[opendtv] Re: BBC Trust gives thumbs up to Freesat

Far more important in the UK, is that it makes Free
OTA digital tv universally available (the vast
majority of UK population does not live in large
blocks of inner-city flats). Much of the north and
west of the UK is sufficiently mountainous for
terrestrial tv to be uneconomic, there are islands off
Scotland and valleys in Wales that still do not have
even analogue terrestrial tv, let alone digital. That,
plus the greater bandwidth available will make
adoption of HD much easier, provided the BBC Trust
approves plans for free HD broadcasting.

--- "Manfredi, Albert E"
<albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Wow. I would think this could cut deeply into DTT
> usage in the UK, even though satellite reception is
> not always possible.
> 
> Free satellite service should mean that apartment
> complexes, in which individual dish antennas are not
> always an option, should have no legal problems at
> all to install DBS distribution nets for the entire
> complex.
> 
> Bert
> 
>
------------------------------------------------------
>
http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=2397
> 
> BBC Trust gives thumbs up to Freesat
> 
> The BBC has been given the go-head to develop and
> launch its long-awaited Freesat initiative.
> Announcing the approval after a one-month
> consultation which generated more than 700
> responses, acting BBC Trust chairman Chitra Bharucha
> said the free-to-view digital satellite proposition
> would create "significant public value".
> 
> The BBC Trust provisionally approved Freesat in
> February. The BBC plans to operate the service as a
> joint venture with other public service
> broadcasters. BSkyB already offers a 'Freesat from
> Sky' service, offering more than 120 digital TV
> channels and 80 digital radio stations for a one-off
> payment of £150.
> 
> Bharucha said the Freesat venture would "ensure the
> public remain in control of how they access the
> BBC's television channels and radio networks for
> which they have already paid".
> 
> "Freesat is guaranteed to remain subscription free,
> ensuring that the benefits of digital television do
> not equal 'pay television'. The results of the
> public consultation have reinforced our view that
> the BBC's proposition for Freesat will create
> significant public value.
> 
> "The Trust has asked BBC management to move swiftly
> in developing plans. On behalf of all licence fee
> payers, and particularly those outside Freeview
> coverage areas, we have asked BBC management to be
> ready to launch Freesat as quickly as possible to
> ensure that licence fee payers gain the maximum
> benefit in the lead up to digital switchover."
> 
> Of the 700 responses, 25 came from organisations. A
> majority of organisations responded were "broadly
> supportive", said the BBC Trust. "Some questioned
> whether it is the responsibility of the BBC to
> create additional choice for consumers and if such a
> proposition should be publicly funded and some
> respondents also questioned the Trust's decision not
> to apply a 'Public Value Test' before reaching its
> decision."
> 
> Bharucha said the Trust had imposed a number of
> conditions on Freesat, including a requirement that
> other broadcasters in the venture should not be
> subsidised by the licence fee, and that the BBC
> "should keep its interaction with Freeview
> operationally separate from its involvement with
> Freesat to minimise any potential effect on
> competition".
> 
> Lovelace Consulting 27.04.2007
>  
>  
>
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