Published On: Fri, Jun 21st, 2024

Whether we get Labour or Tories one thing’s for sure – we must protect terrestrial TV | Politics | News


Access to quality television content is crucial for those in digital poverty. It provides vital information, education, and entertainment that we all rely on.

But today, this vital service lacks a long-term guarantee that its future is secure.

Terrestrial TV means that once you have bought a telly and paid your TV licence, you get access to a wealth of high quality content free to air.

That is a much cheaper way of enjoying TV content than internet streaming, which requires the latest tech and a fixed high-speed internet connection.

With terrestrial TV, people are secure in knowing that they can ‘tune in’ whenever they want. This is not guaranteed with broadband.

A report published by EY last year found that over 5.5 million UK premises (18%) are predicted to be without a high-speed broadband subscription by 2040, despite the government’s commitment to 99% broadband coverage by 2030.

That shows the importance of protecting terrestrial TV up to 2040 and beyond.

Digital poverty affects all age groups, including older people, one in five children, and many young adults leaving school. While many young people are “online,” their access is often via a smartphone with a data package.

Without a fixed broadband connection, they would be excluded from accessing content on their TVs.

In a cost-of-living crisis, some people are choosing to cancel their broadband subscriptions to make ends meet. Today, they can do so confident in the knowledge that terrestrial TV will keep them connected.

Even before COVID-19, a million people were behind on broadband bills. Parents report children being penalised at school for not completing online homework.

Moving TV online only should not be used as a stick to force an increase in internet adoption unless the government provides free internet, which is as unlikely as the provision of free heating or water.

The skills gap is also a concern. Smart TVs demand more technical skills than traditional ones, which only need to be turned on.

Streaming content involves navigating often complex menus, setting preferences, and log ins — skills that many, especially older people and those with complex needs, may lack. Data consent and advertising also raise concerns.

Many people in our society are lonely and isolated, with the television a cherished source of companionship.

Without a tech-savvy person at home, problems like forgotten passwords, loading errors, or failed updates can mean a person gets locked out. Internet outages – which are much more frequent than terrestrial signal failures – can leave whole areas without TV.

The landline telephone switchover showed that moving key services online can be highly problematic.



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