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Spain's gov't assumes digital dividend costs
Iñaki Ferreras
Spain's government has agreed to assume the cost for broadcasters to migrate to new frequencies within the radio-electric spectrum under the implementation of the so-called 'digital dividend'.
The 'digital dividend' is an agreement of the European Union (EU) by which from January 1, 2015 part of the frequencies now being occupied by the former analogue broadcasters will be able to be occupied by other services such as mobile broadband. TV channels must migrate to new spectrum, but so the viewers don't miss their programmes while re-tunning they will have to broadcast their contents on both the new frequency and the old one for a period. This means a double cost when paying for transmission and it will also mean extra costs for information campaigns to the population.
Private broadcasters’ association UTECA and public regional channels’ association FORTA have complained over the implementation of the 'digital dividend' because its cost will be too high for them and it should be central government assuming its cost, according to the associations.
But the positive point about the 'digital dividend' is the business value of it, which will amount to between €150,000 million and €200,000 million in the EU and between €12,000 and €16,000 million in Spain alone. Provided this process is undertaken in the whole of the EU the business value could amount to up to €40,000 million extra.
Iñaki Ferreras
Spain's government has agreed to assume the cost for broadcasters to migrate to new frequencies within the radio-electric spectrum under the implementation of the so-called 'digital dividend'.
The 'digital dividend' is an agreement of the European Union (EU) by which from January 1, 2015 part of the frequencies now being occupied by the former analogue broadcasters will be able to be occupied by other services such as mobile broadband. TV channels must migrate to new spectrum, but so the viewers don't miss their programmes while re-tunning they will have to broadcast their contents on both the new frequency and the old one for a period. This means a double cost when paying for transmission and it will also mean extra costs for information campaigns to the population.
Private broadcasters’ association UTECA and public regional channels’ association FORTA have complained over the implementation of the 'digital dividend' because its cost will be too high for them and it should be central government assuming its cost, according to the associations.
But the positive point about the 'digital dividend' is the business value of it, which will amount to between €150,000 million and €200,000 million in the EU and between €12,000 and €16,000 million in Spain alone. Provided this process is undertaken in the whole of the EU the business value could amount to up to €40,000 million extra.