Government and BBC at loggerheads over how to run targeted help for switchover

摘要

A row is smouldering between the UK government and the BBC over who should have overall responsibility for helping so-called "vulnerable" groups through digital switchover. The disagreement has stalled die creation of the organisation, provisionally called HelpCo, that is to provide financial and logistical help to around six million people in adopting digital television before analogue switch-off. The delay is creating anxiety among those involved with switchover although the matter has not yet reached the stage where it could cause problems when the switchover process starts in the Border ITV franchise area in 2008. "There's been a six-month hold-up," said one executive familiar with the situation. "It's not in limbo but things are moving very, very slowly." He said that two obstacles were still to be overcome concerning the oversight and day-to-day management of the targeted-help scheme, which would benefit the old, the poor and the disabled.