Kemenkominfo Announces New Schedule Of Analog TV Broadcast Blackouts, No Later Than 2 November 2022

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemenkominfo) has set three stages and a schedule for stopping analog television broadcasts or Analog Switch Off (ASO), with the implementation no later than November 2, 2022.

The Director General of Post and Information Technology at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Ismail, stated that he had redesigned three stages, namely the first stage on 30 April 2022 covering 56 regions and 166 regencies/cities, the second stage on 25 August 2022 in 31 regions and 110 regencies/cities and the third stage on 2 November. 2022 covers 25 Regions and 63 Regencies/Cities.

"The process of determining and enacting changes to Ministerial Regulation Number 6 of 2021 concerning the new ASO schedule has been completed, so we can announce the ASO stages that we will carry out by November 2, 2022," said Ismail in an official statement quoted by VOI, Wednesday, 18 August.

There are also areas that experienced the first phase of ASO, namely the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. The second stage is South Sulawesi 5, Central Kalimantan 6, East Nusa Tenggara 2, DI Yogyakarta, West Java 1, Central Java 1, and DKI Jakarta. The final stages include Central Java 5, West Kalimantan 6, West Nusa Tenggara 5, Maluku 2, Central Sulawesi 3 and Papua 9.

Meanwhile, the ASO schedule and stages are in accordance with the Minister of Communication and Informatics Regulation Number 11 of 2021 concerning Amendments to the Regulation of the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Number 6 of 2021 concerning Broadcasting.

Ismail emphasized that the adjustment of the ASO schedule was not intended to delay preparations for the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, but rather to make the transition to ASO a process that went well for all parties.

"Preparing all technical aspects carefully is very important to continue. The delay of the first phase of ASO until April 30, 2021 must be used to ensure that digital television broadcasts can be well received by the public," said Ismail.

According to Ismail, the gradual implementation of ASO is a common practice in many countries. In fact, with this stage, stakeholders can prepare digital broadcasts as well as possible.

"This is appropriate to be applied in Indonesia with its very wide geographical conditions and a large number of analog television broadcasts. The television industry can prepare digital broadcasts as well as possible, without disturbing the quality of analog broadcasts which are currently still being broadcast simultaneously or simulcast broadcasts, " said Ismail.

The Ministry of Communication and Information also appealed that during the ASO process, simulcast broadcasts would continue to run in order to provide opportunities for the public to adapt to digital broadcasts.

"We appeal to simulcast broadcasts that have been running in almost all of Indonesia to continue to run to provide opportunities for the public to adapt to digital television broadcasts," said Ismail.

As previously reported, the Ministry of Communication and Information has rescheduled the analogue broadcast blackout which was set for August 17 yesterday. This is based on the fact that according to Ismail, the adjustment to the ASO implementation schedule was carried out after considering the focus of the government and all elements of society on handling and recovering the COVID-19 pandemic.