Television retailers will be supported through digital switchover by a team of specialist staff, as part
of a package of measures announced today by Digital UK, the body in charge of the switch.
The development follows publication of the report into the UK’s first switchover
in Whitehaven, Cumbria. One of the report’s leading findings was that retail sector readiness was a
major factor in the successful transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

Digital UK, in partnership with field marketing agency Gekko, will now deploy a dedicated Retail
Support Team to assist stores in the lead switchover regions of Border, West Country and Wales.
They will visit TV retailers in each region, starting one year before switchover.
The team will develop relationships with – and offer a point of contact for – store managers and
their staff, helping to ensure switchover communication is effective and accurate. They will supply
point-of-sale material, offer staff training and recruit new stores to the ‘digital tick’ scheme. Gekko,
which has worked successfully with Digital UK on field marketing, will manage teams in each region.

Also today, Digital UK unveils two further initiatives for retailers and manufacturers, designed further
to improve the information available to shoppers during switchover. Products that are simple for
viewers to set up and retune will be promoted through the ‘Easy to Install’ recommended mark.
This symbol, promoted by Digital UK, identifies products that have been judged easy to install,
through independent testing by consumer body Ricability.

The scheme follows research revealing that 58% of people are not confident in setting up their own
digital TV equipment, rising to 74% among over-65s. In Whitehaven, retuning was the leading line
of enquiry during switchover.

Digital UK will also promote a new ‘Digital Scoreboard’, an extension of the familiar ‘digital tick’
logo. This voluntary scheme, which manufacturers will use to label digital TV equipment packaging
and TV screens, identifies key features in a product, including power consumption in standby mode.
The quality of digital-switchover advice given by retailers is already improving, according to recent
research. ‘Mystery shopping’ by GfK NOP on behalf of Digital UK found that overall customer
satisfaction rose, staff were more confident in answering switchover enquiries, and more were
aware when switchover took place.

Digital UK’s retail activity will now focus on improving understanding of the ‘digital tick’ logo and
what happens to recording devices after switchover, while also encouraging greater use of the
postcode checker at digitaluk.co.uk.