D-day for digital television migration

Today is the global deadline for analogue switch-off. According to the International Communications Union (ITU) Geneva 2006 Agreement all broadcasts will go digital by 23:59 hours.

In Kenya, the process is still shrouded in confusion with just a small portion of the population having switched to digital. The government says more than 2.2 million households enjoy the benefits of digital television using set top boxes. 

The Communication Authority of Kenya has collectively licensed more than 79 set top box vendors, more than 70 broadcasters, 50 of whom are on air.  “Many more continue to cross the bridge with more than 3.2 million set top boxes having been imported into the country,” says ICT Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i.

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Since 9th December 2009 when the Government launched digital broadcasting in Kenya, it has faced numeruous challenges, mainly legal hurdles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. “We have come a long way but I am glad that we have embraced digital migration,” he says.

An attempt by the government to migrate before the deadline earlier this year resulted in a stand-off with broadcasters, who switched off their signal for two weeks to protest government high handedness. They were allowed to bring in their set top boxes and thus a stake in the signal distribution industry.

Digital migration means the media and entertainment industry will undergo a major shift.  From a constricted space of a few analogue broadcasters with limited content offerings, there are over 40 broadcasters with ever increasing varieties of content offering and the consumer is getting spoilt for choice.

Dr Matiang’I says, the Government has put in place resources to ensure that the public signal distributor, SIGNET, expands TV coverage to areas of the country that previously did not enjoy TV reception.

“Our technical teams are in process of identifying suitable sites at which installation of digital TV transmitters will start in the next few months in Kitui, Lamu, Lodwar, Lokichogio, Maralal, Marsabit, Mbui Nzau, Wajir, Kabarnet and Garsen,” he said.

Further, KBC is in the process of acquiring additional digital TV transmission equipment to expand TV coverage to even more part of the country.”

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