The ministry of information communication technology launched the digital migration public education exercise yesterday.
The launch was held at the Royal Swazi Spa Convention centre and was attended by different stakeholders in the industry.
The event was officially launched by Minister of ICt Dumisani Ndlangamandla. He said the time had come for the country to embrace the new digital age in broadcasting.
He added that his ministry had been at the forefront of the digital migration to ensure that the country was not left behind in the historical era.
“Some of the benefits for this convention include better quality and sound including more channels. However, Swazis will need to have the small set top box whose main purpose will be to ensure that their TV sets continue to receive the local television stations.
The supplier to roll out the digital television network has already started work. Civil works have already been carried out in most sites around the country in preparation for the network installations. The network has been designed to cover the whole country. Those that are pocket shadowed will be looked after at a later stage,” he said.
Swaziland Television Authority board chairperson Thembi Mkhonto said; “The ministry of ICT engaged all stakeholders in a consultative meeting which saw the birth of the Swaziland Digital Terrestrial Television Migration draft policy. This draft was fine tuned, adopted and launched into a policy. The adoption of the policy acted as an instrument for government to mobilise and channel resources towards the capitalisation of the project,” she said.
She stated that television played a major role in education, information dissemination, and cultural development, amongst others.
232 countries have digitally migrated
With 232 countries crossing over to digital migration, the ministry of information communication technology has launched a website and a toll free line to interact with members of the public.
This was officially unveiled by Minister Dumsani Ndlangamandla.
The minster also unveiled Ntjintja as the official mascot for the digital migration campaign and a theme song of the migration.
The website is www. digitalmigration.co.sz and the toll free number is 8009114.
Ndlangamandla mentioned that the website and the toll free number would be more of an information centre for the public to be educated about the digital migration.
people
He added that those who had queries concerning the migration would be helped whenever they call or log in on the website.
“Since we are officially launching this today, I can urge members of the public to use them so that when we move to the digital world, we move with them.
The ministry will also embark on national roadshows where members of the public would be educated. Also a toll free number has been secured through which all citizens would be able to make any enquiries about the process,” he said.
Furthermore, he mentioned that for all citizens to be able to migrate smoothly, the ministry had created a multimedia communication plan for public education on this matter.
...Consumers Association fully behind campaign
The Swaziland Consumers Associations has thrown its weight behind the country’s transformation towards the first world status with the digital migration.
Swaziland Consumers Association President Bongani Mdluli said they were happy as an association that the ministry had involved them since the campaign started and they were also geared towards the first world status.
Mdluli said the association was trying to conscientise the consumers about the change and advantages that the migration would bring to the country.
“As consumers, we do not want the people to be burden of the digital migration and are happy that government is also part of the whole process and they have identified the supplier.
“We hope the set top boxes would be made affordable to the people.
“As government embarks on their national roadshows, we will be part of them and we will also educate the public on how they can save,” he said.
Migration starts January next year
The country will be doing a dual broadcasting from January to the switch of date of June 2015 from analogue to digital migration.
This was announced by Minister of ICT Dumsani Ndlangamandla who said the country was now using its intellectual capabilities to cross from analogue broadcasting to digital migration.
He added that the country would be crossing to digital migration by January 2015, a sign that the country was ready and all the structures were in place.
hopes
Ndlangamandla said he was hoping the elements of corruption would not surface as the country move digitally next year.
“Digital switch on is expected to be in January 2015, though there is a likelihood of doing so earlier. June 17 is the analogue switch off date. It is our hope that all television viewing of the public will be ready for that date,” he said.
He stated that the in preparation for the new era, the ministry of ICT had prepared the necessary policy and strategic framework which would assist local programme producers to use the new opportunity where there would be an overwhelming demand for local content to fill the new multiple stations ,” he said.
Source:
http://www.observer.org.sz/news/66065-digital-migration-public-education-project-launched.html
