6.1.1 Context - The world is moving to digital television

New Zealand is a tiny corner of a global broadcasting and telecommunications environment where consumers can increasingly access overseas and national content in a variety of ways. Inevitably we are affected by the world-wide trend towards an all digital television environment. Several countries have achieved DSO – the United States (with the exception of some low powered services) parts of Germany, Sweden, and South Korea. Others such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are moving towards DSO. Each country has developed its own timetable and approach that suits its needs.

Digital pay television has been available for some years in New Zealand with pay television broadcasters currently providing digital services: SKY on satellite, and TelstraClear (wholesaling SKY) on cable in the Wellington and Christchurch areas. Remaining analogue pay TV services are being turned down over time.

In 2006, government decided to take a planned approach toward supporting the move of free-to-air television to digital transmission. In 2006, it supported the establishment of Freeview¹⁸, a consortium delivering a package of free-to-air digital television services on terrestrial and satellite platforms. The launch of digital services recognised the need for New Zealand to keep pace with technology developments internationally and was designed to ensure funded public broadcasting and local content would continue to be provided to New Zealand audiences in a digital environment. The national free-to-air broadcasters are broadcasting their services on the Freeview platforms, and simulcasting in analogue until DSO.

The number of households in New Zealand with digital television has now reached approximately 60 per cent. The government will set a firm date for DSO when household take-up reaches 75 per cent or by 2012, whichever occurs first. Government’s expectation is that DSO will happen by 2015 at the latest.

Most regional broadcasters broadcast only in analogue. Regional television broadcasters now need to develop plans for the transition to digital transmission.

Footnote

¹⁸ Freeview is a consortium of free-to-air broadcasters, established on a not-for-profit basis to market their digital programmes and manage the electronic programme guide (EPG). It does not provide transmission services, or its own programming.