Digital broadcasting will be introduced in Belarus in stages - O.Proleskovsky

August 23, Minsk /BelTA Corresp./. Digital broadcasting will be introduced in Belarus in stages, Minister of Information Oleg Proleskovsky announced during an online conference on the website of the Belarusian Telegraph Agency.

   The transition to "digital" should be fully completed by 2015 in accordance with the State Program for the Implementation of Digital Television and Radio Broadcasting, which is currently being implemented. "At the same time, the shutdown of analog broadcasting will be carried out in stages so that the transition to digital broadcasting is not painful for the population," Oleg Proleskovsky noted.

   The proposal of the Ministry of Communications and Informatization to begin shutting down analog broadcasting in 2012 is primarily due to the fact that today, in areas where more than 94% of the republic's population lives, broadcasting in DVB-T format of 8 TV programs has already been organized: Perviy Kanal, Lad, ONT, STV, NTV-Belarus, RTR-Belarus, Kanal 8, Mir. "TV programs in digital format are broadcast in parallel with programs in analog format. Significant funds are spent to organize such broadcasting (in two formats simultaneously). This has become a catalyst for more active actions in this direction," said the Minister of Information.

   With the introduction of "digital," new opportunities open up for television. "Firstly, this is, of course, an improvement in the quality of image and sound. Secondly, it becomes possible to provide multi-program television services. For example, today, commercial terrestrial broadcasting of 21 TV programs in digital format has been organized in the Minsk region. This is impossible in analog format. So, we can safely say that Belarus is keeping pace with the times in the implementation of digital television broadcasting," the minister emphasized.

   The issue of transitioning from analog to digital television in Belarus is quite pressing. Thus, a special set-top box is required to receive the digital signal. However, modern television receivers, as a rule, already have a built-in module for receiving digital signals. "Unfortunately, domestic manufacturers of television equipment did not orient themselves in time and, in our opinion, were late in mastering and releasing receiving equipment. Today, the situation is being corrected," noted Oleg Proleskovsky, adding that manufacturers and retailers offer the population a wide selection of modern TV models and set-top boxes.-0-