BDB Guarantees Status Of Free-To Air Programmes

British Digital Broadcasting has assured MPs that it will not charge customers for existing free-to-air programmes, if it wins the right to establish digital television in Britain.

Nigel Walmsley, director of BDB, promised the national heritage select committee that popular programmes, like Eastenders and Blind Date, would not be broadcast on pay-per-view channels. Walmsley also confirmed that the consortium would subsidise the manufacture of ‘set-top’ boxes if it is successful in its bid.

BSkyB has a third share in the BDB consortium; BDB subscription channels will include Sky channels and viewers will be able to pick up these channels without cable or satellite connections. Walmsley was asked why BSkyB was involved in the consortium when it has ordered 1 million digital satellite receivers and planned to launch 200 channels on digital satellite TV. Walmsley said that BSkyB felt that it would profit twice from the arrangement, as a shareholder in BDB and from selling its programmes to BDB on a wholesale basis.

BDB: 0171 663 6363