From Analogue to Digital: Is Uganda Ready
By Owino Innocent
With less than three month to move from Analogue to Digital, nothing seems to be taking shape amidst Tv adverts that the deadline is nearing. No one seems to be bothered by this 'digital migration' as if it is just an option to analogue transmission. Even after postponing the dates in 2012 to allow the population that own TV sets to absorb and appreciate the importance of digital Tv, there are no signs that such has happened, they more than ever comfertble. Others are even taking advantage of the opportunity to discourage the digital soft hearted Ugandans from embracing the migration that it is a move to extort money and monitor or controll what people are watching. The some religious leaders have taken it to another level, it is satanic and that their followers should not disassociate with it. As if that was not bad enough, sychophancy has it that the west will use digital set boxes to spy on on us, not just what we watch but what we speak in private, in short, it is taking away our freedom to privacy.
But as a Ugandan who has appreciated the difference between the old taxi park arguments and intellectual ones I can safely say that the population to a large extent still have negative perception about Digital migration due to sheer ignorance, and those with the knowldge are not doing enough to help the situation. If the trend continues, we risk procrastinating the digital migration policy.
Ivan Baliboola around August 2013 in the New Vision expressed concern about the same, he lamented thatUCC was marred by ineffective communication and sensitization work plan and sadly stated "we will certainly never get there". I am afraid, we risk having his prophecy come to pass if deliberate efforts are not put in place for aggressive sensitization of this migration. We will get there and watch blank screens transmitting analogue signals and unnecessary court cases seeking injunctions. The sensitization on Websites, newspapers, and fliers may not pass as effective if the Local TVs do not take upon themselves, especially free to air channels to cooperate and urge their viewers to embrace digitization. With only a handful of people in urban centers having access to these mediums, majority are in remote areas of the country and have no clue on the fate of their TVs. Pay- TV-firms are taking the advantage in urban centers through commercial puff of July 14 deadline to dupe customers into buying digital set boxes without local channels subject monthly charges and at the same time, the have nots are mislead into believing watching TV is going to be exclusive of the poor.
Once again, the official deadline has come to soon and more time should be given to Ugandans in line with 2006 Treaty which allows additional five years for about 30 African nations to go past the 2015 deadline. The migration is an ambitious policy that requires time to take root and meeting the July deadline looks close to impossible.
Besides, many Ugandans have treated digital migration with less importance. The same financial status of many further undermines the migration process with many expecting government as usual to come to their rescue. Also with supply of free to air channel set boxes still unclear to many, it will not take less three months to to make it clear and convince Ugandans. the migration is also seen by rights activist as a threat to a universal right to access to information as many will be put in the dark from the much needed information. The monopolization of digital signal supply by know pay Tv firm startimes is treated with suspicion and if not explained to the satisfaction of many, even the local free to air TV will not embrace the policy.
The private players are vital for this process especially in the manufacture or importation of cheap set –up boxes free to air. ignoring this leaves an expensive option that an average Ugandan can not afford. Tanzania should act as a reference point when it comes to high cost of decoders and unintended consequences of a rushed migration. A recent survey carried out in 2013 by Tanzania media stakeholders found that a meager number of 500,000 decoders were actually in use instead of the estimated three million TV sets owned by households. The decoders being sold by Pay-TV firms in U
ganda only allow
viewers who have paid subscription fees to access television channels.
A law and a clear policy to all Ugandans on digital migration is the lifeline for it to leap forward, but the law is non existent and the policy is only accessible to whom it may concerned. This would help in creating a fair system for in the distribution of the digital signal, whether a decoder can be switched off for non-payment of subscription TV and/or licence fees, or if it is stolen. the law can also compell all local Pay–TV firms to have all local channels as a way of promoting local content.
UCC should not be ashamed to postpone the deadline, even US had to in 2009 to cope up with the hiccups of migration. A system should be put in place to allow a transition and not a sudden change that can not be absorbed by all. Lets learn from Kenya too. For God and My Country.
