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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.
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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