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Jowell confirms digital switchover timetable
19/9/05:
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has announced the go-ahead for digital switchover in the UK to happen between 2008 and 2012 by ITV region in the following order:
· 2008 - Border
· 2009 - West Country, HTV Wales, Granada
· 2010 - HTV West, Grampian, Scottish Television
· 2011 - Yorkshire, Anglia, Central
· 2012 - Meridian, Carlton/LWT (London), Tyne Tees, Ulster
Jowell made the announcement during a speech last night, at the Royal Television Society, which is now available to read online.
Commenting on the government’s 4-year timetable for the switchover to digital TV and its plans for helping the most vulnerable people make the change, the National Consumer Council’s (NCC) communications expert, Alison Hopkins, said:
‘It’s good news that the government has set a firm timetable for eventually switching off the analogue TV signal and has recognised that some people will need help to make the switch in time.
‘But NCC is extremely concerned that the government has underestimated the numbers of people who will face problems making the switchover. And that leaves the targeted assistance scheme at risk of failing many of those most in need. Its scope must be widened.
‘For instance, the scheme restricts help to households where someone is over 75 or has a significant disability. But help is free only to people in these groups who claim certain benefits. This will leave many others on low incomes struggling to pay for the equipment or who, while not disabled, may find it difficult to cope with the new technology.
‘It’s vital the government keeps the assistance scheme under review to make sure help gets to those who need it most.’
Graham Vidler, head of policy, Which? also commented:
"We are very pleased that the government has followed our advice and introduced a package of measures to help people switching over to digital TV. The severely disabled, the elderly and those on low incomes in particular will benefit.
"There is a significant unaddressed issue in the number of people who will find their TVs switched off in the next seven years.
"In 1999, the government pledged to ensure that 99.5 per cent of households would get digital TV - the same percentage that currently get an analogue signal. It now seems that only around 98.5 per cent of us will be guaranteed digital reception come 2012*.
“The government must announce how it plans to ensure that the million people who will be left with no TV reception will be catered for in the future."
LINKSTessa Jowell's speech
Last modified: Monday, September 19, 2005
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Public Service Broadcasting
Happy fiftieth for ITV?
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NUJ calls on BBC bosses to give back bonuses
The BBC After The Strike
Robin Aitkin and the biased BBC
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CPBF Response to Green Paper
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BBC Cuts
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Latest from BBC Charter Review team
What the CPBF told the Lords and the DCMS
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