Analogue switch-off

Throughout the last decade, broadcasting in the UK has been undergoing dramatic change. Although successive governments have remained committed to the system's traditional public service element, they have recognised that it must accommodate the dynamic forces of technology and competition.

Satellite, cable and microwave transmissions, together with the availability of more radio frequencies, have already made a greater number of local, national and international services possible. But it is the development of digital technology that is transforming the broadcasting and communications landscape.

Digital broadcasting is a new, more effective way of transmitting radio and television services, which first became commercially available in the UK during 1999. It allows more information than before to be transmitted, and can offer many more channels, extra services, interactivity and higher quality picture and sound to viewers and listeners willing to invest in receiving equipment and/or monthly subscriptions. Already several millions of UK households have signed up to digital services offered by the sector's major television broadcasters. The radio industry is also investing significant sums in digital services.

With digital transmission, sound and pictures are processed electronically and converted into binary digits (bits), a series of noughts and ones. This code is then transmitted as a bitstream and reconverted by appropriate receivers or set-top boxes into radio and television programmes. Video compression allows the transmitter to send only the data needed to pass on the difference between each picture frame, cutting out a lot of repetitive information and enabling several digital programme services to be transmitted within the same frequency. Digital broadcasting uses much less spectrum than the existing analogue process.

In response to this potential, the Government legislated in 1996 to set out a flexible regulatory regime for the introduction of digital terrestrial broadcasting, a goal that has now been achieved. It also paved the way for more broadly-based competitive UK media groups.

In drawing up that and further Acts’ provisions, the Government set such key objectives: to safeguard plurality of media ownership and diversity of viewpoint; to preserve the UK's unique tradition of public service broadcasting; to support the competitiveness of the UK broadcasting industry and give the UK the opportunity to lead the world in the exploitation of digital technology; to ensure broadcasters maintain appropriate standards of impartiality, taste and decency. These objectives are at the heart of the Government's communications philosophy, which is principally designed to protect consumers. The UK Communications Acts ensure universal access to a choice of diverse services of the highest quality.

There is a clear commitment to preventing the emergence of a digital underclass, unable to afford the equipment required to access new services. In particular, the Government wants to ensure public service TV channels are available to everyone, free at the point of consumption. In addition, public service channels are guaranteed prominence on devices such as electronic programme guides, which have taken on great significance in the way viewers choose programmes. Ofcom has the power to ensure that this commitment is upheld.

Eventually, the Government wants to encourage all broadcasting and telecommunications services to move to digital means of transmission. Part of the rationale for this is to release the frequencies currently employed by analogue transmission for other uses. The Government originally suggested that analogue switch-off was likely to occur between 2006 and 2010. But recent comments from Ministers suggest that it will be later than this. The key to switch-off is the speed at which consumers take up digital equipment. There is little likelihood of such a change until the vast majority of viewers and listeners have digital equipment. That said, satellite television operator British Sky Broadcasting has switched off its analogue service and is broadcasting exclusively on digital.

Mark the statements as true or false, then correct the false items:

__1. The development of digital technologies causes dramatic changes to broadcasting industry.

__2. Digital broadcast services appeared on the UK market at the end of last century.

__3. No special convertors are needed to watch or listen to digital broadcasts.

__4. With the advent of digital technologies UK broadcasting system abandoned its public service tradition for the sake of total commercialisation.

__5. Great Britain wants to be a world leader in digital broadcasting.

__6. The Government does not support this analogue-to-digital switch in broadcasting.

Find English equivalents to the following word combinations in the texts of this unit, then make your own sentences using these collocations:

• вимоги до якості, визначені як необхідні для отримання ліцензії

• відповідати законодавству

• підходити широкій аудиторії, в тому числі й дітям

• з чітким позначенням для глядачів

• чітко дотримуватись сурових правил

• відображати зміни у ставленні та вимогах публіки

• призупинити дію ліцензії мовця

• з’явилися на ринку

• гарантувати численність форм власності ЗМІ та розмаїття поглядів

• безкоштовні для користувачів

• перейти на цифрові засоби передачі

• значна більшість глядачів і слухачів

• веде трансляцію виключно в цифровому форматі

Translate the following sentences using as much vocabulary of the unit as possible (consult the texts if necessary):

1. В цілому, програми мають бути збалансовані як слід та охоплювати широкий спектр тем; вони мають бути неупередженими при розгляді політичних і суперечливих питань, точними в освітленні новин і не ображати людську гідність та гарний смак.

2. If viewers and listeners think programmes have fallen short of the given standards, they can complain to the regulator.

3. Уряд може заборонити неприйнятні зарубіжні супутникові канали, технічно доступні у Сполученому Королівстві.

4. But it is the development of digital technology that is transforming the broadcasting and communications landscape.

5. Помітивши такий потенціал, у 1996 році уряд прийняв закон про встановлення гнучкого режиму контролю впровадження цифрового наземного мовлення – і цієї мети вже досягли.