Vietnam completes digitisation of terrestrial television broadcasting

January 12, 2021 | 11:50

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The Ministry of Information and Communications on January 11 held a press conference to announce the completion of the scheme on the digitisation of the transmission of terrestrial television broadcasting in line with the prime minister’s Decision No.2451-QD-TTg.

vietnam completes digitisation of terrestrial television broadcasting

Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications, chairing the press conference on the digitisation of terrestrial broadcasting

Addressing the event on the scheme on the digitisation of terrestrial broadcasting, Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications, said that after nine years of implementation, the targets set out in the scheme had all been fulfilled and even surpassed, contributing to performing the ASEAN commitment on ceasing analogue terrestrial television broadcasting by 2020.

Among ASEAN member countries, Vietnam is the fifth country in the region and the 78th globally to complete the plan.

Started in 2011 when 80 per cent of households in Vietnam had yet to have digital receivers, with other difficulties related to geographic characteristics, the country completed the scheme with appropriate approach.

The scheme was first piloted in the central city of Danang and then in other cities and provinces. After nine years of work, four key targets of the scheme have been fulfilled.

First, completing the digitisation of the transmission of terrestrial television broadcasting nationwide, covering nearly 100 million people in 26 million households.

Second, significantly expanding the coverage of digital terrestrial TV from 40 cities and provinces in 2011 to 63 ones currently.

Third, attracting resources in the coverage of digital terrestrial TV. In 2011, the country only had VTC as a 100 per cent state-owned digital terrestrial TV broadcaster. Since then, the number has quintupled, with the presence of AVG, SDTV, and DTV. Also in this nine-year period, investment in the coverage of digital terrestrial TV rose by VND2 trillion ($86.95 million), 50 per cent of which was made up by private investment.

Fourth, 100 per cent of local TV broadcasters have been restructured and organised in a more professional manner.