News Release

29th September 2008

West Country Gets Switched on to Switchover Help Scheme

Around 250,000 older and disabled people living in the West Country
can now get help to switchover to digital television next spring with
the launch of the Switchover Help Scheme.

The Switchover Help Scheme has been set up to help eligible older
and disabled people to make the change to digital on one of their TV
sets.

They are eligible if they are aged 75 or over, get or could get,
disability living allowance, attendance or constant attendance
allowance or mobility supplement, or if they are registered blind or
partially sighted.

For a one-off payment of £40, they will be offered
easy-to-use Freeview equipment to convert one television set,
installation of that equipment, a demonstration of how it works and
someone to call for help while they are getting used to it.

If it's needed to make the new equipment work, the Help Scheme will fit a new aerial where they can.

This service is free for people who are eligible and also receive pension credit, income support or income based jobseekers allowance.

The Help Scheme can offer practical support to eligible people
living in Torbay and South Devon served by the Beacon Hill transmitter
which is due to switchover in a two-stage process on 8 and 22 April
2009 and those in parts of Devon, Somerset and Dorset served by the
Stockland Hill transmitter which will switch on 6 and 20 May 2009.

Between November and next spring every eligible person in the ITV
West Country region will get a letter and an application pack from the
Switchover Help Scheme. They will receive their pack in plenty of time
to get help before switchover.

This options pack will invite people to apply for the help
available. It sets out the standard offer which is available for £40 or
free, as well as offering a range of other ways to go digital with the
Help Scheme.

The standard offer is for an easy-to-use Freeview set top box to
convert one TV set. It can be delivered to the eligible person's home,
or they can choose to have it fully installed. Eligible people unable
to receive TV through an aerial after switchover will be offered a
freesat satellite system instead.

All eligible people can also choose from other digital options, some
of which cost extra. These will be finalised later. All options and
prices will be clearly set out in the options pack which will be sent
direct to each eligible person's home.

To make it even easier, eligible people can choose to apply by calling the Help Scheme free on 0800 40 85 902 instead, or they can nominate someone else to make their application for them.

Karen Farnworth, the West Country based Help Scheme spokesperson
said: "Digital switchover is coming, and we are here to do everything
we can to make sure that no-one eligible will be left behind. We will
be writing to everyone eligible explaining exactly what help is
available and what needs to be done. The most important thing is not to
worry - we will be in touch."

Also watch out for dates for forthcoming Help Scheme events being
staged across West Country areas in the lead up to switchover and a
television advertising campaign aimed at highlighting how easy it is to
switchover which launched in the West Country on September 26.

The Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement with the
Government, and has been designed around the needs of older and
disabled people. Equipment has been chosen to be easy to use, and
contact centre, delivery staff and installers have all been trained to
understand and respect older and disabled people. Installers are
vetted, carry identification and will never call without having made an
appointment.

Notes to editors:

Media Contacts:

Switchover Help Scheme

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement
with the Government to help older and disabled people make the change
to digital.

In the run-up to switchover in each region, every eligible person
will be offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to
digital. People are eligible if they are aged 75 years or more, or if
they are registered blind or partially sighted. Also eligible are
people who get (or could get) attendance or constant attendance
allowance, mobility supplement, or disability living allowance.

Most people will be asked to contribute £40 towards the help. The
service is free for people who are eligible and also get pension
credit, income support or income-based jobseekers allowance.

More information is available by calling 0800 40 85 902. or through visiting www.helpscheme.co.uk

Digital television switchover is the process of converting
the UK's terrestrial television system to digital. Between now and
2012, analogue channels will be switched off region by region and
replaced with free-to-air digital TV and radio services (Freeview).
Switchover will extend Freeview coverage to the whole of the UK and
free up airwaves for new services such as ultra-fast wireless broadband
and mobile television.

REGIONAL TIMETABLE - PUBLISHED DATES are as follows:

The first switchover in the first West Country ITV area affecting
the Beacon Hill transmitter will start on 8 April 2009 and the process
will be complete 22 April 2009.

The second switchover affecting the Stockland Hill transmitter will start on 6 May 2009 and be complete by 20 May 2009.

Digital UK

Digital UK is the independent, not-for-profit organisation
established in 2005 to implement digital switchover. It is jointly
owned and funded by the public-service broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel
4, Five, S4C and Teletext) and the digital multiplex operators.

eaga

eaga, a leading provider of residential energy efficiency and
outsourcing services, has been selected by the BBC as the Help Scheme
service provider to deliver the help available under the scheme from
the ITV Border region onwards.