-Kelly-

We must hate changes

Analogue TV switch off may be delayed
07:37 AEST Fri May 27 2005

Australia's lack of enthusiasm for digital TV looks set to force the federal government to delay its planned switch off of the analogue TV signal in 2008.

Communications Minister Helen Coonan has told a Senate committee the date now looks unrealistic given that only about 10 per cent of Australians have digital TV.

She said in Britain, where about 80 per cent of households have tuned in to the digital revolution, analogue would remain on offer until 2012.

"So realistically speaking, I think we need to have a good look at what would be a date for Australia," Senator Coonan said.

"I would certainly be looking critically at extending the current date, which is 2008.

"Just when it would be appropriate to do that I cannot say at this stage because the review has not been had."

The government is carrying out six reviews into digital TV, including one on the switch off of analogue and another on allowing existing networks to offer extra channels.

The committee was also told early this week that about 777,000 set-top boxes, which convert digital signals for display on analogue TVs, have been sold in Australia.

About half were sold in the past 12 months.

When digital TV equipment hit the shops in early 2001, the government gave consumers seven years to stock up, saying it would switch off the analogue signal at the end of 2008.

Senator Coonan told the committee the take-up of digital TV in Australia had been sluggish and she was keen to do more to encourage more people to make the switch.

She said while the review into the planned analogue switch off was due to be finished by the end of this year, broadcasters had indicated they did not believe the 2008 switch-off date was realistic.

"I am rather hopeful that out of that review we might be able to set a realistic date for switch-off and also look at perhaps what more we could do to drive digital take-up," Senator Coonan said.

Meanwhile, the free-to-air broadcasters are divided on which way is best to drive the take-up of digital TV in Australia.

In submissions to a parliamentary inquiry into the take-up of digital TV, Kerry Packer's Nine Network urged the government to follow the United States and force manufacturers to include digital tuners in all new TVs.

Nine said despite the availability of digital TV equipment in Australia, 1.5 million analogue TVs were sold last year.

"Mandating digital tuners in new receivers would stimulate the take-up of digital technology in the market and contribute to establishing an automatic digital replacement cycle," Nine said.

However Nine oppose the government allowing current networks to multi-channel, saying it would be unlikely to result in high quality programs being broadcast.

Regional broadcaster Southern Cross backed Nine's call for mandatory digital tuners for new TVs, as did SBS and the Ten Network.

But Kerry Stokes' Seven Network said the best way to give digital TV a boost would be to allow multi-channelling.

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link - http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=6224

Mio

digital cable is freakin expensive, and i live in canada!

-Kelly-

I know
I think most are waiting for the prices to go down...alot

Elizajoey

I dont think that it is necessarily the change factor or even the cost factor but rather the 'what do I get that is better than analogue'.

I don't think there has been a need to change - we havent been told why OMG! we have to have digital. The fact that we have a while until we change over is what is causing a lot of people to be apathetic of it.

xallyx

Well...in my house we didn't really see the point in getting digital when it came out when we had perfectly fine analogue sets.