The meaning for the industry

Valentyn Koval Head of Digital Committee of Association Television Industry Committee General producer, JSC “Teleodyn”

Discussed

•  It was declared that the responsibilities taken by Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and National Council for Radio and Television are not carried out in accordance with the National interests and threaten the ensuring that the constitutional rights of Ukrainian citizens for access to information

What does this mean for the industry?

• The last 3 years were wasted (from the moment "Geneve-2006" was signed)

Discussed

• Creation the Working Group for coordination of the digital switchover in Ukraine is in real need. It should be controlled by the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine to avoid cross-body argues. The participation of members of the Parliament of Ukraine, heads of relevant central executive bodies, organizations and businesses, representatives of the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio, professional and non-government organizations and associations, scientists, media experts is a must to push the process.

What does this mean for the industry?

• It's possible that the new body will be less affected by the cross-body argues.

• The NSDC platform and the availability of two co-heads (NSDC and Cabinet of Ministers) give a chance that the necessary documents will be created.

• Though it's pointless to wait for real steps before the power system is reformed with the new President. 

Discussed

• The Working Group for Coordination of the implementation of digital television in Ukraine should prepare proposals for changes to the State Program of digital broadcasting programs and submit them to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine

What does this mean for the industry?

• It's the positive fact that the State is ready for a dialogue, and the industry is to form the approach to DTV implementation. We have no more than 2 months for that.

Discussed

• The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is still the main body to implement DTV switchover: • according to the proposals of the Working

Group for coordination of digital TV implementation in Ukraine Cabinet of Ministers should approve the changes to the State Program of the digital switchover, and should prepare the plan of changes of legislative and other normative acts, international agreements of Ukraine, which are about technical aspects, licensing, as well as mechanisms of social support for people to reach the border regions of Ukraine and Crimea with the digital television. Sources of financing of the switchover in Ukraine are still not defined: it was discussed that possible sources are funds in the State Budget of Ukraine and private investments.

• inventory of frequency resources should be done in order to release extra radio resource for the digital TV

What does this mean for the industry?

• The most important point of the Decision. It's essential to understand that the Cabinet of Ministers will be busy with other jobs during next 2-4 months.

• Even if this Program is approved, there's no confidence that the new Cabinet of Ministers won't like to change something inside the doc. In the Decision it's planned to cover the border territories with the signal - it's a clear decision. But if the analogue broadcasting is kept, then there's no commercial sense in using this type of networks. Unless the payment for the signal distribution is subsidized or discounted. It's highly important to realize that any private investor (internal or external), if it's not the whole industry itself, will put the industry down on its knees.

• No comments at this point. The frequency spectrum is a prerogative of the State.

Discussed

• The National Council for Radio and Television of Ukraine is still in charge also, but:

• -  it should hold the revision of the subjects of information activities that have licenses for broadcasting and signal distribution in digital format, verify the compliance with the legislation of Ukraine and the licensing conditions,

• -  it should conduct activities on licensing of subjects of digital television, considering proposals of the Working Group for Coordination of the implementation of digital television in Ukraine,

What does this mean for the industry?

• The decision about revisions is accepted, though the info about this meeting at the National Council that was published in the press says that the final decision can be quite soft.

• If we suppose this point to be strictly executed, then the NSDC platform is highly essential for us.