Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has just announced a $37.9 million dollar plan to get us to all switch off our analogue TV sets by the end of 2013 and move to 100% digital reception.
That money is going to market research ($4.8 million), a taskforce to co-ordinate the switch ($16.9 million), developing a “digital-ready” logo for equipment ($6.7 million), research into digital reception on shared antennas ($1 million), and the remaining $8.5 million will go to ACMA (The Australian Communications and Media Authority) for evaluation of digital transmission and reception.
Conroy is likening the move to digital TV to the 1966 switch to decimal currently. Of course, if you think it’s weird that he’s talking like this now, you’re not alone. There’s a definite sense of déjà vu here.
The original plan for digital television in Australia was to have us 100% digital by the end of this year, at which point analogue TV would be switched off and the analogue spectrum returned to the government. Of course, even as early as 2005, it was pretty clear that wasn’t going to happen. TVs with integrated digital tuners were glacially slow to appear, and people were disinclined to throw their old TV out until it broke. And few people were much interested in another set-top box in their loungeroom.
So the deadline has been pushed back and pushed back, with a new initiative to promote digital TV every few years. The current deadline is five years later than the original deadline, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are even more deadline extensions.
Jared
March 27, 2008 at 6:28 PM
I’ll design a digital ready logo for them for 3 Million. Hows that for a deal. That will help your inflation problem Ruddy.
Report PermalinkDean
March 27, 2008 at 7:56 PM
They would do a lot better if they spent the money on some content instead. I can only watch the HD test pattern for so many hours!
Report Permalinkadam
March 27, 2008 at 11:46 PM
wouldn’t it be cheaper to send a SD digital set top box to every home in Australia, that would cost way less (under $20 million) than the projected $38 million?
Report Permalinksimon
March 28, 2008 at 12:52 AM
what assholes, i’m all for digital television.. i live in a major city in WA and we don’t even HAVE digital TV yet and they are talking about turning off analogue? time to pull the finger out and actually finish off rolling out digital TV first i think.
Report PermalinkDanny
May 21, 2008 at 6:54 PM
I would suggest an HD setup box for everybody that doesn’t have an HDTV yet. Not an SD box. SD will be phased out not long after HD is in full swing. It would still be cheaper for the government to give out HD boxes than put all this money into nothing.
Report PermalinkAngelique
August 9, 2008 at 11:07 AM
For the past 12 years we have had crap reception some days we can only get snow on our TV, we just got a new TV with built in HD and now get ABC in Digital Fantastic the sooner all the channels are Digital the better. End of 2013 is to far away hurry up and get on with it.
Report PermalinkRuddy
November 4, 2008 at 2:44 PM
I r win.
Report PermalinkR Fisher
July 17, 2009 at 10:00 AM
At the moment people with a VCR can tape programs say on 4 different stations and at different times on one tape, When the digital programs come online full time so to speak will we be able to tape digital programs the same way so long as we have a digital TV.
Report PermalinkHM
July 22, 2009 at 5:57 PM
They want digital (they meaning the hidden government) so they can carry out their sinister plans. Read up about project blue beam if you don’t know what I’m talking about. It’s all a ploy to end up controlling us from the top of their evil pyramid.
Report PermalinkDave
September 12, 2009 at 11:16 PM
right, the aliens and what not HM.
i hope you’re joking, or accessing the net through a mental facility.
one minute of googling comes up with loads of reputable material on “PROJECT BLUE BEAM”
haha.
digital tv, ha
they should just lower the price of set top boxes.
greedy bastards, they probably only cost 5 dollars to make. I bought a usb one for 28 dollars, and i’m sure the difference between sd and hd is a 5 cent circuit board and some software developed for a couple of grand in india.
Report PermalinkJohn Cameron
January 11, 2010 at 4:16 PM
There is an option many will exercise. Exorcise television from the household.Its become a major ‘opiate of the masses’. JC.
Report PermalinkAntony Lane
January 13, 2010 at 2:40 PM
Before you shut down the analog system you have to make sure you provide a better service with HD.
I live in Sydney’s Southwest and I have 2 HD TV’s and some days you can’t watch some of the channels due to picture breakdown.
i feel this is just another ploy to make money from the Australian Public.
Report Permalink