The FINANCIAL — Georgia will move to digital TV broadcasting by the year 2015 according to the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC).
The FINANCIAL — Georgia will move to digital TV broadcasting by the year 2015 according to the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC).
It means that transmission of TV signals will be switched off completely.
Such change will boost number of rivals on local TV market as print and online media owners are already investing in digital broadcasting. It's estimated that each user will access more than 50 TV channels.
Ayety TV, largest cable network will be switching from cable/analog broadcasting to digital TV in 2 months.
The digital television transition (DTT) process is the convention and replacement of television broadcasting by digital television. This primarily involves both TV stations and over-the-air viewers. Moreover, it also involves content providers like TV networks, and cable TV conversion to digital cable.
Digital TV is the future of television, providing vast opportunities for the media sector. Several countries in the world have already moved to digital TV broadcasting.
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Spain, and Denmark lead the list of countries who have already switched to digital television.
In the United States all full-power analog broadcasts switched over to digital in 2009. However, still low power television stations have the chance to switch to the new system by 2012, before the US television market becomes wholly digital.
The Caucasus region will have to move to digital TV by 2015. The time plan for the introduction of digital television in Azerbaijan is in three stages: 1st stage – 2007-10, 2nd stage – 2011-13, and 3rd stage – 2014-15 culminating in analog switch off (ASO) in 2015. Armenia will be moving to the system by 2015.
“Televisions in Georgia should have been switched to digital broadcasting by the year 2014. However, not everyone has the ability. Technical change is associated with huge costs and financial abilities do not always match needs,” said Bidzina Baratashvili, General Producer of Global Media Group (GMG).
“Televisions all around the world get income from advertising not speaking of public broadcasters. In such cases, it is quite difficult to totally move to digital broadcasting,” Baratashvili added.
According to data provided by GNCC throughout Georgia 140,000 clients are switched to cable television, out of them 119,000 are in Tbilisi while the remaining 21,000 are in the regions. Moreover, Silknet with its new offer Silk TV is already serving 6,000 clients.
Currently, Global TV and VII Channel have cable television.
Ayety, owned by U.S. based Metromedia International Group, which also operates MagtiCom in Georgia, will be switching from cable/analog television to digital TV in 2 months, according to Revaz Makharadze, the Financial Director of Ayety. “The technical process has already started and the digital television will bring new services”, he said.
Silknet has television service based on internet protocol, which is another technology. The client receives the service of Silk TV by two technologies: the first is DSL technology – the clients switched to Silknet internet have the chance to get the service. The second technology is optical network, the construction of which started now and the project is in the development process.
Silknet plans to cover the whole of Tbilisi by fiber optic cable and later expand to the regions. Currently, the service has more than 6,000 clients. The company currently provides internet to more than 110,000 internet subscribers, meaning Silk TV will have the chance to expand the number of Silk TV clients up to the same number.
“The possibilities of digital television are non-exhausted. The television which we have currently is practically losing its positions and after some time, any individual who knows technology and computers will have the chance to build his own television, even at home,” Baratashvili said.
Moreover, Kviris Palitra, one of the leading Georgian weekly newspapers, is developing its online media, which it intends to make in to a channel as digital television develops in the country.
“Online media is replacing other existing media throughout the world. Currently in Georgia signs of increased demand towards online media are evident and we would like to be ready for the future,” said Baia Tsanava, one of the directors of Media Palitra.
“Currently we are broadcasting via the internet. We provide video topics and have talk shows prepared together with radio. In the near future we plan to add an information programme,” Tsanava added.
One of cable televisions in Georgia – GMG, will be offering 6 different thematic channels, including 2 sports channels – GMG Football and GMG Sport. Experimental broadcasting of GMG Football has already been launched. Two channels will be focused on films, GMG Hollywood, broadcasting totally American film production and Film Gurmani, where different films will be shown, from European to Latin American. These four channels will be switched on in the middle of February.
The other two channels – GMG Soap Opera and GMG for kids will start their experimental broadcasting by April.
“From the spring, we will be offering different shows on all channels, talk shows and discussions about Georgia and world sport, in the film direction we will have equivalent shows,” Baratashvili said.
As Baratashvili declared the broadcasting terms of GMG will require payment, as this is a commercial project and the purchase of programmes requires huge amounts. Till March the programmes will be free of charge. However, after that the prices will be set for different packages.
“In Georgia, there are cable televisions which have the chance to provide our broadcasting separately for the population. Moreover, cable television can reduce its profit and make its package a bit more expensive. Its time to have national channels in Georgia; it’s bad when you make six national legal broadcasting channels and stolen Russian channels are also shown,” Baratashvili said.
Ayety TV has removed popular Russian channels from its list recently, that caused dissatisfaction of Ayety users. Company said NTV was replaced by Georgian GMG, as it provides similar programs.
“Many accuse us of switching off Russian language channels, which is quite a logical step from us. Foreign companies do not have the right to show in Georgia programmes that we have bought exclusively. If you purchase the whole package of NTV Plus the price reaches 1,299 RUB, which is 80 GEL for each subscriber,” Baratashvili, GMG commented.
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