How to Compare TV Packages: A New User's Guide to Digital Television

For many people it means switching over from basic TV services to freeview, but with plenty more choices available for TV, it's worth being clued up on just what digital means, and how the switchover is going to affect the way you watch television.

Digital TV offers a much more efficient way of watching television, although most of this 'efficiency' stuff actually happens on the tech level so you won't notice it from just turning on your television. What you will notice is that even the most basic digital service like freeview has a large number of channels available to choose from rather than the standard 5 that came with the analogue signal. This is because digital signals can be compressed - made smaller - which means more of them can be fit in the same amount of airspace. This extra space also means information can be transmitted much faster, which means additional services like EPGs (Electronic Program Guides) are also made possible by digital technology.

So, what are the benefits of digital television for the consumer? Well, first off, more channels equals more choice. This means that you've got a wider range of things to watch at all times, and it makes it easier to find reruns and repeats of your favourite shows, which means you don't always have to be around a specific time to make sure you catch an episode of a series you might be watching. It also means easier access to different types of entertainment; rather than having lots of variety channels like BBC 1 which offer different content, you can find dedicated comedy or dedicated film channels which makes browsing for something watch much easier.

Digital TV also offers a wider range of features overall, so you interact with programs such as quiz shows and shopping channels, access information through an on screen program guide which lets you know what each channel is broadcasting that day, and more. This level of interactivity also means digital TV offers much more choice for people with vision or hearing problems. Digital TV is also the only way you can pick up a HD signal, although currently there are no HD channels available on the basic Freeview service.

There are a number of different options available for digital television. You can go for a basic Freeview box for under ￡20 and never have to pay anything again, although many people are using the digital switchover as a reason to look into a more varied TV package. You can compare TV packages from all the big providers online, as well as taking a look at the advantages and disadvantages to use services like satellite and cable television. Digital is all about choice; if you want more, it's available to you and if you don't, then you can just grab a freeview box and never have to worry about it again.

Whether you want a brand new Sky HD box or you just want to see what your options are for the digital switchover, Digital Choices can answer your questions quickly and simply. If you're looking at switching to a new TV service but don't know the difference between a Sky plus box and a V plus service, Digital Choices is the website for you.

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Union and Divorce Within the Television Academy

In 1955, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) was established in New York by Ed Sullivan, to serve as a partnering organization to ATAS, helping to oversee the Emmy Awards as well as to serve East Coast television interests. They also saw to establishing regional branches of the organization throughout the nation, so that each could also develop its own Emmy awards specifically to honor achievements in local programming that might otherwise go overlooked. In 1957, the two Academies officially merged to operate collectively under the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences name. Ed Sullivan served as the organization's president - and from there, every two years, the merged Television Academies would alternate having one of its members fill the position.

Tensions between the East and West coast chapters had begun brewing by the early 1960s, with one source of dispute being the decision to relocate the national office from New York to Hollywood in 1964. Academy members in New York were rubbed the wrong way by the relocation, but Academy members in Los Angeles were struggling with concerns regarding the purity of the Emmys and Academy membership regulations, concerned that the East Coast chapter was too liberal and overly inclusive to allow every member of its chapter to enjoy full voting rights. In contrast, the East Coast chapter regarded the West Coast chapter as too elitist and overly exclusive when it came to those same matters with its membership.

By 1976, the disputes had grown so fierce that they threatened to dismantle the union between the two organizations. In an effort to resolve their differences, each chapter selected its own five member team to meet for two days of negotiations, with one of the conclusions being reached that only members participating in national television would be allowed full voting rights - which would basically mean that only members of the regional chapters would be excluded form voting. Still, the New York chapter was not satisfied with the negotiations, and after that year's Emmy Awards ceremony, the Los Angeles filed a lawsuit to dissolve the organization.

The response from the East Coast chapter was to counter sue for the rights to the Television Academy as a whole. Until the groups finally agreed to part ways from one another in 1977 and a legal settlement had been reached, with both chapters retaining national status as well as their original names, day to day operations of both chapters had been stifled while both had their assets frozen throughout the course of litigation. According to the terms of their separation, the Los Angeles chapter would remain in control of their own chapter as well as the primetime Emmy awards, and the New York chapter would have jurisdiction over its own chapter, the nineteen regional chapters that held their own Emmys ceremonies, and control over the Daytime, News, Documentary and Sports Emmy awards. Both chapters would retain ownership of the Emmy statue and trademark, and both chapters grant one another 15% of the television revenues from their own awards show broadcasts. There is no doubt that regular corporate award ceremonies in industries such as advertising or finance have had significantly less controversy.

The author of this article is 10 year veteran in the crystal awards and recognition gifts industry.

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