National debate on digital dividend gets underway in France

Use of freed-up analogue TV frequencies should be determined not by market forces but by the political process says influential report by French senator.

France appears to be making smooth progress towards analogue switchoff. In February this year, its parliament passed a law, entitled 'Télévision du Futur', stating that the process would begin in March 2008 and be completed by the end of November 2011. The law, originally drafted after a period of consultation organised by national broadcasting regulator the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), also says that most of the spectrum made available as a result of analogue switchoff – the 'digital dividend' – should be allocated to 'audiovisual services'. Some estimates have already concluded that the digital dividend could lead to the addition of another 20 TV channels.

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