Sky criticised in Switchover Row
Friday, June 20th, 2008
Satcaster in Scottish Switchover Stink-up
The decision to award Sky the contract for a digital switchover help scheme has been criticized by a Scottish MP.
The scheme, set up by the British government, helps elderly and disabled people make the switch to digital TV by converting one of their televisions to digital. Individuals aged 75 or over as well as those eligible for certain benefits will be offered digital equipment fully installed by Sky at a cost of £40, or free for the less well off, enabling them to access over 200 Freeview television and radio channels without subscription. They will also receive extra Sky channels and the Sky Plus digital recording facility free for two months, after which period they can opt to pay for the additional service or simply retain their Freeview channels.
However, the Liberal Democrat MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk has criticized the scheme sharply, saying that the digital market is no long a level playing field for Sky’s competitors: “What it fundamentally does take away is the idea that the transfer to digital television is done on a neutral basis, without any particular choice between the different television platforms. This is giving Sky an unprecedented marketing opportunity to some of people who are the most vulnerable in our Borders’ communities.”
He said that people on the scheme would have to pay for installation if they opted for an alternative provider which “seems to me absolutely crazy”.
However, chief operating officer of the Switchover Help Scheme Tony Noakes insisted that the decision to award the contract to Sky was a fair one: “The Help Scheme chose Sky as the standard offer because it represents best value for money and a high-quality service for eligible people. People using the Help Scheme in Scottish Borders will be free to choose from a range of other ways of going digital.”
