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SINGAPORE: Despite their differing pace of development, ASEAN countries have pledged to set a common target date to migrate their terrestrial broadcasting from analogue to the digital age.
The collective switch to digital TV — which means sharper resolution and better sound quality — will result in economies of scale and lower the cost of digital TV set-top boxes for over 540 million people in the region, said the Media Development Authority (MDA).
Speaking yesterday at a seminar held in conjunction with BroadcastAsia 2007, Ms Ling Pek Ling, MDA’s director of Media Policy Division, said: “If we give manufacturers a clear message that we are heading towards switch-off by a certain year, then that will boost their confidence to bring more equipment into the market, both in terms of set-top boxes, as well as TV sets.”
It is not decided when the 10 countries will completely do away with the current analogue broadcasts.
Malaysia has already set a target of 2015 while Indonesia has mentioned that it plans to do so in 10 years. By comparison, Europe has set a target of 2012 while the United States plans to switch-off analogue broadcasting by February 2009.
But officials of the ASEAN Digital Broadcasting Cooperation Initiative — which is spearheaded by Singapore and Brunei — said discussions by three new working groups would provide a clearer picture on how and when to make the switch.
It is looking to set up a list of criteria to encourage the adoption of digital TV in the region by 2008.
Reducing the cost of digital set-top boxes from between US$80 and US$250 to under US$50 is imperative as high costs will slow down the adoption of technology, officials say.
Digital broadcasting will open up more opportunities for both industry players and viewers.
For example, high-definition content can be delivered through Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and Video On Demand (VOD) mobile TV services.
Mr Chang Long Jong, deputy CEO of MediaCorp, said: “There are a lot of opportunities for us to deliver HD on other platforms and they need not be in the channel format which is delivered over the air, terrestrial. It could be on a pay platform, on a VOD service platform. We see ourselves as a HD content partner of possible platform operators within Singapore as well as in the region.” - TODAY/fa
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