Croatia

[HR] Strategy of TV-programmes Transition from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting

IRIS 2008-9:1/21

Nives Zvonarić

Ministry of Culture, Zagreb, Croatia

The strategy for the transition of TV-programmes from analogue to digital broadcasting in the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the government in July 2008. A main objective of the strategy refers to universal, common and publicly acceptable guidelines which are set as follows:

1. to start the digital broadcasting of TV-programmes in Croatia from 1 January 2011 ;

2. to create conditions to protect the free, common and public service of TV-programmes broadcasting on public television, the same as services of other broadcasters at national, regional and local level;

3. to ensure the technological conditions to manage adjacent parts of the radio frequency spectrum through optimal usage of the transfer capacity in a way which satisfies public interests to the maximum extent;

4. to create conditions for the access of independent content creators to the digital television network and to develop content pluralism on the open services market;

5. on the basis of the convenience, which is provided by the digital broadcasting system, Croatia will gain more open space for its diversity of cultural identity and for the new media which are an essential part of democracy. This can be achieved by comprehensive services which enable free access to programme contents to every citizen at national, regional and local level.

The success of the transition significantly depends on a motivated and focused advertisement campaign for which the Central State Office for e-Croatia, as a central co-ordinative body in the field of an informative educational advertisement campaigns, is responsible. The transition from analogue to digital TV broadcasting is planned as a market-oriented process, based on the principles of transparency, non-discrimination and technological neutrality.

The existing market of satellite and cable digital communication is seen as a good example for the possibilities of such systems to develop without “external” influences. However, the transition process from analogue to digital terrestrial TV, which is the basic reception mode of TV-programmes for a great number of users in Croatia, cannot be successfully implemented without the support and co-ordination of the responsible bodies and without ensuring state funds.

In accordance with the law, owners of radio and television sets in Croatia are obliged to pay a licence fee. The Croatian government will ensure that during the implementation period of this strategy no social group will be socially deprived or neglected for any reason.

A support scheme for the acquisition of digital receivers for the citizens as final users, in accordance with the common practice in EU Member States, will significantly contribute to a speedy increase of the number of users of digital terrestrial TV services in Croatia and will enable the complete transition to terrestrial digital TV broadcasting, as scheduled on 31 December 2010. The means for this support will be planned by the Central State Office for e-Croatia.