Digital TV group report delayed

By Itumeleng Mogaki, ITWeb junior journalist

Johannesburg, 05 Apr 2006

The working group responsible for SA`s migration to digital TV and radio broadcasting will submit its recommendations to communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri by the second quarter of this financial year.

In February, the group said it expected to submit the recommendations by the end of the financial year in March, without including a recommended date for the switchover.

Department of Communications acting chief director Albi Modise now says the working group recommended to the department that a feasibility study be conducted into the economic impact of the digital migration process on the country as a whole.

In particular, the study will look at digital TV`s impact on consumers as well as issues relating to access by ordinary South Africans to digital broadcasting services, says Modise.

He says the International Telecommunications Union regional radio conference will commence in May in Geneva to deal with the issue of digital terrestrial broadcasting services, among other matters.

"The outcome of this conference and its resolutions will impact SA`s digital migration policy process and it is therefore the view of the department that the finalisation of the recommendations be delayed.

"This would ensure the recommendations from the working group are consistent with the resolutions of the conference on the issue of the digital migration process.

"As a result, there is no report that has been submitted to the minister," he says. "It is expected that the working group will be able to submit the report by the second quarter of this financial year."