Bulgaria

[BG] End of the Analogue Television Broadcasting

IRIS 2013-9:1/26

Rayna Nikolova

New Bulgarian University

On 30 September 2013, the analogue broadcasting of television signals was terminated in Bulgaria. The simultaneous emission of analogue and digital signals, which has lasted for a six months period, has thus been brought to an end.

A network has been established for the broadcasting of public television programme services - BNT1, BNT2 and BNT HD -, which reaches 96.2 % of the country’s population.

Another two networks have been established for the broadcasting of the commercial television programme services. The first of these networks, which reaches 96.2 % of the country’s population, is used for broadcasting free of charge (seven television programme services) including the national television programme services, which have previously been distributed via networks for analogue terrestrial broadcasting - in particular bTV and Nova television as well as bTV Lady, Ring.bg, Diema Family, TV 7, and News 7. The second network, which in technical terms has the capacity to broadcast up to eight television programme services, reaches more than 85 % of the countries’ population and is used for the broadcasting of the programme service Bulgaria on Air.

The process of transition to digital terrestrial television broadcasting has raised significant problems with regard to the incapacity to receive television programme services because of the limited coverage. The digital signal did not reach part of the audience, which can receive television programme services only by terrestrial means.

According to the data provided by the multiplex operators, the established networks cover a high percentage of the Bulgarian territory as compared to other European states with similar geographic and demographic characteristics. Based on a total number of 5,289 settlements (towns and villages) in Bulgaria, the digital networks cover as follows:

- as regards 3,538 towns or villages - above 90 % coverage of the population,

- as regards 1,009 towns or villages - from 30 to 90 % coverage of the population,

- in 225 towns or villages there is coverage of the population from 10 to 30 % and

- as regards 124 towns or villages the digital signal covers less than 10 % of the population.

- 393 settlements in total remain out of the scope of the digital television broadcasting signal, including 337 settlements with population of less than 200 people.

Based on those data it may be summed up that about 279,836 Bulgarian nationals remain out of the scope of the digital television broadcasting, 100,000 people of whom are receiving terrestrial television programme services.