Ghana To Migrate To Digital Broadcasting

Ghana To Migrate To Digital Broadcasting

The Chairman of the National Digital Broadcasting Migration Technical Committee [NDBMTC], Mr. Joshua Peprah, has stated that Ghana has followed a long tradition of Analogue Broadcasting that started in 1935 with a British Broadcasting Corporation relay station established in Accra by the colonial rulers. The chairman stated  that the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation launched its Black and White Television Services on 31st July 1965 and upgraded to colour T.V in 1985 since the introduction of colour T.V, adding that the most innovative and profound technological advancement in broadcasting is digitisation. "Simply defined, digitisation of broadcasting is the application of digital techniques to encode audio and video signals and to transmit digital data rather than analogue waveforms on networks to end users or consumers. This results in clearer pictures, better sound, enhanced interactivity and higher spectrum efficiency,” he mentioned. However, on a digital broadcasting platform, about 4 to 16 TV Programmes representing 4 to 16 TV stations can be transmitted over one frequency channel of 7 or 8 Mhz, he explained that this provides additional capacity for the transmission of audit broadcasting and other data communication services to the people. According to him digital TV can be offered on various platforms including satellite, cable, terrestrial and handhelds or mobile TV. “Currently, satellite, cable and mobile TV broadcasting in Ghana are digitized. The terrestrial platform that is yet to be fully digitized, even though the digitisation process has already started,” he disclosed. Mr. Peprah explained that digital TV can be either free to view or pay to view depending on the providers business model. In the case of pay to view, he said, a consumer will require a conditional access module supplied by the service provider. The Minister for Information, Hon. John Tia Akologo, said that the Government of Ghana recognised the importance of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting and has therefore established the NDBMTC to ensure a co-ordinated and cost-effective migration. "We the beneficiaries and members will work together to show more concern and seriousness about this project,” he noted. He emphasised that government is very much concerned about this and assured that they will continue to support the program to its completion. Source: ISD (Antoinette I. Mintah)