New Digitalization of the TV Space: Croatia Will Transition to the DVB-T2 Network in 2020

At the 8th Days of Electronic Media held in Opatija, organized by the associations HURIN and NUT, as well as HAKOM and the Agency for Electronic Media, around three hundred representatives of national and local electronic media participated.

Media policy, financial sustainability, experiences from EU countries, and numerous technological innovations expected in the media in the upcoming period were some of the main topics of the three-day event. Among the participants were representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, and the Institute for International Relations. 

At the panel titled “Research on Radio Market Analysis,” the market research agency Ipsos Puls presented preliminary research results. A comparison of data from 2011 to 2014 shows that radio listenership and popularity as a medium are not declining at all. As much as 90 percent of the population listens to the radio, with women leading, as 83 percent regularly listen to the radio, while 67 percent of men follow radio content daily. The listener structure also favors radio professionals as it shows that listeners aged 30 to 59 years are employed, have higher incomes, and are more educated. Radio remains the primary medium for information about local content, and respondents believe there is room for improvement in the speed of information dissemination.

– These data are an excellent indicator of the strength and sustainability of radio as a medium, and one can speak not of weakening but only of greater reach for radio, as the content offering on other platforms such as the internet and mobile phones has tripled in the meantime. Local radio stations received high ratings for quality and do not lag behind national radio stations at all, explained Ante Šalinović from Ipsos Puls, which conducted the research in collaboration with the Agency for Electronic Media.

The possibility of introducing digital radio was discussed at the panel of the same name. Considering that the regulatory framework necessary for the start of terrestrial broadcasting of digital radio is not fully adapted, the first step plans for experimental broadcasting in the city of Zagreb.

Second Digital Dividend

Preparations for a new digitalization of the television space have already begun in Croatia, with the transition planned for 2020 when all televisions should broadcast in the DVB-T2 system. Representatives from HAKOM, the Agency for Electronic Media, and Transmitters and Connections informed participants of the 8th Days of Electronic Media about preparations for the second digital dividend. 

– The transition to newer broadcasting and encoding technology for TV signals will require significant investments in equipment not only from national and local televisions, network operators, but also from end users. Regulatory bodies have valuable experiences gathered in the process of transitioning from analog to digital broadcasting, and it is commendable that we are starting preparations for the development of the Transition Strategy document in a timely manner so that all stakeholders, including the government and the public, can articulate their positions regarding this technological advancement that some European countries have already achieved. By selling part of the frequencies that are freed up in the transition process to mobile operators, it is expected that part of the collected funds will be used as compensation for the costs of acquiring DVB-T2 broadcasting and receiving equipment, emphasized Damir Hajduk, a member of the Council for Electronic Media.

The DVB-T2 system will enable much better coverage and faster data transmission, additional program offerings, and higher quality images. However, in Croatia, about half of households still use older devices that are not adapted to the new image format transmitted by the DVB-T2 television signal, so they are also expected to invest in television receivers. Regulatory bodies will attempt to present a draft Strategy by the end of 2015, and will also monitor practices from EU countries that have also begun the transition to DVB-T2.

Comments on Media Policy

Representatives of the associations HURIN and NUT pointed out the difficulties faced by television and radio publishers, and the president of HURIN particularly highlighted the difficult situation in local radio stations. Some media policy proposals were deemed anti-entrepreneurial and unacceptable for commercial media.

– Media policy is a document that still requires numerous adjustments from our side. There are numerous problems that local media continue to face, and misunderstandings and lack of understanding on the part of lawmakers during amendments to media legislation are still present. We continue to seek changes related to ownership concentration, believing that restrictions on the operations of local media should be lifted, which would improve daily operations, stated the president of HURIN, Marijan Beljan.

The director of the Agency for Electronic Media, Mirjana Rakić, informed publishers that an agreement has been reached with HRT regarding the payment of the remaining installments to the Fund for Promoting Pluralism and Diversity of Electronic Media in the amount of 16.3 million kuna. The Fund for Promoting Pluralism has already distributed 31,330,500 kuna this year, and in November, a competition for additional funds in the amount of 18,606,000 kuna for 2016 will be announced. Profit and non-profit media will be able to apply according to the conditions of the competition that will be published on the AEM website.

The Agency for Electronic Media presented the publication “Media and National Minorities,” which was created as a result of media workshops on reporting on national minorities and continues the campaign “Choose What We Watch,” conducted in collaboration with UNICEF. The theme of the last panel at this year’s Days of Electronic Media was the media of the third sector, i.e., non-profit media, and their increasing role and influence on the public.