Campaign Group Applies Some Pressure For HDTV Access
A high definition access group has started a campaign to make the television technology available to everyone in the UK.
The push, which has been labelled HdforAll, has come from a group of broadcasters, retailers and manufacturers, who say that plans to auction off the airspace required for HDTV to work on the Freeview platform means viewers would not have access to the technology.
Viewers of paid-for satellite and cable services already have access to HDTV but for Freeview viewers more bandwidth is required.
With Freeview usage set to overtake pay TV platforms like Sky and Virgin Media in the next few years (see Freeview To Be Digital Switchover Winner), uptake of the platform has been critical to the Government’s plans for digital switchover, which it outlined today (see Digital Switchover Gets October Start Date).
When this happens by 2012, the analogue spectrum space will be available, and could be used to bring HDTV to the Freeview platform.
The auction process proposed by Ofcom means crucial HD airspace could be sold off to the highest bidder, such as mobile companies, leaving Freeview viewers with no access to the technology, say campaigners.
Members of the campaign, which includes the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sony, Samsung and the Dixons retail group, want Ofcom to ring-fence up to one third of the spectrum for digital terrestrial TV viewers.
They are concerned that the UK will become a two-tier TV nation, with those prepared to pay having access to better quality TV pictures.
Ofcom maintains that the public is best served by spectrum being made available on the open market. Earlier today, broadcast minister Shaun Woodward said the Government was “mindful of public service broadcasting obligations” in regard to companies bidding for the space. “We must not set in stone what we will do with the [newly released] spectrum,” he added.
Forecasts have said that five million HD-ready TV sets will be sold in 2007. However research commissioned by Digital UK has revealed that many Brits remain confused by the technology.
The survey revealed that 23% of those questioned knew that they would require both an HD-ready TV and a set-top box. The majority either gave the wrong answer or said they did not know. Almost 40% believed that they were already watching HDTV.
Ofcom is due to report back its findings in the summer.
Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk Digital UK: www.digitaluk.co.uk