Annex A
INITIATIVES TO MAXIMISE THE BENEFITS OF DIGITAL
TELEVISION
The Government's White Paper: Opportunity for all
in a world of change, published on 13 February 2001 set out measures
to promote the development and take-up of digital television.
As the first part of this strategy, DTI and DCMS working with
key players in the public and private sector will:
- develop a comprehensive action plan to maximise
the benefits of digital television;
- launch several small scale digital pilots offering
free conversion to digital television to defined communities;
- promote public understanding of the benefits
digital television can offer; and
- ensure clearer and more informative labelling
of digital television services and equipment.
On 27 March, Government announced the promotion of
the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) logo as a means for consumers
to identify those television sets which are capable of receiving
digital signals from those which cannot. This was in response
to concerns that customer confusion was creating a serious risk
of consumers being misled. The logo was given wide promotion on
ITV over the Easter weekend.
In April, the Government announced details of a programme
to provide a series of neighbourhoods across the country with
free conversion to digital television. The programme will help
Government and industry understand better the practical and social
issues consumers face in switching from analogue to digital television
services. The scheme is being led by the ITC who announced in
August that an area encompassing Sutton Coldfield, Litchfield
and Tamworth will provide the location for the first "Go
Digital" TV pilot project.
The Government also announced a programme to be run
by the ITC to boost the power of digital signals from 8 key transmitters.
This will allow many more viewers to receive high quality digital
terrestrial television.
In June, a comprehensive question and answer leaflet
was placed on the DCMS and DTI websites in October a dedicated
government website; www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk was set up to
give industry and consumers clear, up to date information on digital
television. In November, Free-to-View Digital TV - a guide for
retail staff produced by the Digital TV Group, was distributed
to staff in digital television retail outlets.
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