The digital switchover

Over the coming years, analogue television is going to become a thing of the past in many parts of the world.

Broadcasters will have to switch to digital signals from traditional analogue ones this time next year in the United States. A number of European countries, including Switzerland, Finland and Luxembourg have already begun the switch to digital television. In the United Kingdom, the switch is due to be completed in 2012. Yet the transition is not predicted to be a smooth one. 

Advantages

Switching to digital television should bring a number of advantages. Consumers are promised improved picture quality and a wider range of channels. Switching off analogue services will also free up spectrum, which either can be used for emergency services -- as is planned in the United States -- or made available to facilitate faster broadband and high-speed mobile internet services.

Potential mishaps

Digital signals are not able to travel as far as had been initially hoped, which means that remote areas of large countries -- including the United States -- may effectively lose television signals until well after analogue transmitters are switched off: this will be a problem, particularly in areas that cable and satellite services also do not serve.

While broadcasting authorities are seeking to boost digital signals, relatively large numbers of users will be unable to receive signals using their existing aerials. This will affect particularly households that use set-top rather than external aerials -- a recent study in the United States showed that users of external aerials also tend to live in relatively remote areas and not have access to cable and satellite services.

Poor information

Despite publicity campaigns, relatively large numbers of consumers are not well informed about switching to digital services; a recent Consumers Union survey in the United States showed that 48% of respondents believe that they will need a digital television (rather than a set-top digital converter box).

The move to digital television will entail costs for users, particularly in developing countries where government assistance will be limited. US authorities are providing a 40-dollar subsidy towards the cost of a converter box and 600 million pounds is being made available in the United Kingdom -- the BBC's latest royal charter stipulates that it must meet this cost from television licence revenue -- though far few people in the United Kingdom are claiming assistance than are entitled to it, which suggests that initial fears about the digital switch may be unfounded.

The switch to digital television will also stoke debates about the nature of public service broadcasting.  The BBC is already under pressure to share licence revenues with advertising-based commercial television networks, which provide public service content.  These calls will become louder, as will pressure for the licence fee to fall, or at least not rise in real terms.