This month, the imminent arrival of digital TV in South Africa has been hailed as an "exciting" development, and the first digital transmitters were switched on as part of a phased migration that will take us to full service by November 2011. However, there is still uncertainty over the cost of the set-top boxes we will need to buy in order to continue watching TV once the migration from analogue is complete. The broadcasters are lobbying the government to lower the price of the boxes and offer less sophisticated boxes to keep costs down.
The Pretoria News reports on 10 November 2008 that a panel of experts who took part in SAfm Radio's After Eight Debate assured listeners that the new technology will improve the quality of both picture and sound for viewers. "There will be a better video quality and a better audio quality for people who are used to an analogue service," said SABC strategy manager Yusuf Nabee in the article. It will also free a lot of frequency space, and allow for the introduction of many more programmes and services than are possible at the moment.
The report says that the SABC would be able to improve its offering to children, and its programmes on education, health and sport, and would also be able to enhance its present services. Digital services will start coming online in the middle of next year, with the analogue service being switched off in November 2011.
The Star on 31 October 2008 reports on the the first digital transmitters being switched on by SA Communications Minister, Ivy Matsepe Casaburri at a turning-on ceremony at the start of the month. The report says that there are an estimated 7,5-million households with TVs in South Africa and the Department of Communication estimates that 94% of these rely exclusively on free-to-air TV. These viewers will need to purchase set-top boxes by the cut over date in order to continue watching TV. And this is where it appears that the devil is still in the detail.
Business Day reported on 7 November 2008 that broadcasters are lobbying for set-top boxes to be as cheap as possible to smooth the migration to digital terrestrial TV. The SA government is proposing that a set-top box which includes interactive features and e-government services retail for around R700. Broadcasters, however, question the need for the additional features and say that a basic box could cost around R500. The government has agreed a 70% subsidy to the poorest households which would bring the cost of their box down to R210 - which may still be too pricey for many South Africans.
At this juncture, it's worth reminding ourselves that the duties of a public broadcaster go beyond commercialism and encompass education, sports, politics and culture. We'll keep you posted on any developments.
