ITV boss, Michael Grade, has taken a step closer in his crusade to get HDTV services to as many homes as possible. He's rallying support to challenge the Government's plans to sell off the analogue broadcast spectrum and use it instead to supply millions of homes with high-definition.
Grade recently met with members of the HD for All campaign, a collective of broadcasters and consumer electronics companies including the BBC, Channel 4, Five and the UK heads of Dixons, Sony, Samsung and Toshiba, to discuss plans. They want to challenge the planned sale of the spectrum and use their powers for good instead of letting it fall into the evil hands of the mobile phone networks.
Via Sunday Telegraph
Grade wants enough space reserved for four public service HD channels. Ofcom, the communications watchdog, is due to auction spectrum that could be used for these channels next year. But commercial TV and telephone companies are likely to outbid public service broadcasters - unless the Government intervenes.
"Retailers, manufacturers and rival broadcasters are determined to get the Government and the regulator to understand the level of consumer anger they are going to face after analogue switchover when the public realise that they will be unable to receive their favourite channels in HD on Freeview on the HD-ready TV sets they are buying in their millions," Grade told the Sunday Telegraph.
He's found support from Steve Dowdle, managing director of Sony UK, who sent
an open letter to Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, stating, " We are currently heading for a disastrous outcome that will deprive the majority of the UK public of HD for at least a generation if not more."
Related stories
Michael Grade calls for Government intevention
HD on Freeview would boost HDTV penetration by 90%
BBC forecasts massive lost if Freeview HD plans are scrapped