Government, through UCC, has the greatest role to play in actualising digital migration and generally giving direction to the industry.
With less than three month to move from Analogue to Digital, nothing seems to be taking shape amidst Tv adverts that the deadline is nearing. No one seems to be bothered by this 'digital migration' as if it is just an option to analogue transmission. Even after postponing the dates in 2012 to allow the population that own TV sets to absorb and appreciate the importance of digital Tv, there are no signs that such has happened, they more than ever comfertble. Others are even taking advantage of the opportunity to discourage the digital soft hearted Ugandans from embracing the migration that it is a move to extort money and monitor or controll what people are watching. The some religious leaders have taken it to another level, it is satanic and that their followers should not disassociate with it. As if that was not bad enough, sychophancy has it that the west will use digital set boxes to spy on on us, not just what we watch but what we speak in private, in short, it is taking away our freedom to privacy.
But as a Ugandan who has appreciated the difference between the old taxi park arguments and intellectual ones I can safely say that the population to a large extent still have negative perception about Digital migration due to sheer ignorance, and those with the knowldge are not doing enough to help the situation. If the trend continues, we risk procrastinating the digital migration policy.
Ivan Baliboola around August 2013 in the New Vision expressed concern about the same, he lamented thatUCC was marred by ineffective communication and sensitization work plan and sadly stated "we will certainly never get there". I am afraid, we risk having his prophecy come to pass if deliberate efforts are not put in place for aggressive sensitization of this migration. We will get there and watch blank screens transmitting analogue signals and unnecessary court cases seeking injunctions. The sensitization on Websites, newspapers, and fliers may not pass as effective if the Local TVs do not take upon themselves, especially free to air channels to cooperate and urge their viewers to embrace digitization. With only a handful of people in urban centers having access to these mediums, majority are in remote areas of the country and have no clue on the fate of their TVs. Pay- TV-firms are taking the advantage in urban centers through commercial puff of July 14 deadline to dupe customers into buying digital set boxes without local channels subject monthly charges and at the same time, the have nots are mislead into believing watching TV is going to be exclusive of the poor.
Once again, the official deadline has come to soon and more time should be given to Ugandans in line with 2006 Treaty which allows additional five years for about 30 African nations to go past the 2015 deadline. The migration is an ambitious policy that requires time to take root and meeting the July deadline looks close to impossible.
Besides, many Ugandans have treated digital migration with less importance. The same financial status of many further undermines the migration process with many expecting government as usual to come to their rescue. Also with supply of free to air channel set boxes still unclear to many, it will not take less three months to to make it clear and convince Ugandans. the migration is also seen by rights activist as a threat to a universal right to access to information as many will be put in the dark from the much needed information. The monopolization of digital signal supply by know pay Tv firm startimes is treated with suspicion and if not explained to the satisfaction of many, even the local free to air TV will not embrace the policy.
The private players are vital for this process especially in the manufacture or importation of cheap set –up boxes free to air. ignoring this leaves an expensive option that an average Ugandan can not afford. Tanzania should act as a reference point when it comes to high cost of decoders and unintended consequences of a rushed migration. A recent survey carried out in 2013 by Tanzania media stakeholders found that a meager number of 500,000 decoders were actually in use instead of the estimated three million TV sets owned by households. The decoders being sold by Pay-TV firms in U
A law and a clear policy to all Ugandans on digital migration is the lifeline for it to leap forward, but the law is non existent and the policy is only accessible to whom it may concerned. This would help in creating a fair system for in the distribution of the digital signal, whether a decoder can be switched off for non-payment of subscription TV and/or licence fees, or if it is stolen. the law can also compell all local Pay–TV firms to have all local channels as a way of promoting local content.
UCC should not be ashamed to postpone the deadline, even US had to in 2009 to cope up with the hiccups of migration. A system should be put in place to allow a transition and not a sudden change that can not be absorbed by all. Lets learn from Kenya too. For God and My Country.
Government, through UCC, has the greatest role to play in actualising digital migration and generally giving direction to the industry.
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