Government committed to digital migration – Minister
Ms Victoria Hammah, Deputy Minister of Communications, has pledged Government’s commitment to the smooth implementation of the Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT) process in all television stations in the country.
The use of DTT, which would eventually hook all television stations in the country onto one transmission machine and would be managed by Government, has a deadline of December 2014.
DTT would enable all stations operating in the country to have a nationwide coverage with clearer pictures and superior sound quality and less interference as compared to the current analog system being used.
The DTT system also offers far more channels, thus providing the viewer with a greater variety of programs to choose.
Although, the world is expected to be hooked unto the DTT by June 2015, Ghana had set the deadline of December 2014 so that the remaining six months could be used for other residual issues relating to the migration.
Speaking during a tour of some television stations to familiarize herself with their readiness for the digital migration on Thursday, Ms Hammah appealed to the stations to collaborate with Government to achieve its stated goal.
Stations visited included Multichoice Ghana, operators of DSTV and GO TV, Kencity Media, operators of Net 2 TV and Cable Gold Channels, a pay per view station located on the Spintex Road.
At Kencity Media, the Minister, who visited the station with members of the Digital Migration Committee, appealed to the management of the station to support Government’s effort to migrate all stations by the deadline.
She assured the management of government’s readiness to help resolve all their concerns related to the migration process.
Mrs Stella Agyapong, Chief Executive Officer, Kencity Media, called for the formation of a joint body made up of Government and members of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) so that no one entity or body would have total control over the management of the transmission machine.
She said the monopoly of the management of the DTT could lead to the provision of poor service to some media houses which could cause them to become aggrieved and pull out.
She urged Government to intensify its education on the type of television sets which viewers would be required to purchase when the digital migration process comes into effect.
Source: GNA