At last MinDig TV brings free digital TV in Hungary

The second part of the conference contained an overview of the European situation and the current development of the digital terrestrial platforms in Hungary followed by a panel discussion with the participation of top executives of the Hungarian content providers who discussed the current status and the further actions required for ensuring the success of the switchover process.

There was notably a call for more involvement of the state in coordinating the efforts of all stakeholders, for defining the necessary support measures in favour of the broadcasters and disadvantaged households during the digital transition and for setting clear rules for the media market – a new Media Act is expected by some participants to be enacted in the first half of 2010 – as well as a call for a levelled playing field in the competition between the platforms. One of the main conclusions of the conference was that the digital switchover is an unstoppable revolution, this is a common interest of the participants and the process should have to be supported by the authorities and the government too.

Hungary is on the right track compared with most of the Central and Eastern European countries. Barely two months after the initial line-up of the FTA digital television platform was finalized, the number of sold equipments allowing the reception of the DVB-T platform exceeded 55,000 by the end of August 2009.

„Already around 1.5% of the Hungarian households are MinDig TV ready, most of them with an HD screen. As a consequence of the extended coverage reaching 88% of the households, of the growing awareness and sales, cheaper integrated televisions and decoders are coming to the shops all across the country, allowing the ‘Digital Christmas’ to arrive virtually in every single Hungarian home” – summarized Jean-Francois Fenech, Chief Executive Officer of Antenna Hungária.

(Antenna Hungária Zrt.)