TV Executives Call For Clear Switchover Strategy
More than 50% of television industry executives feel that the government is not doing enough to educate and communicate with consumers about the impending digital switchover, according to a new study conducted by the London Business School on behalf of Video Networks.
The Digital Consensus report highlights an industry lacking any consensus on digital switchover, with 60% of executives confessing to not knowing the Government’s strategy.
Commenting on the findings, Roger Lynch, chairman and chief executive officer of Video Networks said: “The industry is aware of the opportunities, excited about the possibilities but confused about how we will get to a successful digital switch-over and ultimately what role TV companies should play alongside the government in convincing consumers to make the move.”
According to the report, 58% of respondents said the government needed to communicate better with consumers, with 74% of those asked believing the best way to drive voluntary adoption of digital television is through the increased entertainment value and choice digital TV offers.
Lynch continued: “It is interesting that the consumers who will be unable to receive digital television after the switch over are not highlighted as a bigger issue by the respondents. DSL services such as HomeChoice can deliver digital TV to areas that cannot currently receive satellite, cable or Freeview.”
Surprisingly, 95% of respondents claim they are, or will be ready for the digital switch-over by 2012, with 90% saying they believe the timeframe set by the government is realistic.
The report also looked at industry awareness of technologies including video on demand (VOD), personal video recorders (PVRs) and broadband, looking into their potential role in, and their impact on, switchover.
The study found that 48% of executives believed that there would be a move towards downloading television content over the internet, but only 12% felt that this would negatively impact on the time spent on television. Considering PVR,VOD and the convergence of technology, 23% felt that there would be an “iPod” moment for TV, when a piece of hardware would change consumers and the industry alike.
Lynch said: “The industry is embracing emerging technologies, but there still appears to be confusion over broadband as a delivery mechanism which, in the minds of many people, still often means delivery to the PC, not the TV.”
Research published by Ofcom earlier this year, shows that less than a third of UK consumers have heard of the term “digital switchover” with a significant proportion not knowing where to turn to for advice, according to media watchdog Ofcom’s Consumer Panel Study (see UK Public Unaware Of Impending Digital Switchover).
The research showed that, out of more than 2,500 consumers surveyed, just 10% said they were aware of the digital switchover, but were not able to describe what it meant, while 71% did not know that the television analogue signal is due to be switched off in 2012.
Consumer lack of knowledge over the switchover was raised at the MediaTelINSIGHT Future of Digital TV Seminar, with journalist and broadcaster Ray Snoddy, saying: “There’s going to be a huge need for a marketing and educational campaign, the very campaign that the Government shows no interest in funding.”
David Scott, deputy chief executive at Channel 4 and a director of SwitchCo, the body appointed by the government to oversee the switchover, agreed, saying that although he was confident the switchover would be completed within the government’s timeframe there was a lot of work to be done.