OSCE Mission to Skopje supports the development of local television in the digitalization process

SKOPJE, 16 October 2008 - How to move from analog to digital broadcasting platforms and the best ways to increase the quality of the audio-visual services on a local level stand in the focus of the two-day conference, which started today in Bitola.

This conference, which is jointly organized by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, the Broadcasting Council, the Agency for Electronic Communications and the NGO Media Development Centre should help the local broadcasters catch up with the latest technology developments and smoothly move to digital broadcasting in preparation for the analog transmission switch off in 2015.

"Local media can be key factors in nourishing cultural diversity and promoting democratic discourse at the local level. However, local broadcasters risk being left behind during the transition from analogue to digital systems," said Sally Broughton, Head of the Media Development Department of the OSCE Mission to Skopje. "We want to get them thinking about the ways they need to adapt so that the country does not lose the level of media diversity it has now and actually improves the quality of what audiences are offered."

Dimitar Bukovalov, Head of the Telecommunications Department of the Ministry for Transport and Communications in his keynote address pointed out the importance of the digital media platforms: "Competition is constantly growing along with the possibilities to reach the audiences through new platforms. The local media will have to give up old fashioned expensive analog broadcasting and need to invest more in their programming and using new platforms."

The conference will be followed by a similar event designed for national and regional broadcasters to be held in early November.