Over 100 Lincolnshire households still watching TV in black and white

OVER 100 Lincolnshire residents are still watching television in black and white, according to figures released today.

Despite the national switch to digital television as well as recent developments in high-definition broadcasting and internet-based 'on demand' services, 119 households in Lincolnshire still have a black and white TV in use.

As could be expected, the number of black and white licences issued each year has been steadily declining.

In 2000 there were 212,000 black and white TV licences issued, but by 2003 that number had shrunk to 93,000 and, in 2006, the number was less than 50,000. At the start of 2013, just 13,202 black and white licences were in force across the UK.

Freeview aerials/ Freesat installs

Skyline

View details

Print voucher

Any freeview or freesat install for only £49 to one room, additional rooms £20 extra per room

Terms: Only covers standard install.

Contact: 01472800127

Valid until: Tuesday, December 31 2013

Mark Whitehouse, spokesperson for TV Licensing in East Anglia, said: "It’s remarkable that with the digital switchover complete, 41 per cent of UK households owning HDTVs and Britons leading the world in accessing TV content over the internet, more than 13,000 households still watch their favourite programmes on a black and white telly."

John Trenouth, a television and radio technology historian, added: “Although 13,202 monochrome licences may sound a lot, it's now a tiny percentage of the 25 million licensed viewers in the UK. The numbers of black and white TV sets in regular use has fallen dramatically over the last few years, hastened by the fact that it's now almost impossible to replace them and by the need to buy a suitable set top box to continue to use them after digital switchover."

The cost of a black and white TV licence remains frozen at £49 until BBC Charter Review in 2016. A colour licence costs £145.50.