The death of analogue TV gives leading role to PBS
When Malta switches off its analogue TV signals at midnight on December 31 of next year, all Maltese TV viewers should have a digital set-top box to watch local and international TV stations, otherwise they won't be able to watch anything. By then,...
When Malta switches off its analogue TV signals at midnight on December 31 of next year, all Maltese TV viewers should have a digital set-top box to watch local and international TV stations, otherwise they won't be able to watch anything.
By then, Public Broadcasting Services will be shouldering the responsibility for the unencrypted transmission of six Maltese TV stations, which will be accessible free of charge and without the need of a subscription.
The provisions are announced in a policy and strategy document that meet so-called General Interest Objectives just published by the Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications and the Malta Communication Authority.
This document is the culmination of a consultation exercise started in September 2007 and which lasted five months.
The Broadcasting Authority will draw up the criteria for the selection of these free-to-air local channels and an eligibility test for broadcasters will be carried out, with right of first choice for existing analogue terrestrial stations. Any vacant slots on this network will subsequently be filled via a call for expressions of interest. Only TVM and Education 22 have a guaranteed place. The other four slots are up for grabs.
The document notes: "PBS is the only broadcaster that has an obligatory requirement to operate under a GIO remit. This makes PBS the ideal entity to organise and run the GIO multiplex. PBS will therefore be appointed as the network operator for broadcasting that meets GIO."
PBS will carry the costs of the network set-up and operation less the additional capital and ongoing costs incurred as a result of PBS having to carry other broadcasters on its network. The network will be deployed by the end of this year.
As a result, the terrestrial commercial networks, i.e. Go's digital terrestrial TV service, will not be obliged to provide Maltese TV stations free of charge as this will be done by PBS and its GIO network "in the interests of spectrum efficiency".As far as Melita is concerned, subscriber payment for the reception service will continue to be allowed.
Must-carry local channels will have to be on a reception/entry-level tier such that subscriber payment is kept to a minimum. A must-carry obligation therefore remains incumbent on Melita on both its analogue and digital network, the document says.
Two frequencies will be allotted to the GIO, channel 5 VHF and channel 66 UHF. The commissioning of a third frequency for GIO purposes should not take place until such time as changing conditions would require a revision of the policy in this direction. The second frequency reserved for GIO use will be kept in reserve for the eventual transition of GIO stations to HDTV.
The BA, with the technical assistance of the MCA, will provide the necessary oversight to the operation of the GIO network.
The implementation strategy being considered will not affect current analogue transmissions, which will continue to be available on both the terrestrial and cable networks up to the analogue turn- off date of December 2010.
The document stresses that the general principles that form the basis of the National Broadcasting Plan continue to be valid, however, an update of the plan with respect to television and radio broadcasting policy is now necessary. The revised plan would still safeguard pluralism in Maltese TV, broadcasts will be allowed on both cable and terrestrial networks and on any other network that may be established, and broadcast licences will be issued to the private sector for broadcast channels meeting GIOs and for commercial broadcasts.
MCA chairman Philip Micallef said: "The publication of this policy document denotes the start of a series of initiatives that will lead up to analogue turn-off, set for the end of December 2010. Such initiatives will include updating of the Broadcasting Act, the refinement of the high level GIO eligibility criteria, the setting up of the GIO network infrastructure, the selection of GIO stations and public information initiatives. These will pose quite an implementation challenge to all concerned."
Digital broadcasting provides improved picture quality, better sound, better mobile reception, more TV and radio channels as well as enhanced information services (such as on-screen programme guides). The technology used for digital terrestrial TV transmission in Europe is DVB-T.
The Maltese government has chosen December 3, 2010 as the switchover date to digital TV, which puts Maltese on a middle-of-the-road course compared to the other EU countries.
"The 2012 EU target for switch-off is expected to be met by almost all member states," the European Commission said with satisfaction. "Overall, the switch-off of analogue terrestrial TV transmission in Europe is well on track. Switch-off has already been completed in five member states (Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and the Netherlands) and by 2010 the process should be well advanced in the whole EU."
Malta will switch off together with Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Spain and Slovenia.
The US has moved switch-off to June 12 of this year. Japan's switch-off is planned for July 2011, South Korea for end 2012, Australia for 2013 and India and Russia for 2015.
As digital broadcasting uses the radio spectrum more efficiently, it will free up capacity for new uses, such as high definition TV, mobile communications or wireless broadband in rural areas.
This should stimulate innovation and opportunities for growth in the telecoms and media industries, while contributing to European efforts to stimulate the economic recovery.
The Commission said it is working on a common approach on how to use the spectrum released by the digital switch-over to achieve the greatest benefits for the single market and its 500 million citizens.
