Media Guardian: Millions could face BBC TV switch-off in 2007
We all know it. Some may deny it. Some may stick their fingers in their ears and go "lar-lar-lar-lar-I can't hear you!" but it's going to happen. No matter how much Tessa Jowell ducks the question and avoids infuriating the hardcore analogue lobby, we know that one day soon, analogue television will go.
And rightly people are planning for that day.
The Digital Television Group - a trade body and standard setter for digital terrestrial television, which includes broadcasters, set top-box manufacturers and more - has fleshed out a proposal for analogue turn off.
It's idea (as reported by the Observer) seems to be relatively sensible. Over five years, it would start by turning off BBC Two, then BBC One. Channel 4 and ITV would follow suit.
Although there is no comment on what would happen to the released frequencies after that, it's likely that they'd be recycled. After some transmitter messing and alterations, BBC Two on analogue would be replaced by a new high powered DTT multiplex for the BBC - thus solving most of the reception problems. BBC One would also go this multiplex. BBC One's analogue frequency could then be used for ITV and Channel 4 so that when their analogue switch off occurs, they already have a high powered multiplex in place.
The whole thing could easily be tied in with some frequency re-organisation so that all the existing DTT multiplexes would be moved off to better power, and then replaced with something else.
It would take around 5 years to complete, but ultimately a good way of doing it. By removing one channel at a time, you provide people a slow incentive to go digital. By starting with a smaller channel, fewer people would be initially effected, meaning you get the better powered multiplexes in place before the masses start getting forced to move. And starting with the BBC makes sense given it's a public organisation with no profits to lose.
So that's the plan. It looks plausible. Now if only someone in control would get on there and let it happen...
