"The phases to halt analog television broadcasts, as stipulated in the Minister of Communication and Informatics Regulation No. 6 of 2021 on Broadcasting Implementation, originally planned on August 17, 2021, will be rescheduled," the ministry’s officials noted as quoted in a press statement received here, Monday.
Rescheduling the analog switch-off was deemed necessary since the government and all societal elements are currently focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the ministry.
It further also attributed the schedule changes to the technical readiness of stakeholders to migrate from analog to digital television broadcasts.
"Changes in regulations related to the schedule of ASO will be stipulated in the revisions of the regulation to be announced later," it stated.
The government has encouraged all stakeholders related to ASO to increase the dissemination of information in beneficiary areas, so that local communities are better prepared to receive digital terrestrial television broadcasts, it noted.
The ministry also lauded the efforts to prepare multiplexing infrastructure currently operating in ASO beneficiary regions that have been through the first phase.
The migration of television broadcasts from analog to digital is stipulated in Law No. 11 of 2020 on Job Creation, scheduled to last no later than November 2, 2022, and several derivative rules are deemed necessary.
Based on the regulation on broadcasting, analog switch-off in Indonesia will be conducted in five phases until November 2, 2022.
The first phase has covered the broadcast areas of Aceh 1, Riau Islands 1, Banten 1, East Kalimantan 1, North Kalimantan 1, and North Kalimantan 3.
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Translator: Natisha A, Kenzu T
Editor: Sri Haryati
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