Hence, they (the 116 television stations) are cooperating with the multiplexing organizers; so, all of them can also switch (to digital broadcasts).
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Communication and Informatics Ministry has announced that a number of areas in West Java, Central Java, and Riau Islands provinces will carry out the analogue switch-off (ASO) starting Friday (December 2, 2022).

"Private broadcasting institutions and other stakeholders have set a date for terminating analogue broadcasts (in those areas), namely December 2 at 12 a.m. (local time)," Director of Broadcasting at the ministry Geryantika Kurnia said at an ASO dissemination webinar on Thursday.

The ASO will be carried out on December 2 in Bandung and its surrounding areas in West Java province as well as in Batam city and its surrounding areas in Riau Islands province.

The immediate termination of analogue broadcasts in Batam city is necessary to prevent disputes on radio frequency spectrum interference with neighboring countries, Malaysia and Singapore, which have been using analogue broadcasts since 2019.

Meanwhile, the ASO in Central Java province will be implemented in Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang and their surrounding areas.

Indonesia has 225 broadcasting areas, which consist of several cities or districts each. Currently, at least 132 of the broadcasting areas are receiving digital television broadcasts.

Out of the total areas using digital broadcasts, 103 are non-terrestrial areas, meaning that they earlier did not receive terrestrial analogue television broadcasts.

Indonesia is among the countries with the largest number of television stations at 696.

Currently, 580 television stations are carrying out simulcasts, meaning that they are providing both analogue and digital broadcasts simultaneously, the Communication and Information Ministry said.

Meanwhile, the remaining 116 television stations—which are owned by local communities, private parties, and regional governments—are only airing analogue broadcasts.

"Hence, they (the 116 television stations) are cooperating with the multiplexing organizers; so, all of them can also switch (to digital broadcasts)," Kurnia informed.

Earlier, the ASO was implemented in the Greater Jakarta area on November 2.

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Translator: Natisha Andarningtyas, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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