Sharp Stops Analog TV Production This Year, Good Or Bad News?

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - An electronics manufacturer from Japan that already has a factory in Indonesia, PT Sharp Electronics Indonesia, will stop producing analog television (TV) this year, in line with the transition of terrestrial television broadcasting to digital in the country.

"We support the government's program for ASO (Analog Switch Off). So we will finally stop producing analog TV this year," said Head of the AUVI Product Division of PT Sharp Electronics Indonesia (SEID) Ardy, at a webinar about the Aquos The Scenes 8k smart TV, quoted from Antara, Thursday 12 August.

He admitted despite receiving the latest news that the ASO program was postponed from next week for the first phase, to next year.

"But we still support government programs, and our analog TV production will stop this year," said Ardy.

According to him, the transition of analog TV to digital has been a discourse since 5 years ago. In the Southeast Asia or ASEAN region, Indonesia is the last country in the implementation of digital TV.

Previously, the Ministry of Communication and Information stated that the termination of analog terrestrial television broadcasts or analog switch off would be postponed until next year.

"Initially, the first stage was on August 17, but due to the pandemic, it will be carried out in three stages. Starting April 31, 2022," said Minister of Communications and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, during a virtual press conference, Tuesday, August 10.

The migration of terrestrial television broadcasts from analog to digital is regulated in Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation, that ASO is no later than two years after the regulation takes effect, or November 2, 2022.

Considering the wide area and complexity of broadcasting, Kominfo decided to gradually switch the analog off.

In the Regulation of the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Number 6 of 2021, it is stated that ASO will be carried out in five stages. The first phase lasts until 17 August 2021 at the latest.

In the initial plan, based on the Ministerial Regulation, phase II of ASO will take place no later than December 31, phase II until March 31, 2022, phase IV until August 17, 2022 and finally November 2, 2022.

After seeing the development of the corona virus pandemic, Kominfo changed ASO into only three stages. Phase two will last until the end of August 2022 and phase three in early November 2022.

"Hopefully the legal umbrella will be issued soon, this week, before August 17th," said Johnny.