Current-Newsletter-April

“If you live in the South Island and do not have Freeview, SKY, Igloo or TelstraClear cable TV after 28 April 2013, you won’t be able to watch TV at all,” said Going Digital National Manager Greg Harford.

Latest research shows nine out of ten households in the South Island are already enjoying digital television.

“I’m recommending people take action now to go digital. When Hawke’s Bay went digital last year there were people who waited until the last minute and then had to go without TV for a time because installers were fully booked,” said Mr Harford.

There is a range of options available when going digital but Mr Harford says you don’t need a new TV as virtually any set can be converted with the right set top box and a satellite dish or aerial.

Another thing to remember when going digital is that if you are able to receive a UHF signal and have a TV with Freeview built-in you don’t need a set top box but you do need to tune the television into the digital channels.

“It is also good to know that every TV you want to continue watching after 28 April will need to go digital whether it is in your bedroom, shed, work or main living area,” said Mr Harford.

The Ministry for the Environment is putting together a mailing list for people interested in staying up to date with news on the Government’s TV TakeBack programme. TV TakeBack is a national programme to encourage the recycling of televisions and to build the capacity and capability of the e-waste recycling sector (www.tvtakeback.govt.nz).

If you would like to receive updates on TV TakeBack, please email tvtakeback@mfe.govt.nz with “Add TVTB mailing list” in the subject line.

The move to digital television affects all TVs including those in sports clubs, kohanga reo and all not-for-profit community groups.

Going Digital together with Hills SignalMaster is running a competition to support some community groups to go digital. The winning groups will receive the necessary equipment and installation to make an existing TV used by the organisation go digital.

The competition closes six months before each region goes digital.However, there is still time for community groups in the Upper North Island to get their entries in before 24 May.

The Targeted Assistance Package is designed to help those groups likely to face the greatest financial and technical challenges in going digital. Everyone who might be eligible for assistance has received or will be receiving a letter from Going Digital with information on how to apply for the assistance.

“After calling us to confirm their eligibility, installation is arranged and it generally all happens within two weeks,” said Going Digital National Manager Greg Harford.

The Assistance Package is available to people who have a working analogue television and are:

• aged 75 and over with a Community Service Card; or
• the recipient of a Veteran’s Pension; or
• the recipient of a Invalids Benefit;
• former Veteran’s Pension and Invalids Benefit recipients who transferred to New Zealand Superannuation at age 65 or over.

If you think you’re eligible and have not received your letter, you can check your postcode at http://www.goingdigital.co.nz/targeted-assistance-package to see when Going Digital will be dispatching letters to your region.

Igloo provides a set top box, paid for by the viewer with free-to-air channels. Additionally, it gives you the ability to pay for supplementary channels and individual programmes as and when you want them.

It’s not available in all areas of the country so it’s best to check by going to http://www.goingdigital.co.nz/myhouse.html or calling 0800 838 800.

The alternatives to Igloo are Freeview, Sky or TelstraClear (Wellington and Christchurch only).

New Zealand television is going digital in stages. Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast successfully made the move in September last year and the rest of the South Island follows on 28 April. The Lower North Island including Taranaki and the East Cape goes digital on 29 September and the rest of the country will go digital on 1 December.

“Digital TV offers viewers more channels, better pictures and additional features such as an on-screen TV guide. The move to digital TV in Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast has been a reminder for the rest of the country that change is happening, and that people who haven’t gone digital already need to act soon,” said Going Digital National Manager Greg Harford.

The latest research shows that of those households yet to go digital many are planning to make the move but are putting it off either because TV is not a priority for them or because they intend to wait until the last minute.

“For many people, going digital is as straightforward as plugging in a set-top box, but some people might want the services of a technician. I would encourage everyone to think about going digital early”, said Mr Harford.

Going digital doesn’t require a new TV but some people may need new equipment such as a set-top box or television with Freeview built-in plus and aerial or satellite dish.

You can help your community to go digital by –

• speaking with friends, family and neighbours to make sure they know how they are going to go digital
• including information about how to go digital in your community or stakeholder newsletter
• sharing information on the move to digital TV with work colleagues and on your staff notice board.
• request one of our community advisors talk to your community group.
• For more information, visit www.goingdigital.co.nz or call 0800 838 800.