TV
The BBC is considering whether to plough funds into a free digital set-top box scheme, it has emerged.
Speaking at the Commons media select committee on Thursday, Director-General Greg Dyke said that the Corporation is considering such a move so as to ensure maximum possible coverage once analogue systems are shut down later this decade.
"We have been doing a lot of work on this. Could you give them away, and could the BBC fund them?," he said. Culture Secretary Chris Smith has said that 98% of homes in any transmitter area must be converted to digital before shut down of analogue. Currently, on a national level, 30% of homes are fitted with digital television.
One source said: "If you add it up, the BBC will have spent the best part of £1bn on its digital services. Think of how many boxes that could have bought. And most of the BBC's new services will not attract people, such as the elderly, who are reluctant to convert."
Speaking at the Commons media select committee on Thursday, Director-General Greg Dyke said that the Corporation is considering such a move so as to ensure maximum possible coverage once analogue systems are shut down later this decade.
"We have been doing a lot of work on this. Could you give them away, and could the BBC fund them?," he said. Culture Secretary Chris Smith has said that 98% of homes in any transmitter area must be converted to digital before shut down of analogue. Currently, on a national level, 30% of homes are fitted with digital television.
One source said: "If you add it up, the BBC will have spent the best part of £1bn on its digital services. Think of how many boxes that could have bought. And most of the BBC's new services will not attract people, such as the elderly, who are reluctant to convert."
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