I recently wrote to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Andy Burnham MP) about the proposed different levels of TV channel provision planned for Dundee and the issue of Local Television for the City in the future. Additionally Lord Provost John Letford wrote to Lord Currie of Marylebone (Chair of the media regulator Ofcom) on the issue.However, it is further disappointing to note that many Dundonians (along with many others served by relay transmitters) will still get a second class service after the digital switch over, as the Tay Bridge transmitter will not carry all the Freeview services that other transmitters already carry. Digital UK advises that the service from Tay Bridge will be called “Freeview Lite” which really means that it is light of many of the TV and radio stations others already receive – 36 TV and radio stations short to be precise.
Dear Cllr Macpherson
Thank you for your email of 20 December, regarding digital switchover and the Tay Bridge transmitter.
The Government has committed to ensuring that terrestrial analogue broadcasting signals are maintained until everyone who can currently get the main Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) channels in analogue can receive them on digital systems. In fact, 82% of households in Scotland, higher than the UK figure of 73%, can already receive 22 channels including BBC TV services, digital radio and services like E4, More 4 and Film 4. This is a significant gain from the five analogue channels. After digital switchover, 98.5% of UK households (the same percentage who can currently receive analogue signals) should have access to the 3 PSB multiplexes carrying these channels.
However, there are also 3 other commercial multiplexes. After switchover these multiplexes should be available to around 90% of UK households. Extending coverage beyond 90% is a commercial matter in this case and the decision to do this lies with the multiplex operators.
As you know, the TV licence fee is used to fund the BBC, and the principle is that everyone who can receive television signals pays for a licence for this purpose (which allows the BBC to produce programmes that might not otherwise be made, if market forces were the sole factor in play). It is payable in full irrespective of the use made of that service and the quality of reception.
The BBC operates a number of digital services for those who can receive them, and, during the process of reviewing the BBC’s Royal Charter, we did consider a reduction in the licence fee. We decided against this, as it could actually have worked as a disincentive to take up of digital services.
As part of the review of the BBC’s charter, we looked at alternative funding mechanisms for the BBC, and whether the use of a licence fee was still the best option. You may be interested in reading the discussions on this subject in the “Funding” sections of the Charter Review Green Paper (p58-64), available on the Charter Review website at: http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/have_your_say/green_paper/gp_funding.pdf.
We decided that for the present, the licence fee was the best option when considering the alternatives. We have committed to looking into this matter again half way through the current Charter (which should be roughly at the end of the switchover period in 2012) as we recognise that the broadcasting landscape is changing rapidly.
Yours sincerely,
ANDY BURNHAM
A motion has now been placed before the Scottish Parliament encouraging Ofcom to support Local Television in Scotland (click on headline to view it). On a cross-party basis, I approached our local MSP Joe FitzPatrick (SNP) and NE regional members Marlyn Glen (Labour) and Alison McInnes (LibDem) and I am delighted that all three have agreed to support the motion and support the principle of local television for Dundee.