MUSENGE.
GOVERNMENT has commended the task force on digital migration for engaging various stakeholders on digital terrestrial television migration, as the country prepares to migrate from analogue to digital television broadcasting.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge said digital television broadcasting provides parental control, by restricting access to certain programmes that may not be morally suitable for viewing by children.
“These and other merits are key and in line with government’s agenda to overhaul the broadcasting industry, so that it effectively contributes to national development,” he said.
Mr Musenge was speaking during a stakeholders’ consultative conference on digital migration at Kitwe’s Edinburgh Hotel yesterday.
In a speech read for him by Copperbelt permanent secretary Stanford Mschili, Mr Musenge said digital television makes it possible to simultaneously transmit many high quality pictures and sound through the efficient use of frequencies, which are a limited resource.
“While analogue television uses one frequency to carry one programme channel, digital terrestrial television uses one frequency to carry multiple programme channels, thereby allowing for greater choice and variety of programmes for viewers,” he said.
Mr Musenge said government has approved key technical and policy recommendations to facilitate Zambia’s digital migration programme.
And Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Amos Malupenga said the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency, has set June 17, 2015 as the deadline for countries across the world to migrate from analogue to digital television broadcasting.
“In view of this deadline, the Southern African Development Community has set December 31, 2013, as the deadline for member states to migrate from analogue to digital terrestrial television, to allow for a smooth and orderly transition and shut down of analogue television transmission by 2015,” he said.
Mr Malupenga said engaging various stakeholders by the task force is an important undertaking as it will ensure a people-driven digital migration process.
He said government, through the Zambia Public Procurement Authority, has advertised the tender for the implementation of the digital terrestrial television migration.
“Government hopes that as many players as possible will compete so that the country gets the best supplier of the technology for digital migration.
“The tender is progressing very well. On Wednesday this week, we held a pre-bid meeting with the prospective bidders in the ministry’s boardroom,” he said.
Mr Malupenga said the response was overwhelming from prospective bidders for the tender for implementation of the digital terrestrial migration.
He said government is confident that the country will successfully migrate within the set deadline.
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