Uganda’s Prime Minister intervenes in digital migration process

Uganda’s prime minister Amama Mbabazi

 Uganda’s prime minister Amama Mbabazi says he has intervened to ensure a smooth digital migration in Uganda as a result of claims from broadcasters the process was being mishandled.

The Prime Minister paid a visit to the Star Times Group global headquarters in
Beijing, China.

The Prime minister said he had already asked for a report from the Department of Information and National Guidance before acting.

“The role of the media in mass awareness and national development cannot be wished away. That is why we liberalized the airwaves for it to achieve its full potential in mobilizing, educating, entertaining and informing the public,” he said.

Also present was Star Times global chairman Pang Xinxing, who said his company will invest funds towards the construction of a broadcasting and transmission network in conjunction with Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UCC), which manages Uganda’s migration process.

“Our vision is to enable every African household to get access to digital TV, afford digital TV, watch good digital TV, and enjoy digital TV,” Xinxing said.

He also urged the government to access concessional loans from the Chinese government to investment in digitalisation.

Star Times has been in the Ugandan market for the last two years and is one of the companies that is set to benefit from the analogue to digital migration, the global deadline for which is June 2015.

Source: Humanipo