BORDERS MP CALLS ON DIGITAL UK AND FREEVIEW TO CLARIFY CHANNEL INFORMATION

6.21.58pm GMT Thu 17th Jan 2008

Borders MP Michael Moore is calling on Digital UK and Freeview to clarify the information being given out to viewers on what channels they will receive after digital switchover.

The 'postcode checker' on both the Digital UK website and the Freeview website omits Channel 5 from the list of television channels that viewers in the Borders who rely on one of the relays will receive after the November switchover.

Mr Moore has received enquiries from a number of local people who are perplexed at being told they will not receive Channel 5. He has called on both Digital UK and Freeview to fix the problem urgently.

He said:

"We are now firmly in the run-up to switchover, and local people are being told repeatedly to start preparing for the time when the analogue television signal switches off. However, before viewers decide whether to go down the route of satellite television or Freeview, they need to be armed with the correct information about what they will receive in each case.

"The 'Freeview Lite' package that will be provided to many viewers in the Borders is confusing enough, without this added complication. If Digital UK are unable to fix their database, they should urgently add an explanation to their website to help clear up this confusion."