A Cumbrian charity has voiced its pleasure after the government pledged to protect TV for viewers in the north west.

Cumbria Community Foundation has welcomed the Government’s commitment to not switch off TV and radio, after campaigning to maintain universal access to broadcast services.

Along with more than 30 other organisations, Cumbria Community Foundation is a member of Broadcast 2040+, a group campaigning to maintain the access of free-to-air broadcast services up to 2040 and beyond.

The charities represent thousands of individuals who are frequent users of traditional broadcast TV and radio but may not be able to access equivalent online-only subscription services due to financial and technological barriers.

In a speech to the Royal Television Society (RTS) Cambridge convention, the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer MP, vowed to protect viewers of traditional TV in a bid to make sure those who heavily rely on these services are 'not left behind.'

Ms Frazer announced that plans were being put in place to safeguard those who use terrestrial television whilst also encouraging the sector to keep embracing innovation and technological development. 

Andy Beeforth, chief executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: "The commitment to terrestrial TV is especially important in a county like Cumbria where we have large numbers of vulnerable people who live alone. For those living in isolation, television and radio through an aerial are important for many to feel connected. A move to online-only services would be unthinkable for the many older and vulnerable individuals who rely on broadcast TV and radio services.”

Robin Hewings, programme director at the Campaign to End Loneliness, said: "For millions of people, TV is a vital source of comfort, especially those who are older or vulnerable. Indeed, it is a shocking fact that hundreds of thousands of older people say it is their main source of companionship. 

"It is good news that the government has acknowledged that for those living in isolation, access to Freeview TV and radio is vital, and a shift to online-only services would affect many people who do not have access to broadband services, potentially cutting them off from the rest of the world."