On 4 February 2011, taskforce on Digital Migration Chairperson Luwani Soko called on government to devise an alternative funding strategy for the taskforce to commence operations.
In his submission to the Committee on Information and Broadcasting of the National Assembly, Soko stated that the taskforce was not allocated money because it was appointed late last year after the budget had already been drafted.
According to The Post newspaper of 8 February 2011, the taskforce requires K27 billion in order for it to undertake initial works that included public awareness raising on digital migration.
He said Zambia being part of the Southern African Development Community (SACD) had resolved to migrate to digital migration by 2013 instead of the year 2015 which was set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
Background
On 30 November 2010, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said the first draft of the digital migration strategy will be completed by June 2011.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka, Shikapwasha said that the objective of the strategy was to facilitate the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial television by 31 December 2013.
He said the national digital migration taskforce would soon begin public awareness and consultative programmes. “It is anticipated that by June next year, the task force will have completed the first draft of the digital migration strategy, which I expect to be published for comments,” Shikapwasha said.
He said digital terrestrial television would make it possible for Government to roll out efficient social services to its people through applications such as e-government, e-learning, e-agriculture and e-health.
Shikapwasha said there was need for Zambia to harmonise its standard with all its neighbors to avoid interference between broadcasting stations in border towns.
He said Zambia was on course to meet the June 17, 2015, digital target set by the International Telecommunication Union.
On 30 July, 2010, Shikapwasha announced the establishment of a digital migration task force which has been developing a national road map for digital migration. One of the key elements of the road map is the choice of standard and the timeframe. //End//
Reagan Malumo
Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat
21 Johann Albrecht St
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek
Namibia
Phone: +264 61 232 975
Fax: +264 61 248 016
Mobile: +264 81 311 2626
Official Email: reagan(@)misa.org
Private Email: reagan32002(@)yahoo.com
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