Digital broadcast signals to take over Analog by 2013: TRAI

Mumbai, July 30 : There will be a complete switch over from analog to digital broadcast signals in the country in a phased manner by December 2013, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman J.S. Sarma said Friday.

He said TRAI's final consultation paper on digitalisation will be released next week.

Sarma asked the industry to support for the switch-over. "We are forward looking and proactive on regulation on digitalisation," he said at a conference organised by CII.

Wecoming the decision, Amit Khanna, chairman, Reliance Big Entertainment, said media companies have to transform from products to relationship with audience in the future. He predicted more event-based (FIFA World Cup, Avatar, 3 Idiots) things in the emerging digital world. "We are moving away from economy of attention to economy of in attention and there is too much distractions."

Speaking on the digitalization of Pay TV, Vikram Kaushik, Tata Sky chief executive, said: "The major challenge of digitalising is the fragmented economy, due to which the industry is losing large amounts of money. It is critical for proper implementation of digitalisation. It has to be mandated".

--IANS