P.M. applauds Digital TV project

By Mata'afa Keni Lesa 10 October 2019, 10:00AM

The launch of the Digital Television Project is a very special day in Samoa worth celebrating.

That was Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi’s view at the official launch on Tuesday evening in front of the Government building.

“Digital TV will provide work opportunities for our radio engineers, marketing, programmers and many more.  This will lift the level of skills for our people,” the Prime Minister said.

According to the Prime Minister, Cabinet approved the change from analogue to digital in 2013. It was the Government’s view that a Digital TV would contribute to the social and economic development of Samoa.

The Office of the Regulator was the implementing agency.

“In 1993, Government had prioritized television as a broadcast service when the late Honourable Tofilau Eti Alesana was the Prime Minister of Samoa,” the Prime Minister said.

“Manu Samoa also won the Hong Kong Sevens Cup for the first time in that year, during which our people watched live transmission for the first time.   At the time, coverage was limited.  It did not reach other areas of the country outside of the Apia City areas.”

That was then.

 “Today we witness the project’s completion through hard work, perseverance and partnership. The Chairman of the Samoa Digital Communication Limited (S.D.C.L.), Afioga Tuiaopo Fa’amausili Ah Liki and his team are hereby acknowledged for their initiative.”

The Digital TV Project is expected to have full coverage for the country by 2020.

The first phase launched on Tuesday will cover 70per cent of viewers. The second phase is due to be completed in late November 2019 while the last phase is to be completed early 2020.

“I commend the Office of the Regulator for their hard work as well as S.D.C.L. and each TV Station in the respective parts they will play in making this project a reality.  I wish everyone using this service success and may it be easily accessed and afforded by all our people.”

According to a statement from the Office of the Regulator, they expect the project to lift the broadcasting industry by promoting coverage and providing quality transmission in terms of signal strength.  

“Thus, settings were customized to Samoa catering for bad weather conditions. “This is made possible with the use of bad weather data collected from March-April 2019. There will be eight channels of which all eight are Free to Air services and will use this network to access all its target audience.  It also means that the level of competition is expected to foster quality programs and at appropriate costs.”   

 

By Mata'afa Keni Lesa 10 October 2019, 10:00AM
Samoa Observer

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