Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Telecommunications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, Alexei Volin, held a meeting of the Coordination Headquarters for preparing to turn off analog broadcasting in the Russian Federation. The event was attended by representatives of the Government Office, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Federal Antimonopoly Service, Rospechat, Roskomnadzor, the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS), Post of Russia, Russia Today Agency, and the Media Communication Union , Association of Wholesale and Retail Companies (AKORT), Association of E-commerce Companies (ACIT), Satellite TV Operators.
During the meeting, representatives of 20 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, who entered the second stage of the disconnection of analog broadcasting of federal TV channels, reported on the readiness of their regions to switch to digital broadcasting. April 15, 2019 in Moscow, Amur, Ivanovo, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Lipetsk, Moscow, Novgorod, Sakhalin, Tyumen regions, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkess, Udmurt, Chuvash republics, Stavropol Krai, Kalmyk Republics, and Republics. , as well as in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, there will be a switching of the broadcast of analogue TV channels to the broadcasting of an information screen about the transition of the region to digital television. The information screen will be broadcast during the week, after which the transmitter will be turned off. Recall that analog TV is disconnected according to the plan for phased disconnection of analog broadcasting of federal mandatory public TV and radio channels in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, which was approved by the Government Commission on the Development of Television and Radio Broadcasting.
Representatives of the subjects of the Russian Federation spoke about the campaign to stimulate the transition to digital broadcasting before the appointed date, as well as work to support low-income families and assist in connecting new digital equipment. The meeting participants also discussed the results of a pilot project to turn off analog television broadcasting in the Tver region, measures to prevent a shortage of digital receiving equipment, as well as providing residents of settlements outside the digital terrestrial broadcasting area with the opportunity to receive satellite television.
Special attention was paid to measures taken in order to help people in advance to deal with emerging issues, both technical and financial, and to connect to the number in advance, having the opportunity to view 20 federal channels in digital quality. To this end, work is being done in the regions through social security agencies, volunteers are involved, and hotlines are organized. Practically in all regions of the Russian Federation there are various options for assisting in the acquisition of the necessary equipment for privileged categories of citizens. In addition, measures were discussed to ensure a sufficient number of digital set-top boxes, especially the lower price segment, in order to connect old televisions that do not work in the DVB-T2 format to the “digit”.
Representatives of the regions assured that active work is being carried out in all areas, including with their own work. Thus, Tyumen shared its experience of attracting active elderly residents of the region as volunteers, the so-called “silver volunteers”. In Kalmykia, regular village meetings are held with presentations and explanations about digital television equipment. In the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, a clear schedule has already been developed to ensure the installation and connection of equipment for preferential reception of federal channels through satellite television in localities that are outside the terrestrial broadcasting zone until March 30.
