Digital migration on track

SELEKA – Despite widespread controversy regarding the Government’s proposed digital migration, Communications Minister, Faith Muthambi painted a very positive picture of the migration away from analogue broadcasting during her visit to the area on Monday.
The proposed digital migration will force television viewers to install a set box that connects to a satellite that transmits a specific signal in order to view television channels that could up to now be received via an antenna. Despite missing the analogue switch off deadline in June 2015 Muthambi assured parliament in August that the digital migration programme was on track.
During this session in parliament Muthambi and her partners, the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, and the South African Post Office were grilled on the availability of local content once the country has migrated to digital signals.
Funds approved by treasury for the distribution only amounted to R146-million while R771-million is needed to carry out the project.
According to Muthambi switching from analogue to digital signals holds many advantages for viewers. “People in areas who struggled to find a proper signal will now be able to receive a clear picture and it will also boost the economy because the set boxes will be manufactured in South Africa by local labourers.”
Because digital signals take up less bandwidth than analogue signals more television channels can be broadcast in the same bandwidth giving viewers the potential of more channels to choose from. Viewers will incur a once-off cost to buy a set box. Free channels like SABC and etv will still be available for free.
The switchover from analogue to digital will be compulsory and is expected to start in January 2016 despite concerns raised that it might be too expensive for low income households. Government decided to hand over 500 000 set boxes which was one of the reasons for  the Imbizo that took place in Seleka.
During her visit the minister did not ela-borate on the progress of the programme and instead focused her speech on the work done by the Lephalale municipality stating that she was satisfied with her visit to Seleka. “I will be returning in three months time to see whether some of the issues that were raised during my visit have been addressed,” she said.