The two-day workshop on digitization held recently in Lagos provided another opportunity to appraise the process so far and map out strategies to ensure that the deadline of January 1, 2015 set by the government for the switch over is accomplished with least or no hitches.
Although the deadline set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is June 17, 2015, the switch-over date of January 1, 2015 by Nigerian government is to address whatever hitches that could arise from the switch-on before the final deadline. The understanding is that six months will be enough to confront whatever hiccups and achieve seamless transition at the final deadline on June 17.
With Broadcasting in an era of Digitisation as theme, the workshop drew participants from Lagos, Ibadan and Benin zones as well as officers on Salary Grade Levels 10 -13 from broadcasting related organizations. It was put together by the NBC in collaboration with Mogul Media Limited.
Essentially, the event gave participants the unique opportunity to update themselves on the latest policy direction and technical requirements for the digital transition in Nigeria.
Reviewing the process so far, Chairman, DigiTeam Nigeria, Mr. Edward Idris Amana, an engineer, enumerated some strategic steps taken in order to realize the digital transition project as mandated by the GE 06 Agreement endorsed by the Member States of ITU at the World Radio Conference in Geneva in 2006.
The agreement, he noted, anticipated new digital plan that involved re-distribution of frequency bands to accommodate new realities in television programming occasioned by the innovative progression in communication technology.
Engineer Amana recalled: "Nigeria, like all other Member States of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Region 1, signed the Geneva 2006 Agreement on Transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting."
The digital plan, he said, covered Frequency Bands: 174 - 230 MHz (VHF), and 470 - 862 MHz (UHF) while the transition period was to run from June 17, 2006 to June 17, 2015.
But because of further development in television technology, both in: Video Processing and Compression as well as New Generation Television Transmission Formats, which resulted in greater efficiency in the use of the available spectrum, modifications to the GE-06 Agreement became imperative and thus reduced the exclusive Broadcast Band width.
The decision which was taken at the World Radio Conference in Geneva 2007 (WRC-07) indicated that "the Frequency Band 790 to 862 MHz, which before then, was only exclusively allocated to broadcasting on a primary basis, be now available for primary allocation to other services.
"Also at the World Radio Conference in Geneva 2012 (WRC-12) it was further resolved that the Frequency Band 694 to 790 MHz should be available for primary allocation for use by mobile broadband."
The impact of these modifications, according to Amana, became explicit with the realization that the exclusive primary allocation available to terrestrial television broadcasting is now 470 to 694 MHz.
This, he said, engineered certain policy decisions, especially by the government including the need for separation of functions in the broadcast industry.
"The Broadcaster will be responsible for the content of the broadcast while signal distributor or carrier will be responsible for the transmission of the signals to the viewers at home."
The resolve, Amana said, was to license three signal distributors or carriers, one of which was to evolve from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
"The transmission standard shall be the DVB-T2 format with MPEG-4 AVC Compression format; Set Top Boxes to enable existing analogue TV receivers to continue receiving the digital transmission after the Switch-over date will be manufactured in Nigeria; and the new switch over is January 1, 2015."
On how Nigeria has fared with these steps, Amana said, "in close collaboration with NBC and working with broadcast regulators of all ECOWAS Member States," common transmission standard for all ECOWAS countries as well as common standard for Set Top Boxes/digital receivers was developed.
Not only that, "the NBC has carried out Frequency Re-planning to relocate the stations in the GE-06 Plan that fall within the DD-1 and DD-2; Frequency co-ordination is on-going with the neighbouring countries; bidding process to select the second signal distributor has been concluded and the bid was won by Pinnacle Communications Ltd.; companies for the manufacturing of Set Top Boxes have been selected; the process for the selection of the Conditional Access Software to protect the Set Top Boxes in Nigeria is on and will soon be concluded; the Jos pilot project has been done and the only delay in switching off analogue transmitters in Jos is the availability of Set Top Boxes."
According to Amana, while all the technical issues relating to the transition have been sorted out, he regretted that "the critical issues of the implementation of the planned massive public awareness campaign/training for the transition is currently being delayed by lack of funding."
He insisted that broadcast industry in Nigeria today, "is on the verge of a revolution. Even though we are in the middle of the transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting, we are beginning to see the benefits of the Transition."
He justified his assertion with the commencement, five years ago, of terrestrial digital television by the NTA StarTimes Network. As a pay TV platform, Amana is delighted that the process has given birth to such stations as WAP TV; TVC News; GET TV; Oodua TV; Orisun TV; Nigerzie, while a host of other Nigerian pay channels are on this digital platform.
GOtv, he said, has also lifted the experience with its terrestrial digital TV offerings. This is in addition to the fact that all the MMDS (wireless cable) operators transited from analogue to digital transmission over five years ago.
Amana expressed satisfaction that both StarTimes and GOtv have made tremendous impact on the broadcast landscape with their DTT offerings.
