Which? finds low awareness of DTV
Published Thursday, April 6, 2006 - 11:10
Results of new survey published
New figures show significant numbers of the British public are aware that switchover to Digital TV will be taking place.
A survey by consumer watchdog, Which?, said that four-in-ten in the Britain do not know that the analogue signal will be switched off sometime between 2008 and 2012. By comparison only seven per cent of respondents knew what was happening in their area.
Despite the UK being the world leader in Digital TV take-up, with Ofcom announcing last month that around 70 per cent of UK households now have a compatible unit, Which? found that some 60 per cent of viewers though it was wrong that people were not given a choice. In fact nearly one-in-ten respondents said they would rather give up television than be "coerced" into going digital.
Nearly have of those survey did not realise that they would need to buy a digital set-top box, sky or receive a cable service and 17 per cent said they would not be doing so.
Which? thinks that Digital UK, the body set up to raise consumer awareness of digital television, needs to act now to give viewers the information they need to make a smooth transition.
Malcolm Coles, editor, which.co.uk, says: "We've found that awareness of the digital switchover is alarmingly low, especially when you consider the first region is due to be switched in just two years' time. People need information now so they can plan ahead. Digital UK needs to pull its finger out!"
