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New Freeview 'Switch Off' Update as Government Issues Statement
Ministers are weighing a streaming shift that could affect 16 million homes, while critics warn households without reliable broadband could lose TV access.
The UK Government plans to phase out Digital Terrestrial Television , with a Green Paper expected in the coming weeks outlining a roadmap for the transition away from Freeview.
Broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 back the transition, citing massive costs to maintain signals for a declining viewer base as streaming increasingly replaces live TV for many Brits.
Ofcom reports 16 million homes, or 60% of TV households, use Freeview, while the Commons Library found 17% of UK households relied entirely on DTT in 2023.
Tofts warned that moving to internet-delivered TV could widen the digital divide, while telecoms company Arqiva is campaigning to delay the shift until 2040 or beyond.
A Government spokesman told The Express the administration is committed to ensuring "no one is left behind," though officials have not yet decided whether to extend the DTT commitment beyond 2034.