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Freeview Press Releases
FREEVIEW LAUNCHES ‘FREEVIEW PLAYBACK’ BRAND
18 May 2006
Freeview today announced plans to launch a digital TV recorder1 brand, ‘Freeview Playback’, designed to raise consumer awareness and boost sales of these DTT products.
With digital switchover planned to start in 2008, clear consumer understanding of digital TV recording is needed. Recent Freeview research has shown that there is little consumer awareness of digital TV recorders2, a finding supported by limited uptake of the devices already available for the DTT platform. Freeview Playback is a clear step towards communicating the benefits of digital TV recorder technology to Freeview viewers and improving consumer choice throughout digital switchover and beyond.
Freeview is launching four initiatives, supported by the industry, to help establish and promote the digital TV recorder category:
- The launch of ‘Freeview Playback’ as a brand extension to effectively communicate digital terrestrial TV recorders to consumers
- Manufacturers and retailers to use a common product description for the category
- The Digital Television Group (DTG) to establish an industry standard ensuring ‘Freeview Playback’ products carry a quality assurance for consumers
- A commitment by Freeview to implement marketing activity to raise awareness of the category and of the ‘Freeview Playback’ brand extension
Cary Wakefield, Freeview General Manager said, “Freeview’s success to date has been based upon offering viewers a simple way to get digital television. Working with the industry, Freeview is committed to delivering a strong brand to increase consumer awareness of the benefits of digital TV recorders and to make the technology easy to understand. The launch of Freeview Playback is crucial to driving consumer understanding and uptake and will help to clearly define the category.”
Richard Lindsay-Davies, Chief Executive, DTG, added, “By setting clear technical standards, we will ensure that all Freeview Playback products carry a quality assurance that consumers are confident in.”
John Edwards, Director of Communications at ALBA plc commented, “We welcome these initiatives and support the launch of ‘Freeview Playback’. The industry needs to work together to help make digital TV recorders a success and deliver the benefits of the technology to consumers.”
The ‘Freeview Playback’ brand is expected to be in the market by September 2006.
Freeview offers over 30 free digital television channels as well as over 20 free digital radio stations through a rooftop aerial. It is backed by the BBC, National Grid Wireless, BSkyB, ITV and Channel 4.
