As we have all discovered this week, the television is more than just a source of entertainment – it is a vital communication tool.

Even with fantastic up-to-the-minute websites – including the Chronicle's own

www.thisisbath.co.uk

– and first class radio and newspaper service, there is no doubt that the television has been exceptionally important in keeping us all up to date with the constant changes caused by this week's terrible weather.

As well as obviously acting as something of an information lifeline, the TV has also been a constant friend and source of entertainment this week for people who may have been snow-bound and therefore unable to enjoy other leisure activities.

With the importance of the TV still clearly very high, a lot of people in this area will have been keeping a close eye on the "digital revolution" which will see everyone in Bath forced to change the way they watch television as of March.

The current way we receive our TV will be altered forever with the much-vaunted digital TV switchover which should, in theory, offer everybody a chance to receive more channels with hopefully a better picture.

Sadly, however, as we relay on page three of today's

Chronicle

, the digital TV revolution won't be quite as dramatic for thousands of local people as it should have been.

Nearly 25,000 people who are served by the Bathampton transmitter will find that while people in other parts of the city will have a wide range of channels at their disposal, they will be given a much-reduced service which means they will be offered a choice of just 15 stations on the dial compared to the 40 or so which will be standard everywhere else.

Although this appears unavoidable, it does still seem surprising that many people will, in effect, be given a second class television service at a time when we should all be enjoying the full benefits that the digital TV revolution has promised us.

Of course, there will be some cynics that say most of the channels are rubbish anyway – but surely customers should have the chance to make that judgment for themselves?