M-Net & e.tv Commercial Broadcasters ready for Digital TV

M-Net & e.tv Commercial Broadcasters ready for Digital TV:

The success of South Africa’s migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT) hangs in the balance. The Department of Communications this year announced a review of the technology standards used for DTT and a plan to change the technology standard which the country adopted in 2008. Today, M-Net and e.tv, who have been successfully trialling the DVB standard since 2008, questioned the need for this review as they demonstrated the effectiveness of the DVB standard. Both broadcasters expressed regret that the Department could contemplate abandoning the DVB standard after 10 years of work devoted to trials, studies and comparative analysis to select the best standard for South Africa’s needs.

“There are no problems with the DVB standard. We have been running a successful trial for two years now. Set-Top Boxes are ready for production, the network is operating effectively and digital services are being enjoyed by trial participants - the DVB standard works and our trials have confirmed this” says M-Net CEO, Patricia Scholtemeyer. “We are using DVB because the standard was approved by Cabinet, implemented in policy and confirmed in regulation. As a business, we believed this gave us the necessary regulatory certainty to proceed to make investments in DVB. This last minute about turn on standards could derail all the gains made to date.”

The migration to digital, which will see South African broadcasters switch from an analogue to digital broadcast signal has been planned and tested since 2000. The standard for digital broadcasting, DVB was approved by Cabinet in 2008 after an exhaustive industry and public consultation process. Despite long-running, successful trials by broadcasters, the Department this year called for a review of the standard and indicated a preference for a standard known as ISDB-T which was developed by the Japanese. M-Net and e.tv caution that the adoption of a new standard will only result in more costs for consumers, governments and broadcasters and delay the migration process for at least 3-5 years.

Earlier in 2010, ICASA published the final regulations for digital migration which require that M-Net and e.tv share a broadcasting Multiplex when DTT is eventually rolled out. In line with the regulations, the two broadcasters have announced their collaboration to bring digital television to South African viewers.

e.tv’s Group Chief Executive Officer; Marcel Golding explains “We have had great success in our previous trial with the SABC and we are sure this next phase of preparation will only serve to further demonstrate our readiness to roll out the project on a commercial level using the approved DVB-T standard,” he says.

e.tv and M-Net are ready to bring digital television to South African audiences, delays will only mean that the country falls further behind in the global broadcast technology stakes and will certainly jeopardize the international deadline for the complete switch-over to digital broadcasting by 2015 and delay the release of the digital dividend which would have given South Africans access to new communication services.

Contact Details:
M-Net
Lester Din
Lester.din@mnet.co.za
083 579 3143

Trevor Crighton
trevor@pageone.co.za
083 652 7713

e.tv
Bongi Potelwa
Bongi.potelwa@etv.co.za
082 884 0736

Vasili Vass
vasili.vass@etv.co.za
084 233 8277