Analog TV Broadcasts To Be Switched To Digital, House Of Representatives Commission I: Pandemic, Kominfo Must Consider People's Conditions

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JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kemkominfo) will turn off all analog TV broadcasts and switch to digital TV which is planned to be completed in November 2021.

The termination of analog TV broadcasts will be carried out in five stages. The first stage is targeted to be completed no later than August 17.

Responding to this, Member of Commission I DPR RI, Rachel Maryam Sayidina, assessed that the digitalization program was actually very good for accelerating the development of technology infrastructure, especially in the broadcasting sector. interference (interference, damaged sound and/or picture, ghosting).

However, according to Rachel, this digitalization program requires careful preparation and readiness from both the government and the community.

"This digitalization broadcast program must be prepared carefully, not in a hurry, especially in terms of procurement and distribution of assistive devices in the form of Set Top Boxes, which the government has promised will be distributed to the public for free," Rachel told reporters, Wednesday, July 28. The Gerindra politician then questioned the extent to which the government took steps to prepare supporting devices for this digitalization broadcast. Can it be optimally done in the midst of this pandemic condition or not?

"Obviously we have to see the extent of the government's steps in preparing supporting devices for digitalization broadcasts for the public," he explained.

In addition, Rachel said, it must also be seen how far the community's readiness to receive digitalization broadcasts is in the current pandemic conditions. This is because the community is suffering from a health and economic crisis due to the pandemic. "If it is coupled with a digitalization program that requires people to buy digital TV or wait for a set top box from the government, it is not clear when it will arrive at their homes, then this will be an additional burden on the community," explained the West Java electoral district legislator.

Rachel reminded that television is one of the main entertainment media for the community, especially during the current pandemic. Where people are encouraged to do more activities at home as an effort to accelerate the handling of COVID-19.

"If this is carried out in a hurry without proper preparation, it will have the potential to cut off the people's right to be able to access entertainment at home, considering that currently the majority of people are still using analog TV," he said.

Meanwhile, Rachel added, the scheme for the distribution of Set Top Boxes (STB) has so far not been discussed with Commission I of the DPR RI.

"There has been no discussion of the mechanism for providing Set Top Boxes to the public, this of course needs attention, so that the distribution is not evenly distributed to the community. Meanwhile, the government has discussed turning off analog TV broadcasts to digital, which is targeted for completion in November 2021," said Rachel

"If this happens, many people will no longer be able to watch TV broadcasts as an entertainment medium in the midst of a pandemic. So the government must consider this," he continued.