UK Backs Off On Digital Schedule

29-Mar-00

The British government's plan to switch off the analog signal as early as 2006 was in tatters Tuesday, March 28, 2000 after regulators admitted that the target date was ""completely unrealistic."" Speaking at the annual performance review for UK commercial TV channels, Peter Rogers, Chief Executive of commercial TV regulator Independent Television Commission, said the government forecast would not be realized because the incentives to change from analog to digital were not compelling enough. He said that although half of the United Kingdom's 22 million TV homes could become pay TV subscribers by 2006-2010, the remainder would have no real reason to spend money to trade up to digital television sets. The government will not be able to wind down the analog signal until 95 percent of the United Kingdom's 22 million TV homes have at least one digital service, either cable, satellite or digital terrestrial, he contended. Source: The Hollywood Reporter