ITV Tyne Tees region launches date for Digital UK Switchover

Pam Royle and Ian Payne from ITV Tyne Tees will launch the Digital UK public information campaign today alongside BBC Look North News Presenters Carol Malia and Jeff Brown.

The ITV Tyne Tees region will be the last in England to make the switch to a fully digital service in September 2012.

The Digital UK TV advert will be running throughout the year until the switch-over dates in September.

• BBC Two will be the first analogue channel to be switched off on 12th September.

• BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and Five will complete the switch on 26th September.

• 1.4 million homes in the Tyne Tees region will no longer receive analogue TV.

People are eligible for assistance from the Help Scheme if:

• They are aged 75 or over, or

• They have lived in a care home for six months or more

• They get (or could get) disability living allowance, or attendance or constant attendance allowance, or mobility supplement, or

• They are registered blind or partially sighted

To apply for help from the Switchover Help Scheme, or to find out if you are eligible for help, call the free helpline number on 0800 40 87 654.

Textphone users can call 0800 40 85 936.

For general information about digital switchover, call 08456 50 50 50 or visit the *Digital UK website. *

If you have already made the switch to digital you don't need to worry. If you haven't made the switch though, the only way you'll be able to keeping watching is by converting your TV with a digital box or buy a new digital set.

Satellite services such as Sky and Freesat remain unaffected. Broadband and Cable services like Virgin Media will also be unchanged.

If you're watching through an aerial though you will ned to retune your box after the switchover in September.

ITV Tyne Tees viewers can see a full report by Richard Salkeld on Thursday's North East Tonight at 6pm