Analogue broadcasting ends in most of Japan

Japan became the first Asian nation to switchover to digital TV broadcast on the 24th July 2011.
Public broadcaster NHK terminated its analogue broadcasts in all areas of Japan except for the three prefectures which were devastated by the 11th March earthquake and tsunami. Analogue broadcasts in the region will continue until the 31st March 2012.
NHK President Masayuki Matsumoto and Michisada Hirose, President of the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan, held a joint press conference in Tokyo.
Mr Matsumoto said: “As a public broadcaster with a mission of delivering its services throughout Japan, NHK has invested about 400 billion yen (US$5.1 billion) to implement necessary measures, including the construction of relay stations”.
Analogue terrestrial television broadcasting in Japan was launched in 1953. NHK began its terrestrial digital broadcast in 2003 following a legal revision that stipulated that analogue transmissions be terminated by 24th July, 2011. However, after the 11th March earthquake, it was decided that digital switchover in the affected areas would be postponed until next March.
Source: Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union
Item added: 1st August 2011