ITV Digital chief blames weak signal for failure

Poor technology caused the failure of ITV Digital, according to one of its founders.

Michael Green, chairman of one of the parent companies, Carlton Communications, says the signal used to transmit digital channels was too weak.

He believes that this effectively doomed the company from the outset.

"We were promised extensive coverage but it was like Swiss cheese," he says.

"One side of the street would receive a signal, but not the other. It made marketing hopeless."

Mr Green says repeatedly asked the government to strengthen the signal, which was kept low so it did not interfere with mobile phones, but did not get a favorable response.

"There is no question but that this government was useless," the newspaper quoted Green as saying. "The government shouldn't have to interfere but they sold us a dud product.

"This is not an excuse, but if I did it again, I would check all the technology worked first," he reportedly added.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said earlier this week the government's target to replace analog television with digital by 2010 remained in place.

"This is not the failure of a technology, it is not the failure of digital television, it is the failure of one company," she said.