Going Digital on time and under budget

Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss says the Going Digital programme has wrapped up on time and under budget.

“All installations under the Government’s Targeted Assistance Package – about 32,000 of them - have now been completed,” Mr Foss says. 

“I am very pleased to have received a review of the Going Digital programme that shows it was delivered on time and under budget.

“Going Digital was a massive undertaking that involved hundreds of thousands of households with a television switching from analogue to digital on a region-by-region basis.

“Ninety eight per cent of households with a television now have far more choice, with better picture quality and better sound.  I expect that those who did not go digital are now accessing content in different ways.

“Digital television also makes it easier to provide services such as closed captioning for the hearing impaired and audio description services for the visually impaired.”

The Going Digital programme, which is part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda innovation programme, included an extension of the Freeview HD transmission network, support for regional broadcasters and a community outreach programme.

The post implementation review document can be found at: http://www.mch.govt.nz/goingdigitalreview