Hansard

I congratulate Jeremy Purvis on securing probably the most timely debate that we have had in the Parliament, given that the digital switchover is happening tonight.

The advantages of digital switchover are apparent. There will be higher-quality output and wider choice. However, I agree with Christine Grahame to some degree: there are also disadvantages that we need to work through, but they can be worked through. Most other countries are moving to digital—the trend is pretty much unstoppable—but we have the responsibility to challenge Ofcom and others on how smooth the transition will be. It is clear that things will be difficult for those who do not regard themselves as technical and that the transition will be a wee bit more costly than simply finding a SCART input in the back of a television. If there is only one such input, the person will not be able to use their video. The practical issues for people who are making the switch must be worked through with them, and we must ensure that the responsible agencies continue to do that.

The digital switchover will change the face of television as we know it. Some of us have already debated on the Ofcom panel the challenges and opportunities for the broadcasting industry and the issues that we need to work through. I agree with Ted Brocklebank: the Scottish Broadcasting Commission's report, which is excellent, is right to suggest that the Parliament should scrutinise broadcasting issues more. Perhaps it should share responsibility for doing so with Westminster.

For those of us who are interested in the technical side, digital signals can provide very high-quality output, but when a digital signal is lost, it is pretty much lost altogether. There is confusion about what people will get. Digital television is not the same as high-definition television—that is different. We must educate people a wee bit more about the television output that they will get, so that everybody understands the issues in the debate.

Labour has called for a review of what is happening with BBC Alba and freeview. It seems odd that the audience for BBC Alba will be assessed, but that a percentage of the audience cannot see the channel in the first place and will not be counted in the figures. I have lodged a motion on that matter, which I hope members will sign. People who should be able to see the channel should be counted when we are considering whether there would be value for money in ensuring that BBC Alba is available to more people who have an interest in Gaelic.

Jeremy Purvis was right to raise the issue of whether there is scope for other smaller digital channels to plug the gap. Whatever broadcasting changes we make, the channels must be available to all Scots. That will be technically challenging in parts of Scotland, but we must ensure that every Scot benefits from their licence in the same way. That said, I do not underestimate the technical challenges. I also support Jeremy Purvis's suggestion that the Scottish Government and the UK Government should work through the issues, as some of them can be solved by working together.

We have debated before whether Scotland will get its share of the revenue from the old analogue provision. There should be a further debate about what we want to do with it. Should we, for example, fund a new Scottish digital channel? We have supported having such an important debate. We must ensure that the same problems do not arise and instead that all of Scotland is covered.

We are talking about the switchover to digital television, but there have been on-going discussions about digital radio switchover. I have not researched that subject in depth, but I know that there have been timetabling changes for the switchover to digital radio. More technical and problematic issues are involved. People do not understand that if there is a switch to digital radio, they will not be able to use every radio in their house, therefore different consumer and technical issues need to be discussed. We must ensure that we tune into those issues, because being able to use their radios is important to people.