Ofcom today released research that attempts to measure citizen-consumer perspectives on new or additional spectrum-based services that could result from the digital divided review.

It’s an impressive package Ofcom put together. No doubt about that.

I assume this research will go a long way to silence those who have criticised Ofcom’s market-based approach in the DDR to limit the introduction of HDTV on Freeview to a handful of channels by effectively requiring terrestrial broadcasters to spend money they do not have in a radio spectrum auction.

Not me!

There are really two questions here:

1) What do people think of new possibilities resulting from the DDR? Here, Ofcom have probably correctly found that — like any social problem where allocation of resources is concerned — people have differing perspectives. Some want HDTV, others think that better mobile or more local channels are better for society. If you could go back in time and ask similar questions during the early days of the BBC, there would have been people who would have preferred the resources be allocated to hospitals … or the military … whatever.

(BTW: I imagine people would probably prefer hospitals to the PSP … we’ll see if Ofcom ever ask that question)

2) What is the ‘future of TV’? This is one Ofcom do not cover in their research. It’s a tough question for Ofcom, because the answer is probably that all television and audiovisual content (DVDs, video games) will be high def. This is true for a number of reasons, including the fact that — if people spend hours a day in front of something they want the experience to be as high-quality as possible. This will be particularly true if all programmes, movies, games and sports are shot in HD, all hand-held camcorders are HD, and all TVs are HD.

So how does one reconcile points 1 and 2? If Ofcom’s exhaustive research shows that people are not clamouring for HDTV then how is it the future of TV?

I’m not sure. I cannot pinpoint where the error or missed connection is. One question is about government allocation of scarce resources; the other is about personal choices. The same person who tells Ofcom’s researchers that HDTV is a low priority will probably purchase a Blu-ray DVD player this Christmas season. Maybe the two never really match up?