19 April 2012

Arqiva lights up the skies!

Given the challenges the weather presented for the digital switchover project, perhaps it was no surprise to see heavy skies across London last night. As with the project, the weather didn’t get in the way of what was a very special evening.  

Legendary TV broadcaster Sir David Attenborough pressed the red button illuminating the 219 metre high tower in a blaze of colour and marking the end of 75 years of analogue TV broadcasting in the region. He was joined by television personality Professor Brian Cox, radio and TV personality Chris Evans, top programme maker Sir Peter Bazalgette and Arqiva CEO, John Cresswell for the magic moment.

Earlier in the evening all had shared some of their special moments in broadcasting and their thoughts on the future of broadcasting in a Q&A session led by Chris Evans.

The guests recalled their greatest ever TV moments with Sir David recalling the ‘moment a man walked down a ladder and stepping on to the moon’ and Professor Brian Cox treasuring the Apollo 13 splashdown.

Chris Evans quizzed Sir David Attenborough about his 60 years in broadcasting and how he introduced Match of the Day to BBC2, snooker to television with Pot Black, floodlit rugby league and the Old Greywhistle Test.

Amongst the celebrity guests, former BBC director general Greg Dyke shared his precious TV moment of Geoff Hurst’s goal in the 1966 World Cup and his favourite comedy, The Likely Lads. He said: “This is a momentous moment in terms of choice of TV. We are all guilty of forgetting the range and quality of television we have in this country and it’s all got a lot better with the digital switchover.”

Arqiva CEO, John Cresswell said: “This is a broadcasting landmark and digital switchover is an amazing engineering and technical feat and a fantastic story of British success. The UK has an amazing record of producing fantastic television. Freeview is the platform of choice across the UK and the investment we have just made will ensure it continues to be relevant for the next twenty years. ”

Other Imagery - http://www.flickr.com/photos/arqivaswitchovernight/