Digital Television Switchover and Disabled, Older, Isolated and Low Income Consumers
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research report Digital Television Switchover and Disabled, Older, Isolated and Low Income consumers prepared for Advisory Committee for Older and Disabled People by Dr Jonathan Freeman Dr Jane Lessiter Dr Elaine Beattie i2 media research ltd. Department of Psychology Goldsmiths College University of London New Cross, London, SE14 6NW Tel: 020 7919 7884 Fax: 020 7919 7873 Email: [email protected] Wednesday 13th June 2007 i2 media research ltd., Goldsmiths, University of London. New Cross, London. SE14 6NW, UK tel: (+44/0) 20 7919 7884; fax: (+44/0) 20 7919 7873; email: [email protected] Registered in England. No. 4335734. VAT Registered in the UK: 813463150 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................I 1. THE RESEARCH IN CONTEXT..............................................................1 1.1. Digital Television Switchover.................................................................................... 1 1.2. Preparing for switchover ........................................................................................... 1 1.3. Consumers with more difficulties as a result of switchover than most ............... 2 1.4. Motivation for the current research.......................................................................... 4 2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES.....................................................................9 3. METHOD AND SAMPLE ......................................................................10 3.1. Sample design and recruitment plan ..................................................................... 10 3.2. Discussion guides – content areas ........................................................................ 11 3.3. Research materials................................................................................................... 13 4. CHARACTERISING THE DISABLED, OLDER, ISOLATED AND LOW INCOME PARTICIPANTS IN OUR RESEARCH ..................................16 4.1. Summary ................................................................................................................... 16 4.2. Inter-relationships between participant characteristics....................................... 17 4.3. Accessing media ...................................................................................................... 17 4.3.1. The importance of support networks ............................................................. 17 4.3.2. Perceived need for media technology ........................................................... 25 4.3.3. Cost and complexity of choice....................................................................... 26 4.3.4. Retail experiences ......................................................................................... 29 4.3.5. Using media................................................................................................... 31 5. PARTICIPANTS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH TELEVISION AND OTHER MEDIA...................................................................................................35 5.1. Summary ................................................................................................................... 35 5.2. General ownership and perceived importance ..................................................... 35 5.3. Television .................................................................................................................. 37 5.3.1. Ownership and general value........................................................................ 37 5.3.2. Television purchase and set-up experiences ................................................ 39 5.3.3. Use of television services.............................................................................. 40 5.3.4. Switching to digital: motivations for and against............................................ 46 5.3.5. Using digital television ................................................................................... 49 5.4. Telephones................................................................................................................ 52 5.5. PC and the internet................................................................................................... 56 5.6. Other media technologies ....................................................................................... 58 6. AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF, AND ATTITUDES TO DIGITAL TELEVISION AND DIGITAL TELEVISION SWITCHOVER ..61 6.1. Summary ................................................................................................................... 61 6.2. Digital television ....................................................................................................... 61 6.2.1. Understanding digital television..................................................................... 61 6.2.2. Information sources ....................................................................................... 65 i2 media research ltd., Goldsmiths, University of London. New Cross, London. SE14 6NW, UK tel: (+44/0) 20 7919 7884; fax: (+44/0) 20 7919 7873; email: [email protected] Registered in England. No. 4335734. VAT Registered in the UK: 813463150 6.2.3. Reactions to digital television ‘channels’ and ‘benefits’ board ...................... 67 6.3. Digital television switchover ................................................................................... 69 7. PARTICIPANT PERCEPTIONS AND USE OF CURRENT SUPPORT NETWORKS .........................................................................................80 7.1. Summary ................................................................................................................... 80 7.2. Social services.......................................................................................................... 80 7.3. Voluntary support services ..................................................................................... 82 7.4. Partners and family .................................................................................................. 84 7.5. Friends and neighbours........................................................................................... 86 7.6. Paid support.............................................................................................................. 90 8. SUPPORT ENTITIES’ VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES ...........................92 8.1. Summary ................................................................................................................... 92 8.2. Social services.......................................................................................................... 92 8.3. Voluntary support services ..................................................................................... 95 8.4. Informal supporters: family and friends ................................................................ 99 9. INFORMATION AND SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR DIGITAL TELEVISION SWITCHOVER..............................................................103 9.1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 103 9.2. For disabled, older, low income and isolated people......................................... 103 9.3. For supporters ........................................................................................................ 104 9.4. Evaluations of Digital UK communications materials ........................................ 106 9.4.1. 30 second “Why Wait” television ad ............................................................ 107 9.4.2. Laminates 1 (How to go digital) and 2 (Home diagram and set top box connection) .................................................................................................. 110 9.4.3. Switchkit press advert.................................................................................. 113 9.4.4. Pictorial information ..................................................................................... 115 9.4.5. Targeted supporter pack ............................................................................. 116 9.5. Targeting and structuring advice and support.................................................... 117 9.5.1. Digital surgeries........................................................................................... 118 9.5.2. More simple equipment ............................................................................... 120 10. CONCLUSIONS..................................................................................121 11. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................126 12. ANNEX 1: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS’ CHARACTERISTICS .............127 13. ANNEX 2: SELECTION OF DIGITAL UK INFORMATION MATERIALS ABOUT DIGITAL TELEVISION SWITCHOVER.................................129 i2 media research ltd., Goldsmiths, University of London. New Cross, London. SE14 6NW, UK tel: (+44/0) 20 7919 7884; fax: (+44/0) 20 7919 7873; email: [email protected] Registered in England. No. 4335734. VAT Registered in the UK: 813463150 Executive Summary This paper reports a qualitative research study conducted in the first quarter of 2007 by i2 media research limited, commissioned jointly by Digital UK and Ofcom’s Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled people. The objective of the study was to understand how disabled, older, isolated and low income people will be affected by digital television switchover. In particular, the project aimed to (a) identify the role and