In a back-pedal article today they indicate that parliament will have the final say over what digital format digital TV uses, and that FreeView will (of course) accept the existing digital TV standard (MPEG2) as well as the new one (MPEG4) for the sake of "future proofing". There are no immediate plans to change the digital TV standard.
Also: News Ltd Misleads Consumers Over Freeview And Digital TV [smarthouse.com.au]
I think everyone really wants to understand what "FreeView" is, and no article to date has really helped. They're fishing around for "the big story" that explains all the fuss. It doesn't exist.
The fact "FreeView" isn't actually anything probably doesn't help matters.