Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme

The Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme was initiated by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR). The Department was looking for a partner to ensure vulnerable people, who were likely to be unaware of the general awareness campaign, were informed about the switchover.

Background to the project

In Ireland, the analogue television service provided by the national broadcaster, RTE, was discontinued in October 2012.

To continue receiving access to television, members of the public either had to subscribe to one of several private television suppliers or they needed to obtain a small amount of equipment that would enable them to avail of Saorview, a new free-television service provided by RTE. This was called ‘Digital Switchover’.

Aim of the programme

Following departmental consultations with a range of organisations, the Department and The Wheel agreed an approach to reach the target group based on mobilising the community and voluntary sector. Preparatory work on the Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme began in November 2011, with the key outreach work being undertaken between March to October 2012. The project was managed and coordinated by The Wheel in conjunction with Irish Rural Link, with funding from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

The aim of the programme was that those who were least likely to make the switchover to a digital television service would be enabled to do so before the switching off of the analogue signal in October 2012. This target group were likely to be older; have less formal education; be farmers or live in rural areas; be disadvantaged, e.g. have a disability, live alone; have few social networks.

As a direct result of the community outreach and engagement programme through mobilising community and voluntary groups, there was little evidence of public concern following the switch off, including on local or national radio. This indicated an extremely high level of advanced awareness and that the vast majority of people, including the hard-to-reach people in the target group of the programme, had successfully made the switch on time. 

Results

  • A total of 71,535 members of the target group were reached and provided with information and advice regarding the switchover. This was 48% greater than the 48,360 estimated target number for the programme.
  • A total of 57,019 members of the target group were provided with additional assistance to successfully make the switch.
  • The programme reached an additional 125,508 people outside the target group. 3,277 organisations were actively involved in the programme, holding events and otherwise assisting in the effort to reach the target group, averaging 126 per county/area.
  • The ‘Digital Champions’ recruited 674 Key Activists, averaging 26 per county/area, to drive the programme at a local level throughout each county/area. They were assisted by an additional 10,995 volunteers.
  • A total of 1,575 outreach events were held involving the target group, representing an average of 61 per county/area, with a total attendance at these events of 74,399 people.
  • The programme had a presence at 246 major events (e.g. local festivals) and through these reached at estimated 46,669 people.
  • The programme generated 2,513 mentions in local media, including local radio and newspapers.

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