EDITORIAL

摘要

The end of 2012 was one of the main landmarks in the global process of digital television switchover. It was the target date for analogue terrestrial switch-off recommended by the European Union (EU) to its 27 Member States. It was not mandatory: the real deadline is June 2015 when, by agreement, the protection of analogue TV from interference will cease for the International Telecommunication (ITU) Region 1 countries of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Mongolia. Television in much of the Middle East is satellite based. Television in Africa relies to a greater extent on terrestrial TV but, generally, there are fewer channels than in Europe, countries are geographically larger and those that miss the 2015 date will probably be able to avert cross-border interference by bilateral negotiation. For Europe, however, with smaller countries making much more intensive use of terrestrial broadcasting spectrum, cross-border interference would be a huge problem and the continent is sharply focused on the ITU deadline.