Digital transition falters

The current number of households converting from analogue to digital terrestrial TV broadcast capability was 2.5 million short of the governments interim target for September of 26 million according to figures released at a recent conference of interested parties.This amounts to 47% of its target to integrate 50 million households by April 2011.
In May 2008 43.7% of households had made the switch.
Because of the sluggish world economy the government fears that future DTT penetration targets will be missed and it is expected that to improve the situation they will work to promote DTT adoption possibly by encouraging manufacturers to reduce the cost of DTT receivers.
Analogue switch-off is planned to be completed in July 2011.
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun Online
Item added: 9th December 2008