Last year saw the number of digital TV subscribers in Malta exceed that of analogue subscribers for the first time in Maltese TV history.
At the end of September there were 127,182 TV subscriptions, of which 75,787 were digital, a change of 58.4 per cent over the previous year, according to the National Statistics Office.
By then, Public Broadcasting Services will be shouldering the responsibility for the unencrypted transmission of six Maltese TV stations, which will be accessible free of charge and without the need of a subscription.
The provisions are announced in a policy and strategy document that meet so-called General Interest Objectives just published by the Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications and the Malta Communication Authority.
This document is the culmination of a consultation exercise started in September 2007 and which lasted five months.
The Broadcasting Authority will draw up the criteria for the selection of these free-to-air local channels and an eligibility test for broadcasters will be carried out, with right of first choice for existing analogue terrestrial stations. Any vacant slots on this network will subsequently be filled via a call for expressions of interest. Only TVM and Education 22 have a guaranteed place. The other four slots are up for grabs.
The document notes: "PBS is the only broadcaster that has an obligatory requirement to operate under a GIO remit. This makes PBS the ideal entity to organise and run the GIO multiplex. PBS will therefore be appointed as the network operator for broadcasting that meets GIO."
PBS will carry the costs of the network set-up and operation less the additional capital and ongoing costs incurred as a result of PBS having to carry other broadcasters on its network. The network will be deployed by the end of this year.
As a result, the terrestrial commercial networks, i.e. Go's digital terrestrial TV service, will not be obliged to provide Maltese TV stations free of charge as this will be done by PBS and its GIO network "in the interests of spectrum efficiency".As far as Melita is concerned, subscriber payment for the reception service will continue to be allowed.
Must-carry local channels will have to be on a reception/entry-level tier such that subscriber payment is kept to a minimum. A must-carry obligation therefore remains incumbent on Melita on both its analogue and digital network, the document says.
Two frequencies will be allotted to the GIO, channel 5 VHF and channel 66 UHF. The commissioning of a third frequency for GIO purposes should not take place until such time as changing conditions would require a revision of the policy in this direction. The second frequency reserved for GIO use will be kept in reserve for the eventual transition of GIO stations to HDTV.
The BA, with the technical assistance of the MCA, will provide the necessary oversight to the operation of the GIO network.
The implementation strategy being considered will not affect current analogue transmissions, which will continue to be available on both the terrestrial and cable networks up to the analogue turn- off date of December 2010.
The document stresses that the general principles that form the basis of the National Broadcasting Plan continue to be valid, however, an update of the plan with respect to television and radio broadcasting policy is now necessary. The revised plan would still safeguard pluralism in Maltese TV, broadcasts will be allowed on both cable and terrestrial networks and on any other network that may be established, and broadcast licences will be issued to the private sector for broadcast channels meeting GIOs and for commercial broadcasts.
MCA chairman Philip Micallef said: "The publication of this policy document denotes the start of a series of initiatives that will lead up to analogue turn-off, set for the end of December 2010. Such initiatives will include updating of the Broadcasting Act, the refinement of the high level GIO eligibility criteria, the setting up of the GIO network infrastructure, the selection of GIO stations and public information initiatives. These will pose quite an implementation challenge to all concerned."
Digital broadcasting provides improved picture quality, better sound, better mobile reception, more TV and radio channels as well as enhanced information services (such as on-screen programme guides). The technology used for digital terrestrial TV transmission in Europe is DVB-T.
The Maltese government has chosen December 3, 2010 as the switchover date to digital TV, which puts Maltese on a middle-of-the-road course compared to the other EU countries.
"The 2012 EU target for switch-off is expected to be met by almost all member states," the European Commission said with satisfaction. "Overall, the switch-off of analogue terrestrial TV transmission in Europe is well on track. Switch-off has already been completed in five member states (Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and the Netherlands) and by 2010 the process should be well advanced in the whole EU."
Malta will switch off together with Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Spain and Slovenia.
The US has moved switch-off to June 12 of this year. Japan's switch-off is planned for July 2011, South Korea for end 2012, Australia for 2013 and India and Russia for 2015.
As digital broadcasting uses the radio spectrum more efficiently, it will free up capacity for new uses, such as high definition TV, mobile communications or wireless broadband in rural areas.
This should stimulate innovation and opportunities for growth in the telecoms and media industries, while contributing to European efforts to stimulate the economic recovery.
The Commission said it is working on a common approach on how to use the spectrum released by the digital switch-over to achieve the greatest benefits for the single market and its 500 million citizens.
Last year saw the number of digital TV subscribers in Malta exceed that of analogue subscribers for the first time in Maltese TV history.
At the end of September there were 127,182 TV subscriptions, of which 75,787 were digital, a change of 58.4 per cent over the previous year, according to the National Statistics Office.