Australia under pressure to delay analogue TV switchoff

The Sunday Age reports that Australia's Federal Government is under increasing pressure to dump plans to switch off analogue television signals in 2008 because of poor sales of digital TVs and equipment.

The newspaper quotes Liberal MP Jackie Kelly, chairwoman of a parliamentary inquiry into the issue, as saying there is a serious doubt about a 2008 shutdown.

"It appears from the retailers, the broadcasters and the manufacturers that a 2008 date — unless there's a lot of work done and massive investment from government — ain't going to happen," she told The Sunday Age. "If we get our skates on, we can make 2010." The 2008 date has not been formally been set, although it has been the Government's target.

But according to The Sunday Age, only 5 to 9 per cent of homes are so far equipped to receive the digital signal.

Mrs Kelly said a big concern was that people were still buying 1.5 million analogue TVs a year and there could be merit in a Government-funded education campaign.

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