ITC Pushes For Increased Usability Of Digital TV

The ITC and the Consumer’s Association are proposing the creation of a best practice guide aimed at improving the usability of digital TV, in an attempt to aid the planned analogue switch-off in 2010.

The ITC has published research gathered from the Easy TV Event in November in which 1,300 members of the public were invited to give their opinion on digital television (see Digital TV Urged To Be More User Friendly).

The research recommends a number of simple measures to improve all the components of current digital TV, claiming that viewers are more likely to be attracted to digital services that are easy to use.

Gary Tonge, ITC director of technology, commented: “The results presented in the joint research with Consumer’s Association launched [yesterday], offer an excellent starting point in identifying best practice in the design and use of easy to use digital TV equipment and services.”

Barry Cox, chairman of the Digital Television Stakeholders Group, added: “Easy to use receiver equipment has been identified in the digital action plan as a key issue in moving towards digital switchover. I welcome the latest Easy TV research as it identifies the main areas where improvements need to be made and I support the recommendation to develop a best practice guide with industry on receiver equipment usability.”

Recent research from BMRB suggests that the Government’s plan to switch-off the analogue signal by 2010 could face difficulties, with just 9% of those without digital TV showing any interest in buying a £99 set-top box to receive the BBC’s new Freeview digital terrestrial service (see Only One In Ten Very Interested In Freeview).

ITC: 0207 306 7743 www.itc.org.uk

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