Today, on 26 September 2012, the government adopted a Communications Policy Programme for Electronic Media to be submitted to the Parliament as a report. The report takes a position on such issues as granting operating licences, frequency band use and criteria for programme content. It proposes that an adequate transfer period should be granted for the switch of the terrestrial television network to full use of high-definition technology.
Minister of Housing and Communications, Ms Krista Kiuru, is satisfied with the finished report.
- When preparing the report, the future operating requirements of electronic media actors as well as consumer needs were taken into consideration in a balanced way.
The report proposes that it will be possible to receive all free television channels using the current standard television sets until 2026 in two multiplexes. The switch to high-definition technology of one of these multiplexes will be reviewed by the government no later than in 2020. To ensure that the switch to high-definition technology can take place efficiently and in a controlled manner, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will appoint a wide-based working group to prepare a detailed transfer plan and schedule by summer 2013. The working group will also assess the correct time for switching to high-definition broadcasting on a larger scale by 2016.
