The Government is reportedly planning to phase out digital terrestrial television over the next decade, and move from Freeview to internet-only broadcast.
Supporters say that broadband take-up will make it nearly universal by the time of the switch, and that the costs of maintaining digital terrestrial television will become unviable – and be passed on to licence fee payers. There is, however, risk of a backlash over extra costs being loaded onto viewers, and calls to extend the life of terrestrial broadcasting have mounted.
So, is it time for online-only television? Labour MP for Durham North Luke Akehurst and chair of digital inclusion body The Connection Project Natalie Ceeney give their perspectives.
My father-in-law has Alzheimer’s. He is no longer physically mobile and lives in a care home less than a mile from us. He is not what most of us would consider “digital” – he will never again send an email or browse a website.
Yet, being able to watch television over the internet has transformed part of his daily life.
When so much of your independence has been taken away, the ability to choose what to watch and when to watch it matters. If he wakes in the middle of the night, he can put on the sport he loves. He can revisit familiar programmes and favourite moments. He can pause live television with the touch of a button. These may sound like small things, but they bring enjoyment, comfort and a sense of control at a stage of life when all three can be in short supply.
Broadband connectivity can unlock benefits far beyond how we choose to watch our favourite programmes. It can mean being able to speak to a doctor without leaving your home. It can mean carers are able to monitor someone at night without stepping inside their bedroom. For many people, it means video calls with friends and family. It can help people stay connected to those around them and to a society where more and more aspects of everyday life now happen online.
That is why I struggle to understand calls to delay decisions on the future of television for at least another eight years. Why would we not want those benefits to be available to everyone?
Of course, none of this means we could switch off terrestrial television tomorrow. There are still around a million households that would struggle to afford broadband, even with some discounts offered by major telecoms companies. Not every home yet has access to reliable connectivity, and many would need practical support to connect and use new technology.
These are genuine concerns, but I believe we are drawing the wrong conclusion from them. Rather than focusing on how we solve these challenges, much of the debate has become focused on whether we should delay the transition altogether. Driven by a well-funded campaign and by the company that operates the existing broadcast infrastructure, there are groups that stand to gain significantly from kicking the can down the road, and having its contract extended as a result.
What does that achieve? What exactly will be different in eight years’ time? Will affordability suddenly cease to be a problem? Will digital confidence magically improve? Will connectivity gaps disappear on their own?
Of course not. We will simply find ourselves having the same conversation again, while millions of people continue to miss out on the benefits of living in a connected society. The barriers are being used as an argument for delaying the transition to internet-delivered television, but I would argue the opposite. They are the very reason we need to start planning for it now.
The transition being discussed is not going to happen tomorrow. At the very earliest, it would be eight years from now. That gives us enough time to ensure every home has access to good connectivity, and Government and industry plans already envisage broadband roll-out being completed well before then, with satellite technology able to fill remaining gaps. That’s enough time to make television technology simpler and more accessible, and it is enough time to provide support to those who need it. We have the time to agree how households on the lowest incomes can be helped with the cost of broadband and who should help pay for the transition.
This also comes at a moment when ministers are rightly talking about ensuring that no community is left behind by technological change in every area of life, and the future of television is an opportunity to put that principle into practice.
At The Connection Project, which I lead on a pro bono basis alongside businesses, charities and consumer organisations, we believe the right response is not to kick the can down the road. It is to face these challenges head on.
This is not really a debate about television. The real question is whether we use that transition as an opportunity to make our digital society work for everyone.
We should. Just ask my father-in-law.
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