Whitehaven "well prepared" for switchover

With fewer than 24 hours remaining before the UK's switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial television gets underway, the chief executive of the body overseeing switchover has said that the first community to have its analogue signals turned off is "well prepared".

At 2am tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, analogue BBC Two will be permanently switched off in Whitehaven, Cumbria. It will be replaced with the first group of 5 digital TV services. On November 14, analogue broadcasts of BBC One, ITV1 and Channel 4 will also be switched off in favour of 15 digital services.

"Tomorrow is the first step on the road to a fully digital UK," said Ford Ennals, chief executive of Digital UK. "Whitehaven is well prepared to lead this process. Most households are ready to receive digital television and we expect those yet to prepare to do so over the next four weeks.

"The people of Whitehaven and surrounding communities can rightly feel proud of leading this important change, and of the work of local organisations such as Copeland Borough Council and Northwest Cumbria Age Concern who, along with the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, are supporting the community through this process.

"Our challenge now is to make sure help is widely available for those who need it and that any late converters get themselves ready for the final switchover on November 14."

After Whitehaven's switchover is complete, a phased switchover by old ITV franchise region is planned to take place between 2008 and 2012.

"Digital switchover offers more choice and fairer access to a broad range of channels and is essential if we are to ensure universal access to quality broadcasting," said James Purnell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. "While more than four-in-five UK households have already made the transition, switchover will complete the process and prevent millions of people being stuck in an analogue ghetto. On my recent visit, I found preparations well in hand, and local people glad to be leading the way as we begin this huge technological and social change."

The latest survey to be carried out in Whitehaven by GfK NOP found 100% awareness of switchover and a 92% takeup of digital TV on main televisions.