Transition to Digital TV: Christina Spurgeon

In this clip from an interview recorded in 2005, Christina Spurgeon talks about social inclusion aspects of 'crossing the digital divide', in the transition from analogue to digital TV transmission.

The commercial and national broadcasters began digital television transmission on 1 January 2001 in the metropolitan markets of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The phase-out of analogue transmission was completed in December 2013.

Digital television broadcasting provides higher quality viewing and more television services by using the same digital technology used in computers, compact discs and mobile phones. 

It delivers clearer, sharper pictures with less interference and ghosting, and has allowed for additional channels and better access to services like subtitles, captioning and datacasting.

The difference between analogue (traditional) and digital televison lies in the way information is carried from the source (the transmitter) to the receiver (the television).

With analogue broadcasting the signal is in the form of a continuous wave, whereas digital is in the form of discrete bits of information.

To receive digital TV, viewers need either a digital television set that can process and display the full digital signal, or a digital top box that can convert the broadcast to an analogue signal for reception by a traditional analogue television set.

Christina Spurgeon has lectured in digital media and entertainment industries. She has a professional background in Australian media and communications policy and radio journalism, and is a published author.