ZNBC Digital migration blackout misleading – Malama

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Permanent Secretary Godfrey Malama
Permanent Secretary Godfrey Malama

Government has described as misleading information from some sections of society that there will be television blackout in the country after the digital migration deadline of 17th June this year.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Godfrey Malama said the country was on course to meet the June 17, 2015 digital migration deadline.

Mr. Malama said the digital migration programme was under way and urged Zambians to ignore lies being peddled by some people that there will be a television blackout in the county.

He said this today when he inspected the first package of the digital migration equipment for phase one which arrived at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka.

Mr. Malama said the arrival of the equipment reaffirms government’s commitment to ensure that the digital migration project comes to fruition.

He explained that the first phase project will be implemented along the line of rail, while the second and the third phase project will be employed in all the districts and the remote parts of the country respectively.

And the digital migration contractor, Star Times Communication Network Group of China, said the remaining equipment for phase one will arrive in the country between 4th and 15th April 2015.

Project Manager Jason Liu further said the installation of the phase one equipment is scheduled to be completed by June, 10, 2015.

Meanwhile, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Director General Richard Mwanza has also described assertions that Zambia may not meet the digital migration deadline as misleading.

Mr. Mwanza said ZNBC currently broadcasts on digital satellite broadcasting system adding that the terrestrial digital migration will only be for television end users.

He further explained that after the June 17, 2015 deadline, ZNBC will continue to broadcast in dual cast.

He has since urged members of the public to buy set-top-box decoders in order for them to receive the digital signal.

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