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Action on a digital television action plan

By Pam Carroll on 27 November 2006
Pam Carroll

commentary Bless her cotton socks, some six years after Australia's first digital television broadcasts began in January 2001, Communications Minister Helen Coonan has announced an action plan to drive the take-up of digital services in Australia.

The plan -- called Ready, Get Set, Go Digital -- includes the creation of a new government agency, Digital Australia, which will act as an educational body. One of its main tasks will be introducing a 'digital tick' labelling system that will inform shoppers that the electronics equipment they are buying will be able to receive digital signals.

We do agree with Coonan's assessment that the level of understanding of digital television and the impending switchover among the general population is "modest". An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) study released last week confirms that the number of Australian households with free to air digital TV now stands at about 30 percent; 50 percent of people do not know if digital services are available in their area; and 20 percent of those surveyed have not heard of digital television at all.

Most ominous for the industry, over 65 percent did not know there was an analogue switch-off date, even though it's already been postponed once from December 2008 to somewhere between 2010 and 2012.

Clued-in readers of CNET.com.au will probably be in the 30 percent group that has already gone digital, but as taxpayers, we should be concerned that the government's efforts, belated as they may be, are finally on the right track.

Will stickers on new sets in showrooms, along with presumably an expensive advertising campaign do the trick? How can the government best drive the uptake of digital television in this country? Share your thoughts with us below!

Topics: digital tv, helen coonan, digital, television, percent, australia, government, helen

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Comments (12)

  • Looo commented on 15/09/2009 00:30 Report abuse

    More channels - OHHHHHH YEAHHHH!!!!!!!

  • Neil commented on 04/12/2006 17:55 Report abuse

    I can't believe politicians are that dumb - All those extra channels on digital TV - WOW!! but wait...they all show the same thing!!!

  • Peban commented on 29/11/2006 11:23 Report abuse

    The sticker & advertising campaign will certainly help. But the problem in my area is that not all channels are available yet. Also, the reception is very poor during windy/stormy weather. This is also true on other TV's in my area.( I can see the transmitter aerial from my street).
    People won't commit to set top boxes/digital TV's until these problems are addressed.

  • Nick commented on 28/11/2006 13:57 Report abuse

    Extra channels are definitely part of the solution but until there are enough people who are interested in digital tv and can access it, the commercial stations are unlikely to start forking out cash to make new programs. Secondly, broadcasting programs in HD is all well and good, but many people (although growing) are still yet to invest in a tv capable of displaying HD pictures.

    So what should the government do? The best bet is probably to just set a date at the end of 2010, make sure people know all about it and then let the retailers sort the rest out. I think retailers have the greatest potential to promote digital tv, and would theoretically be more suited to explaining the benefits of digital tv to consumers than a few stickers and an ad campaign. They after all have a significant interest in the success of digital tv, however are yet to take charge due to a significant lack in guidance and direction from the government over the last 5 years.

  • Kevin Gunn commented on 28/11/2006 11:26 Report abuse

    The only way I will be buying a digital STB is when the programmes on digital are worth watching. I do not call ABC 2 and SBS 2.

    My first STB was killed by lightening after a month of use and the picture was always breaking up like a bad CD.

    I suggest everyone wait until there is a good reason to go digital, when we have more channels to watch.

  • Edward Laird commented on 28/11/2006 11:24 Report abuse

    It would be a good idea to dump the Communications Minister all together.She had the hide on 7.30 Report that Australians are happy with their B/Band speeds.It's something I'll never forget.

  • Colin Henry commented on 28/11/2006 11:22 Report abuse

    The Government can improve the situation by subsidizing the setop boxes, and start an advertising campaign for the extra stations available on the digital network, to display some of what you can experience, i've heard about them but cannot decide on their value to me or my children.

    I do not have a setop box yet.

  • Andrew A commented on 28/11/2006 11:19 Report abuse

    Multi channelling is the key, that will open up to many more viewers. Compare the UK (where they have multi channeling) to here. The perecentages are masssively different.
    The power that the media companies have (and are increasing - no diversity) will keep the situation in status quo.

    I also believe more true HD needs to be broadcast, especially sport. Hopefully with TEN broadcasting AFL and Rugby world cup in HD might drag Channel 9 to lift its game!

  • Stephen Turner commented on 28/11/2006 09:27 Report abuse

    I think the obvious and major thing we need to drive digital take-up in Australia is more channels. It's really simple -- if people see there's more watch if you go digital, they will be more likely to do it.

    This worked in the UK, where there are 30+ free digital channels ("Freeview") available, and clear instructions on the ways you can upgrade to get them.

    When the price to upgrade is as little as $50 now (SD set-top boxes are that cheap at some supermarkets now), the only reason people aren't doing this is either lack of knowledge or lack of interest -- so more channels should increase interest.

    And if the government won't pay for the upgrade, they should put the money into the content instead -- this stuff isn't going to happen by itself, as I think the last six years have shown us.

  • grant commented on 27/11/2006 23:23 Report abuse

    I think that helen needs to take a leaf out of telstra's book. When we all changed over from analogue mobile phones we all knew that the cut off date would be such and such a date and we knew that was the time to get a new phone.
    You can't just keep changing the goal posts, when well she get her head out of the sand.
    The sooner we have full digital the more services that will be available, there needs to be more insentive to change over. At the moment only have to extra channels is not much of a bonus. So far the only dedicated program is jtv the rest are just repeats.
    I still have reception issues even now. slight interference like when a neighbour uses power tools is enough to loose the digital, but not on analogue.
    The stated cut off date, i understand is only applying to capital citys as they got it way before regional towns did. So we will have to wait longer again

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