South Africa may not meet its target to switch from digital broadcasting, even though cabinet assured that the plan would go ahead. The satellite services are already available for digital format, digital migrations policy means terrestrial TV stations (SABC and e.tv) have to switch to a digital signal, the same as international standards.
TV viewers will have to buy set-top boxes (cost about R700) to change from analogue to digital or buy new digital TVs. Government will subsidise up to 70 percent of the costs for poor households. Set-top boxes are important to the success of the plan because without them most households will not be able to watch TV.
Last week cabinet approved the plan to migrate broadcasting services from analogue to digital within the next three years, starting in November. They have also agreed on specifications for the boxes which will be manufactured locally and will be available to consumers from mid-2009.
By IT News Africa staff reporter
It’s astounding that in a country plagued by poverty and hunger, thge government wishes to spend hundreds of millions of Rands subsidising TV watching. This is insane! Is TV more important than food? Who the hell decided that watching TV is a ‘human right’?
Once again, politicians demonstrate their intellectual poverty. Let’s save money and get rid of government once and for all.
With the advent of cheaper broadband in the not so distant future, more of us will be able to afford a much cheaper way of viewing better quality stuff than the crap the SABC is prepared to dish up.
Steaming video and music, news, sports …….. and the list goes on. Does it really make economic sense to pay R700 for for an article that simply uses a better means of relaying poor material, and to top it all, still to pay an additional TV licence fee?
Different day, same s**t. No, no. I speak under correction. Same day, even more s**t than usual.
Maybe if a different pricing angle was used, then just maybe. Oh, I’ll be using my T.V. all right …….. to watch DVD’s and Blue Ray.
Nooit ouens. You’re going to have to come up with something better to impress the average techno geek.