%.

Ford Ennals, chief executive of Digital UK, the organisation leading the nation-wide switch to digital TV, described the numbers as a “landmark moment” in the UK’s transition to digital television.

Recently the group revealed a more detailed timetable for the transition, with Granada, the second largest region after London, to switch off in the final quarter of 2009(see Digital UK Unveils Next Stage Of Switchover).

At MediaTel group’s seminar on the future of television in September, Ennals said that digital switchover will be fundamental to the landscape of how and what people watch on television in the next few years (see Digital Switchover Will Be Fundamental To TV Landscape).

Research released last month by the communications regulator Ofcom showed that digital television has reached over 70% of households in the UK, although most sales of Freeview boxes are for homes which have already gone digital (see Digital TV In 70% Of Homes).

Digital UK recently stepped up their campaign for raising awareness of switchover, teaming up with Aardman for an advertising campaign (see Wallace And Gromit Creators Signed For Digital Awareness Campaign). In June, Digital UK said that awareness of the imminent switchover had improved considerably, lifting from 60% national awareness in April 2006 to 71% in May (see UK Digital TV Transition On Track).

Digital UK: www.digitaluk.co.uk Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk