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Digital TV groups at work

By Itumeleng Mogaki, ITWeb junior journalist
Johannesburg, 19 Oct 2005

The Digital Migration Working Group`s (DMWG) sub-committees are to submit progress reports on the digital migration process for TV and radio at the beginning of next month.

The DMWG is responsible for developing SA`s digital broadcasting strategy and will establish timelines for the switchover from analogue to digital TV and radio.

The working group includes representatives of the regulator (Independent Communications Authority of SA), the broadcasting industry, government, organised labour and consumer groups as well as civil society.

The group has elected four subcommittees - a technical and standard platforms group that looks at different technologies, a policy and regulatory affairs group, a subcommittee on broadcasting content and culture, as well as a sub-committee on economic analysis and finance.

Mmathapelo Lengosane, the working group`s project manager and head of broadcasting policy development at the Department of Communications, says progress reports from all subcommittees will be submitted and discussed at the next meeting.

She says the subcommittee reports contain issues identified and concerns raised by industry players. "The meeting will give the working group an idea of the way forward on the digital migration process."

Lengosane adds: "The industry was brought on board to work together with the subcommittees and should both parties not agree on certain matters, all concerns raised can be brought forward for further discussion, at the working group level."

She notes that "no particular person" chairs the working group and says the Department of Communications is the main driver of the digital migration process.

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