Digital TV Now In More Than Half Of UK Households
The Government could be on track reach its target of switching off the analogue television signal by the proposed 2010 deadline, following news that more than half of British households now receive multi-channel services.
The latest figures released by the BBC show that the growth of digital television has been driven by the success of Freeview, which has been selling more than 100,000 set top boxes over the last few months.
The popularity of the digital terrestrial service, which rose out of the ashes of the failed ITV Digital just over a year ago, looks set to continue. Christmas sales have recently risen to the half million mark and forecasts suggest that Freeview will be in 2.5 million homes by the end of the year, making it BSkyB’s biggest competitor in the multi-channel market.
Freeview is rapidly entering the mainstream medium and consumer profiles are beginning to reflect the make-up of the general population. The figures show that 52% of digital terrestrial customers now come from the ABC1 demographic, with 48% from the C2DE group.
Large numbers of viewers aged 65 and over are also buying the equipment, suggesting that Feeeview is reaching consumers that have previously rejected satellite and digital cable pay-TV packages.
Andy Duncan, director of BBC marketing and communications, said: “We’re exceptionally pleased with the news that the digital television market as a whole is growing steadily and that now half the population is set to have the full line-up of BBC channels.”
The BBC claims the growth of digital television in the UK has been driven by its recent high-profile advertising campaign, which prompted more than 2 million viewers to request information on upgrading to cable, satellite and digital terrestrial services (see BBC Drives Digital Channels With New Ad Campaign).
Ilse Howling, head of BBC digital marketing and communications, added: “The BBC digital campaign has been a runaway success, getting the message to people with analogue television that there’s a way to get the BBC digital channels in a way that suits everyone – satellite, cable or Freeview.”
Merrill Lynch predicts that the runaway success of Freeview will continue apace and will surpass cable in 2006 to reach a predicted 4.5 million homes by the year-end. This compares to an estimated 7.7 million subscribers for BSkyB by 2008.
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
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