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It's not Scareview - digital
champs can help
31.08.12
FOR many it is more
Scareview than Saorview but an army of digital
'champions' is taking the fear out of the big
digital television switchover in 54 days' time.
Twenty-six workers have been deployed around the
country including Donegal to assist elderly people,
the disabled and other vulnerable groups, to make
the switch from analogue to digital ahead of 'Wipeout
Wednesday' on October 24.
Bingo halls, active retirement groups, St Vincent de
Paul and other charitable centres are being visited
in a bid to reach out to thousands of people who
still get their television by aerial.
The digital champions began their drive in March
under the Government-led Community Outreach Digital
Switchover Programme co-ordinated by voluntary
organisation, The Wheel, in association with Irish
Rural Link. |
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Saorview is a free digital television
service you receive with an aerial. It brings you
all your favourite Irish channels, in digital
quality, for free. Saorview replaces the current
free analogue TV signal. That analogue TV service
will be switched off on October 24th 2012. |
The programme director
at The Wheel, Dónall Geoghegan, said a lot of fear
had built up in relation to the switchover.
"We have been taking a gentle but urgent approach
with people, telling them that they do need to
switch but that it is something that is beneficial
and will help them rather than something they need
to be scared of," he said.
"Our target group are those who are older and
socially isolated, particularly people who may be
living alone. Many might not get out of the house
much and the television is very important to them.
"We are aiming at members of society who are a bit
scared and bamboozled by it all and who are unlikely
to make the switch without some help and support."
Of the 250,000 people still using the analogue
service, some 50,000 are in The Wheel's primary
target group. Mr Geoghegan said about two-thirds of
these have now been reached by the programme within
their local communities. Some television retailers
have reported elderly people coming to them "in
tears" not knowing whether they need new TVs, boxes
or both.
Age Action spokesperson, Gerard Scully said: "There
are concerns out there because people perceive the
information to be very technical. But the network of
champions set up through the Irish Rural Link and
The Wheel has been instrumental in getting the
message out to people.
Digital television has been available in Ireland
through Pay TV service providers through cable,
satellite and broadband. Saorview's launch means
digital TV is now available via aerial and without
subscription to about 98% of the Irish population.
The Wheel's Donegal digital champion is John Curran
of the Donegal Local Development Company. He can be
contacted on 91 27056 or by email to
jcurran@dldc.org
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