10. 10. 2011

The crystal picture is late

Belgrade, October 10, 2011 (Vecernje Novosti) - We will not get the digital television on time, neither the trial of a digital signal. The deadline for the digitalization of television in Serbia was originally set for April 4, 2012. As the business progressed, there were more and more doubts that this deadline can be met in order to be finally postponed to the beginning of the 2013.

It could be heard that the whole process was late, and therefore the start of broadcasting of digital TV signal itself. However, parliamentary elections are now mentioned as the reason for delay since "at that very moment it would be inconvenient for the citizens to lose their digital signal."

That the elections are the reason for delay, said also Jasna Matic, the State Secretary for the digital agenda and Vladimir Homan, the Director of "Broadcasting Equipment and Communications".

The experimental broadcasting of digital program is also late. It was first scheduled for the middle of this year, after that in September, and according to Homan, arrival of equipment for transmitters from abroad is still awaited as a necessary condition for the start of digital television.

Test network should be released at 15 locations in Serbia, but the program will not be aired in full strength, in order not to "overpower" the existing analog signal.