ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES CONCEPT FOR SHIFTING TO DIGITAL TELEVISION

ARKA
Nov 12, 2009

YEREVAN, November 12, /ARKA/. The Armenian government has approved
today the national concept for shifting to digital television,
which is supposed to be completed in 2015. Economy Minister Nerses
Yeritsian said the analogue broadcasting puts a brake on further
development of the sector, while transition to digital television
opens new development prospects.

The minister said as a result of transition to digital television
radio frequencies will be vacated which can be used later for further
advancement of information technologies.

Transition to digital television will ensure high quality broadcasting
and protect it against interferences. Nerses Yeritsian said the experts
did not calculate the cost of transition yet, but according to some
preliminary estimates it may cost from $20 million to $200 million.

He added that the government will have to secure funding for transition
which may be implemented in cooperation with private sector. He
said introduction of digital television will not affect vulnerable
segments of the population for whom a special social package will be
developed. In his words, transition to digital television will not
cause problems because 99 percent of TV sets bought in the last 5-6
years are able to receive digital signals

The minister said transition will be implemented in several stages,
to be preceded by public debates and o be followed by amending the
relating legislation. The technical stage is supposed to be completed
in 2013.