Visible from much of the North West, the Winter Hill transmitter is one of the tallest structures in the UK, standing at 309 metres tall.
Perched high on the West Pennine moors between Bolton and Blackburn, it supports aerial television to nearly three million households across the region.
But the long-term future of masts like the Winter Hill transmitting station is in question.
TV signals may become internet only
A report from the National Preparedness Commission published this week is warning that a possible plan to shut it off in 2034 will leave the UK vulnerable in emergency situations and calls for an extension to at least 2044.
The government has published a green paper proposing to phase out traditional terrestrial TV like Freeview, setting possible switch-off dates for either 2034 or 2044.
The government has pledged that digital terrestrial television (DTT) signals are officially secured and supported to run until at least the end of 2034.
A formal consultation period remains open until August 31, allowing the public and stakeholders to voice concerns on whether to transition entirely to internet-based streaming.
Transmitters such as Winter Hill keep working if the internet fails
The National Preparedness Commission’s report describes the UK’s network of more than 1,450 TV and radio transmission sites as critical infrastructure that can continue broadcasting when internet-based communications fail.
It cites incidents including the Iberian Peninsula blackout, when much of Spain and Portugal lost power and internet capabilities, as evidence of the growing risks facing modern communications networks.
According to the report, transmitters such as Winter Hill form part of a network reaching 98.5 per cent of UK households.
Unlike streaming services, terrestrial broadcasting can continue delivering information during major power or network outages.
The report concludes that keeping transmitters such as Winter Hill on air until at least 2044 could help keep the public informed when cyber attacks, storms or power failures knock out internet and phone services.
Communication in case of emergency should be a consideration
Mark Steele, chief operations officer at Arqiva, which operates the UK’s broadcast network, said:
The debate amongst government and broadcasters has focused too heavily on changing viewing habits and streaming services while overlooking the role transmitters such as Winter Hill play in national resilience, keeping the UK public safe and informed in the event of an emergency.
Retaining Freeview is not simply about preserving television services but maintaining a wider communications platform used to support emergency information, radio broadcasting and wider critical infrastructure, including emergency services communication and coast guard communications.
Removing digital terrestrial television too quickly would undermine the economics of the wider network and increase costs for other essential services. That leaves the UK vulnerable.
It is about more than how people watch television
Lord Toby Harris, chair of National Preparedness Commission, said:
The question for government is much more than how people will watch television in future, but how the country will communicate when internet-based systems fail.
The UK’s tall tower network is a sovereign, resilient asset that reaches almost every household and supports radio, emergency services and critical infrastructure.
Protecting terrestrial broadcasting until at least 2044 would preserve a vital, independent route for trusted public information when it is needed most.
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