Botswana is in the process of meeting the 2013 SADC and 2015 world deadlines for the television broadcasting digital migrations, as the Vice President Dr. Ponatshego Kedikilwe last week introduced the beginning of digital broadcasting migration in Botswana.
Dr. Kedikilwe said the inauguration of terrestrial television in Botswana included the founding of a joint task force between Japan and Botswana as they facilitate the transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting.
“Government is very much alive to the fact that technological transformation of this magnitude will not come without significant initial cost and potentially on-going development costs over time,” he said.
The Vice President held that the government was ready to facilitate public private partnerships for the implementation of digital television and related industries in the areas of manufacturing, content generation and human resource development.
Now, the Vice President stated that the government has invested an excess of P160 million (USD18.7million) to aid in the expansion of radio and television transmission network alone.
Minister for Presidential and Public Administration, Mokgweetsi Masisi said that the country had
The Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mokgweetsi Masisi, said Botswana selected the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard, developed in Japan after directing thorough tests and trials to determine the most appropriate and beneficial mode for Botswana.
“Botswana remained conscious of the need to derive maximum technological, economic and social benefits for our population, with any of the various digital broadcasting standards,” he stressed.
The Japanese vice minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, Tachibana Keiichiro said his country and Botswana have, through mutual agreement, committed to the Joint Task Force for cooperation in digital broadcasting hence they will assist Botswana with human resources to transfer technology to Botswana.
Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Communications Mr Nonofo Molefhi said in SADC’s some member states proposed the referral of migration dates, something, which he said, signified that the investment was not a small task as it required collaboration, education and partnerships