LookAtVietnam – The recent burgeoning number of television channels, many of them traditional analog broadcasters illegally occupying bandwidth without a licence, has fuelled a debate over the Government’s planned analog-to-digital conversion nationwide.
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The ministry ordered the broadcaster to shut down three of its channels VTC1, VTC9 and VTC7.
Shortly afterward, HCM City Television (HCTV), which covers the entire city and several neighboring provinces, was also found guilty of the same violation.
HTV3, HTV4 and HTV1, three of HCTV’s major channels, are being closed.
The violations were discovered after analog broadcasts had blocked Binh Phuoc Province Radio and Television Station, a neighbouring licensed broadcaster, from airing.
“It’s high time for us to go digital,” said Nguyen Van Ngo, chairman of the Viet Nam’s Association of Radio and Electronics.
“The shutdown of analog TV broadcasts will free more airways, enabling the Government to reclaim the broadcast spectrum and sell it to others, for example, wireless internet or telecommunications,” he added.
The Government has plans to officially convert broadcasts from analog to digital by 2020, but is considering doing it at an earlier date.
Ineffective
Currently, the country’s spectrum of 30 frequency bands is not being used very effectively.
“Every province and big city in the country has at least one analog radio and TV broadcast, wasting large amounts of bandwidth that can be used for other important things”, he added.
Ngo said he believed that the shutdown of analog TV broadcasts would also put an end to illegal broadcast of violators like VTC or HTV.
This shutdown has to begin with a bandwidth law, which is being drafted and will soon be submitted to the National Assembly for approval.
Viet Nam isn’t the first country thinking of shutting down its analog broadcasts.
Many developed countries are planning to turn off analog TV signals because of the obvious benefits brought by wireless data.
But it takes them years to prepare in advance, as ending over-the-air, analog TV is accompanied by many other problems that first affects the poor and residents of remote areas.
“Let’s think of what will happen to people who don’t buy new TVs frequently or don’t have cable or satellite,” Nguyen Van Tuan, a technician, said.
“They probably don’t have enough money to buy a color TV. And when all analog TV broadcasts are shut down, their old sets will go dark.
“They will then be forced to pay for a digital-to-analog converter and cable to be able to watch TV.”
Older people who consider TV as their only source of entertainment seem to be the ones worrying the most.
Vu Van Quynh, an 80-year-old retired teacher who spends most of his time in front of the TV, said the idea was unfair.
“I’m an old and retired teacher, living mainly on a small amount of pension. I can’t afford to pay for a converter,” Quynh said.
“My son bought me a TV several years ago. It still works well and I can’t afford to get a new set, either. So what are people like us to do? Totally unfair! My TV is my only source of entertainment as I can’t afford anything else.”
Converters
Although analog TVs are still widely available, once analog TV broadcasts are shut down, millions of rabbit-ear TVs will have to be dumped unless customers buy a converter.
However, according to Ngo, the problem of additional costs can easily be solved by a Government subsidy.
“Developed countries have many subsidy policies to help promote advanced technology. For instance, the US government gives its citizens the option of accepting two US$40-coupons for two converters. Spain used a small province to conduct a test, and the Red Cross there distributed converters free of charge.”
Cheap prices
HCM City Television (HTV) plans to cease using analog technology by 2015 and instead will broadcast its programmes digitally, according to its director.
Speaking at a recent press conference, HTV General Director Huynh Van Nam said the decision would not adversely affect the poor.
Nam said the HTV would also convert cable television HTVC to digital and broadcast via satellite.
“By 2015, people will be able to use digital television at cheap prices,” he said.
Besides the two main television channels HTV7 and HTV9, the HTV is developing TV channels devoted to different audiences such as HTV1 (news), HTV2, HTV3 (youth), HTV4 (science and education).
It is applying for a licence to air other channels, such as HTV5 (social, cultural, recreational information), HTV6 (news and events) and HTV8 (sports). “According to figures, cable television in HCM City has covered about 90 per cent of TV sets, especially in downtown districts,” Nam said.
“Stopping analog TV broadcasts does not affect the poor while they can’t afford cable television,” he added.
Nam said HTVC would expand its broadcasts to the city’s outlying districts by the end of the year so that people would be able to gain access to more television channels.
“With HTV’s broadcast via the satellite Vinasat-1, people nationwide will be able to watch up to 20 channels of television for free,” said Nam.
HTV channels as well as audio and TV channels of provinces and cities will be available to everyone.
The transmission lines will be stable and the sound quality and images clear.
Value-added services such as television-on-demand and access to internet will be offered as well.
With a receiver box, which will cost about VND2.5 million (US$150), viewers can watch up to 40 programmes on HTV
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News