Dundee LibDem councillor expresses Freeview concerns of Dundee residents
Dundee LibDem Councillor Fraser Macpherson has today (Monday 28th May) written to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Media and Tourism, Shaun Woodward MP, following continuing concerns about the lack of Freeview TV services from many of his constituents in the West End of Dundee, a situation also affecting other parts of the City and North Fife, served by the Tay Bridge Transmitter.
Cllr Macpherson has been campaigning on the subject for some time because around 35 000 people in Dundee and NE Fife are served by the transmitter which continues to carry only analogue signals and are being denied access to digital terrestrial television until the "analogue switch off" in the NE Scotland area in 2010.
Cllr Macpherson has had various discussions with Digital UK about the issue over the past year. Digital UK is the independent, non-profit organisation leading the UK's move to digital television. It was established to provide impartial information on what people need to do to prepare for the move the digital, and when they need to do it.
Cllr Macpherson said, "The continuing failure to convert the Tay Bridge transmitter to also carry digital signals means that a majority of residents in the West End Ward area of Dundee cannot receive digital terrestrial television, along with thousands of other Dundee people in the City Centre, Craigiebank, much of Broughty Ferry, other parts of the City and in North Fife.
"The situation also applies to some residents in the Charleston and Dryburgh areas who receive signals from the Camperdown relay transmitter. Only if you are lucky enough to receive signals from the main Angus transmitter will you be able to get Freeview at present," said Mr Macpherson.
Cllr Macpherson continued, "Many residents feel that it is completely unfair that many TV licence payers are simply not getting the digital services others receive.
"I have also been concerned to recently learn that, even when the analogue switch-off takes place and Freeview facilities should become available to all, some relay transmitters will not receive the full-range of Freeview channels. There has been much concern in the Borders, the area the analogue switch-off will happen in first, that some communities will get a reduced package known as "Freeview Lite", carrying only limited channels. I have made clear to the Minister that this is not an acceptable situation," concluded Cllr Macpherson.