VietNamNet Bridge – TV enterprises would have to spend several trillions of dong
to buy new machines to broadcast TV programs in new technology, while people
would have to pay VND9,100 billion to buy set top boxes to watch terrestrial
digital TV.
Trillions of dong to be spent on the new technology
Tuoi tre has quoted an expert as saying that it would cost TV enterprises
trillions of dong to shift to broadcast digital TV programs.
In some cities and provinces, local TV stations, which anticipated the
utilization of the new technology, have been using the analog generators which
can be upgraded into digital generators by using supporting cards. The TV
enterprises would only have to spend money on the cards, while they don’t have
to pay for new generators.
Meanwhile, other TV enterprises using the generators which cannot be upgraded
would have to spend $400,000 on every 2kw generator which can cover the area
with the radius of 25-40 kilometers.
Tien Phong has quoted Deputy General Director of Vietnam Television (VTV) as
saying that VTV would need multi billions of dong for the technology renovation,
which is really a big sum of money for it.
A report released in June 2011 showed that Vietnam has 18.2 million households
with TVs, including 12.6 million ones using frame antennas. Once Vietnam stops
analog TV, about VND9.1 trillion would be spent to buy set top boxes to watch
terrestrial digital TV.
The set top box average price is VND500,000, including the installation fee,
which would be a burden on 2 million poor households.
In HCM City, where there are 99,812 poor households, the city’s authorities
would have to spend VND28 billion to support the households to buy set top
boxes.
According to Truong Tan Minh, Director of the Khanh Hoa provincial Television,
propping up people to buy set top boxes is a must. He said that even in the
developed countries like the US, the authorities also have to give financial
support to its citizens when renovating the TV broadcasting technology.
Vo Van Cam, Director of the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Television, the province where the
television waves can reach to 60 percent of households, also said that he would
ask the local authorities to give money to people to buy set top boxes.
People keep indifferent to terrestrial digital TV
While television enterprises feel enthusiastic about the TV digitalization
project, people keep indifferent to the information.
“It would be better to have more TV programs to watch, but I would not spend
money to buy set top boxes. I am satisfied with what we have today,” a man said.
Nguyen Thi Ro in Quang Binh province said she now catch watch TV programs on 3
channels, which is enough for a 70-year old woman. She affirmed that she does
not intend to buy new TVs or any boxes just to be able to watch more programs.
Besides TV programs, her grandchildren can also entertain themselves with
Internet.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Communication has shown its
determination to speed up the television digitalization. Local television
enterprises have confirmed that they would complete the digitalization process
sooner than planned.
Compiled by Thu Uyen