BBC wants to keep digital spectrum safe

The BBC has opposed Ofcom's plans to sell off the spectrum released by the digital switchover.

The corporation says that one-third of the "digital dividend" should be allotted to public service broadcasters to enable them to provide a strong high definition free-to-air service.

The BBC said "no business model that would enable it to afford the likely auction prices for the spectrum in order to supply free-to-air HD on digital terrestrial television," and that auctioning off the spectrum being released at the end of 2008 would inhibit the option for HD channels on digital terrestrial platform for another 18 years, the licence period proposed by Ofcom.

BBC director general Mark Thompson, said: "If pure market mechanisms are applied to the whole digital dividend, our fear is that it will jeopardise the success of universal access to high quality public service broadcasting, free-to-air on all main platforms and also lead to an erosion of the digital terrestrial platform and its ability to compete."

The BBC says between £4.1 billion and £15.6 billion could be lost in "private and social value" in the UK if public service broadcasters are not able to develop HD services on the digital terrestrial spectrum.

Media secretary Tessa Jowell is facing increasing pressure from broadcasting organisations and MPs to overrule the auction plan, which Ofcom says is the only way to ensure the spectrum is used to its full potential.