Arqiva

North East charities are backing a campaign to protect TV and radio services in the area from the threat of closure in the wake of the Bilsdale mast fire.

Many people are not aware that, on current plans, TV received through an aerial (Freeview) and broadcast radio are not guaranteed long term. Local organisations including Durham Community Foundation and Age UK North Yorkshire and Darlington, have backed a campaign to protect these services, currently provided to the region from masts at Bilsdale and Pontop Pike.

Broadcast 2040+ is a new campaign, which aims to protect vital TV and radio services for everyone – including the elderly and vulnerable people that rely on them the most – until 2040 and beyond.

Next year, an international conference will decide whether to safeguard the radiofrequency spectrum used to deliver these services. The campaign calls on the UK Government to ensure that the international decision does not negatively impact the services relied on by the people of the North East.

New polling, conducted on behalf of the campaign, shows 75% people across the region, support the continued provision of free TV and radio services and want their local MPs, to back it too.

Freeview TV is especially important for older and vulnerable people, many of whom don’t understand or can’t afford services like Sky, Virgin or Netflix.

Broadcast 2040+ is a coalition of organisations across the UK, including Age UK, Silver Voices, the Rural Services Network and broadcast infrastructure company, Arqiva.

Local organisations, Durham Community Foundation and Age UK North Yorkshire and Darlington, have spoken out about the importance of Freeview TV to people in the area.

Helen Hunter, chief executive of AGE UK North Yorkshire and Darlington, said: “The Bilsdale mast fires sent our phones ringing off the hook. For older people, TV is their company; suddenly to lose it, had a huge impact. That’s why it’s really important for the government to protect digital terrestrial television.

“I’m delighted to support the Broadcast 2040+ campaign because it protects TV for older people.”

Michelle Cooper, CEO of County Durham Community Foundation, said: “There are a huge number of older and isolated people in our communities living off next to nothing, for whom Freeview TV and radio services bring a lot of company and entertainment without further straining the budget. It’s the way of the world to monetise almost everything these days, but I strongly support the protection of services that are free at the point of use. I know from my role at the Foundation that people living in merciless hardship year after year will be the ones to miss these services. Let’s not strip every bit of good out of our communities, just because we can’t stick a price tag on it.”

Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington Constituency, added, “I am concerned about the potential lack of continued services for my constituents in Darlington. In light of recent events, with the fire at the Bilsdale Mast, it became very apparent to me that many residents in Darlington heavily rely on digital terrestrial TV and broadcast media and I was pleased that Arqiva worked hard to restore connectivity quickly.

“Before these are potentially disconnected we need a much deeper understanding as to who this is going to affect the most and how it will impact vulnerable people in our community.”

Shuja Khan, CEO of Arqiva and member of the Broadcast 2040+ coalition, said:

“Broadcast TV and radio are part of the daily routine of tens of millions of people across the UK – nine out of ten adults listen to radio at least once a week and nearly half the households in the UK access television through an aerial.

“These services bind us together as a people, whether it is through national moments that matter like the Queen’s State Funeral and Jubilee or celebrating national success like the Women’s Euro Final.

“Now is a critical moment to guarantee them for the long-term. The Government is only committed to these services until the early 2030s. On questions of critical national infrastructure, that is closer than it seems.”

Other backers of the campaign nationally include Children’s Media Foundation, British Broadcasting Challenge and Voice of the Listener and Viewer.

Polling by Strand Partners and broadcast infrastructure company Arqiva, of more than 1600 local people, found that:

77% support the continued provision of free TV and radio services

85% listen to radio through a radio set every month and 66% consider its continued provision essential or important

86% watch TV via Freeview every month, and 70% consider its continued provision essential or important.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

For more information contact Josh Mason on 01325 363436