Hello everyone,



Bill Wright here. Please have the patience

to read this! You could really help us achieve something worthwhile.





The digital rip-off: your help needed



There's a lot of public confusion about the switch to digital TV, and

many elderly and vulnerable people are getting fleeced as a result. The

official information campaign is trying hard to make sure that people

won't be left without TV when the analogue broadcasts finish, but we're

not convinced the right information is reaching those who need it most.

As a result some people are panicking and making rash buying decisions.

Of course there's always someone ready and waiting to take advantage

of people's confusion and make a killing. There have already been many

instances of people (mainly elderly) spending many hundreds of pounds

on unnecessary aerials or new TV sets.



In areas where analogue was switched off last year the rip-offs became

an epidemic and a lot of people subscribed to pay TV (£500 per year?), under

the impression that they had to do this or they would lose the BBC and

ITV channels.



A group of us have set up a website that attempts to correct some of the

misunderstandings and present the essential information in a way which

is simple and easy to understand. The website is totally non-commercial

and is designed so that people with internet access can print off the

information and hand it to those that might benefit from it.



After analogue switch off the majority of people will find that their

present aerial will work fine, even though it might not do so in the

lead-up period. This simple fact is being ignored. Our message is partly

'Don't spend money until you are certain you need to' and this

contradicts the official message, which is 'you must act now'. It seems

that a certain amount of rip-off has been deemed acceptable.



The main broadcast media are unlikely to address the rip-off problem

seriously because this could detract from the 'you must be ready for

digital' message. Of course we accept that people do need to be ready

for analogue switch-off, but the official line is all about being ready,

with little or nothing about avoiding rip-offs or unnecessary expense.



So, having set up the site, the problem now is publicising it. The task

of spreading the word is enormous, and frankly we just can't do it

alone. But if enough of you help us we could really achieve something.

Newsgroups like this one have readers all over the UK, and that is our
strength.



Firstly, would you please send the letter (below) to the letters page of

all your local newspapers? It's easy to do this by email. (But if

analogue has already finished in your area it's probably too late.)



If you know of any local organisations in your area that could pass on

the information to vulnerable groups such as the elderly or the adult

mentally handicapped, please pass on this message, with the website

address. What about the local Age Concern, Help the Aged, Derby and

Joan, Townswomen's Guild, WI, and even the bowling club? What about the

library or your place of worship? Do you have any contacts in Social

Services or other relevant council departments?



Please email the message to your local radio station (including

community stations). It could work to send the message direct to a presenter

who does a 'topical talk' slot in between the music.



Please go through your email address list and send this message to

anyone you know who is in a position to pass it on to where it's needed.



Finally, do you know anyone personally that is a rip-off risk? If so, please
go

to the site and print off the information and give it to them.



The website address is



http://www.paras.org.uk/01-intro.shtml



Could you email Bill at



wrightsaerials (first part)

the 'at' symbol (second part)

f2s (third part)

dot com (last part)



to let us know which organisations you have contacted?



Cheers,



Mike Brown

Mark Carver

Bill Wright



LETTER TO EDITORS, RADIO STATIONS, ETC (areas that still have analogue)



The digital rip-off: your help needed



Some time soon our analogue TV signals will disappear forever. The

official information campaign is trying hard to make sure that people

won't be left without TV, but unfortunately this can come across in a

slightly panicky way and it is causing some people to make rash

decisions. Elderly people, especially those who are housebound, are very

reliant on television and many are really scared that they will be cut off.



Of course, there's always someone ready to exploit these fears. The

result is that a lot of money is being wasted by those who can least

afford it. There have already been many instances of people (mainly

elderly) spending many hundreds of pounds on unnecessary aerials or new

TV sets.



Crooked aerial installers are having a field day, and unscrupulous TV

salesmen are telling people that they have to buy an expensive new set

or they will have no reception. A lot of people have already subscribed

unwillingly to pay TV (£500 per year?), under the impression that they have

to do this or they will lose the BBC and ITV channels.



There is now a website - http://www.paras.org.uk/01-intro.shtml - that tries
to cut though all

the guff. It's been set up by trade insiders who are sickened by the

rip-offs. Its totally non-commercial and the idea is that people with

internet access can print pages and hand them to those that might need

them. It would be great if your readers would take a look at the site

and pass on the information to any vulnerable people they know.





Yours faithfully,



Xxxxxxxxxxx



This message posted by Bill Wright