The impact, he said, was reflected in the possibility for new entrants into the Broadcast Industry to operate with ease and at minimal cost; creation of jobs for thousands of young Nigerians; and facilitation of new skills acquisition in the industry through their collaborative seminars and workshops.
"The broadcast industry today is just about to open up. With the roll-out of a nationwide terrestrial television transmission network, there is the opportunity for at least four more services like NTA-StarTimes and GOtv available to Nigerians after the analogue switch-off.
"It is expected that after the transition, because broadcasters will no longer be responsible for signal transmission, all the savings made from the cost of operating and maintaining transmitters will be channelled into the production of compelling local content," Amana envisaged.
He expressed optimism that sooner, a greater variety of programming such as local language channels; educational TV; sports promotion channel; health channel among other specialised channels would become part of Nigerians' television viewing experience.
His words: "We are indeed looking forward to a very vibrant broadcast industry in Nigeria after the transition. However, urgent funding is required for: implementation of the planed public enlightenment campaign; implementation of the planned series of training workshops for the broadcast personnel; up-grading the public broadcaster's facilities for the transition; up-grading the broadcast Training Institutions (as recommended in the PAC report and adopted in the White Paper) to cope with the needs of digital broadcasting," Amana concluded.
In his presentation on Digitisation Process with emphasis on legal framework; restructuring NBC and NTA; TV and radio licences in a digitized era; as well as continuous funding of public sector, former top official of NBC, Mr. Mark Ojiah examined in details opportunities and threats embedded in digital migration.
According to him, "Digital broadcasting brings with it many opportunities, but these are also accompanied by challenges such as increased burden on consumers to upgrade their existing analogue sets or purchase converters (STB). However, the key benefit of digital TV is the improved spectrum efficiency resulting in digital dividend i.e. the radio spectrum that would be made available by the switch over from analogue to digital broadcasting.
"The accruing digital dividend which shall be freed up shall be used for broadband and additional channels, represents a great opportunity for Nigeria's development and growth."
Digital broadcasting, Ojiah said, "offers the consumer a number of benefits, including but not limited to improved and good quality audio visual reception, use of new interactive multimedia applications, high definition television (HDTV), data casting, improved spectrum efficiency and an increase of television channels."
He insisted that digital technology would substantially enhance the technical quality of broadcasts and expand the supply of content, so that there would be additional opportunities for different societal interests to be represented in the new medium through the introduction of thematic channels to meet the specific needs not being met by general content television."
He underscored "pluralism of information sources" with its cascaded effect of "promoting access to culture, information and entertainment for all and reducing the digital divide. It will also enable the development of interactive applications in strategic sectors such as education, agriculture, health, e-business and e-government."
He however envisaged new challenges which, he said, would require specific regulatory interventions. Such interventions, he cautioned, should not be determined in a vacuum, and therefore urged the regulatory agency - NBC, to develop the capacity to study the trends before determining the nature of the regulatory intervention required.
The indication that the ITU deadline of June 17, 2015 may not be sacrosanct emerged from the presentation of the Vice President, Professional Engineers and Site Consultants, United States of America, Jayson Floyd, saying that "September 1, 2015" has been set aside by the US government to accomplish total switch-over.
Sharing the America's experience with the participants, Floyd said, "following the increase in Digital Broadcasting allowing for more channels/broadcasting and programming, in 2005, the United States Government mandated a switch to Digital Broadcasting for not only DSS and Cable, but also for over the air 'free' broadcasting.
"The switch was to be fully implemented by February 19, 2009. This was the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005. The Government realized Television Coverage was now not only being used for entertainment but also for information and safety concerns with the Emergency Broadcast System for giving the President of the United States an expeditions method of communicating with the American public in the event of war, threat of war or grave national crisis.
"In addition, local authorities also use it for weather warnings, child abductions and other important warnings and information. As a result, the Government allowed each household to apply for and receive a coupon, good for application toward a digital convertor, to be used to allow Analog Televisions to receive the new Digital Signals. This was the federally sponsored DTV Converter Box Coupon Program.
"The deadline of February 19, 2009 was not achieved and it was extended until June 12, 2009 because the demand for the coupons was higher than expected and millions were estimated to be without television at the time of the switch. As of today, the only stations to still broadcast in analog are relatively low powered stations and they will be required to comply by September 1, 2015."
Other issues examined during the two-day workshop were Digitisation, Multiplicity of Channels and Challenges Ahead, by Dennis Leverette; Demands and Resource Management in Digitisation, by Chris Maduka; Live Studio Presentation in the Digital Era - Fundamental Guidelines, by Kevin Ejiofor; Emerging Technologies and Crises Reporting, by Mac Emakpore; as well as Advertising and Sponsorship in the Digital Era by Mrs Bunmi Cole. The event also attracted elder broadcaster and film expert, Alhaji Adegboyega Arulogun who came from Ibadan and made interventions to the delight of participants.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Kabir Alabi Garba
Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 15.12.2014
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