While the British government is considering the future of terrestrial television transmissions, it is advising households to keep battery-powered or wind-up radios available in case of a national emergency. The ‘Be Ready’ campaign recommends preparing for at least three days without essential services, including electricity and telecommunications. The campaign web site is apparently hosted on WordPress, which may not inspire confidence about the level of resilience in response to bad actors, and that does not mean thespians. It does indicate the importance of broadcasting to communicate to citizens in such scenarios.
The emergency preparedness checklist includes an FM radio and a charged power bank among essential items for communication and information. The campaign has reportedly prompted a fivefold increase in demand for emergency radios, with some retailers reporting shortages of popular models.
The preparations include contingency arrangements for a prolonged electricity failure, sometimes described as a ‘Black Sky’ event. Although considered unlikely, a widespread blackout could disrupt not only electricity supplies but also mobile and internet communications, water and sewage services, fuel distribution and electronic payments.
The government has published scripts for emergency radio broadcasts, providing public health advice on drinking water, sanitation, food safety and other essential matters during a prolonged power outage.
The BBC has its own contingency arrangements to maintain radio broadcasting during a national emergency. Transmission sites have backup generators and fuel reserves, while satellite communications would enable journalists to contribute reports from emergency centres.
FM radio has particular advantages in such circumstances because receivers can operate independently of mains electricity. Conventional broadcast transmission also enables a single signal to reach large numbers of listeners simultaneously without relying on individual internet connections or mobile networks.
The government is also investing in alternative communications infrastructure. Its Advanced Research and Invention Agency has committed £70 million to research into high-altitude platforms capable of providing emergency mobile and internet connectivity when terrestrial networks fail. Such systems could provide valuable additional resilience, although they remain under development.
Terrestrial television transmission also provides independence from internet distribution, although most receivers require mains electricity. Households with batteries, generators or other backup power supplies could continue receiving broadcasts during an outage, provided the transmission network remained operational.
Digital terrestrial television transmissions can also remain available during telecommunications failures and cyber incidents that do not affect electricity supplies.
The distinction is significant because the government is simultaneously considering the future of digital terrestrial television. Its media Green Paper proposes a managed transition to online delivery, with terrestrial transmissions potentially ending in 2034 or continuing until 2044.
The government has committed to maintaining DTT until at least the end of 2034. It argues that the continuing migration of viewers to internet services will eventually make terrestrial broadcasting economically unsustainable.
The apparent tension between national resilience planning and the proposed withdrawal of terrestrial television has prompted criticism from transmission infrastructure operators.
Laurie Patten, the director of strategy and regulation at Arqiva, has questioned the consistency of government policy. He observed that some parts of government were considering a broadcast television switch-off from 2034 while others were warning of the risks of ‘Black Sky’ events and emphasising the importance of independent broadcasting infrastructure. He called for “joined up thinking”.
Arqiva operates the national terrestrial television transmission network and much of its radio transmission infrastructure. The company has presented an alternative to retaining the existing terrestrial television network in its present form. Arqiva has proposed replacing the current six multiplexes with three using the more efficient DVB-T2 standard, currently used for high-definition broadcasts, enabling the release of spectrum for other uses while preserving national terrestrial television coverage.
Under the proposed configuration, indicative annual DTT transmission charges could fall from around £230 million to between £120 million and £140 million. The share paid by public service broadcasters could fall from around £156 million to between £78 million and £87 million.
The financial implications extend beyond television. Many broadcast transmission sites are shared with radio services, meaning that the withdrawal of DTT could increase the costs of maintaining radio infrastructure. The government Green Paper estimates that retaining terrestrial television until 2044 could avoid approximately £160 million in additional radio costs, measured in present value, compared with withdrawal in 2034.
Internet distribution offers considerable advantages for broadcasters and audiences, including greater flexibility, personalisation and access to additional services. Broadband and mobile networks can also be designed with redundancy, backup power and alternative transmission routes. Nevertheless, the increasing convergence of communications onto shared infrastructure introduces dependencies that may be vulnerable to common failures.
Broadcasting is not immune to disruption. Transmission sites require electricity, programme feeds and operational support, while receiving equipment must also remain powered. Its particular contribution to resilience is that it provides an independent distribution path with different technical dependencies and failure modes.
The economics of terrestrial broadcasting are generally assessed against declining audience numbers and the costs borne by broadcasters. Yet the strategic value of maintaining an independent national communications network is not necessarily proportional to the number of people using it in normal circumstances.
The emergency planning published by the government already recognises the importance of radio broadcasting when other communications systems fail. As ministers consider the future of terrestrial television, the wider resilience benefits of maintaining broadcast infrastructure also warrant consideration.
The question is not simply how radio and television can be distributed most efficiently under normal conditions, but how essential information can continue to reach the population when normal communications systems are disrupted.