National digital TV broadcast coverage near 80%: ministry

The national coverage of digital television broadcasts reached almost 80 percent as of June 1, 2023, according to Indonesia’s Communication and Informatics Ministry.

According to a statement issued by the director of broadcasting at the ministry, Geryantika Kurnia, on Monday, the figure is based on a Nielsen survey.

“National digital (TV) penetration is near 80 percent, in which the total population of TV audience prior to the analog switch-off was some 59 million people, whereas after analog switch-off, as of June 1, 2023, the figure was close to 56.2 million,” he added.

He informed that digital TV broadcasts have been widely accessed on Java Island.

The survey also showed that the coverage of digital TV broadcasts has reached 95 percent in 10 metropolitan cities included in the Nielsen survey.

Currently, 591 TV stations have adopted multiplexing infrastructure, which supports digital TV broadcasts in 112 broadcasting areas spread across 341 cities and districts, Kurnia revealed.

Moreover, 94 TV stations are currently in the process of adopting the digital TV broadcasting service and leaving the analogue one behind, he added.

He disclosed the ministry’s plan to conduct the analogue switch-off initiative in two metropolitan cities—Makassar in South Sulawesi and Medan in North Sumatra.

The initiative in South Sulawesi, which will cover Makassar and surrounding areas, will kick off at midnight on June 20, 2023, he informed.

Kurnia said that in North Sumatra, which includes Medan and its neighboring areas, the analog switch-off will take place in mid-July 2023.

Currently, 34 percent of the targeted people, who belong to the lower socioeconomic class, have received set-top box (STB) packages, he informed.

“People in Makassar and Medan have been reminded ahead of time to prepare their TV sets so as to engage with the new era of digital TV where the images are clear, the sounds are clear, and the tech is advanced,” Kurnia remarked. ANTARA News

(Belbuca)