Philippines, Indonesia commit to digital TV broadcasting

Indonesia and the Philippines are moving to adopt terrestrial digital broadcasting technology, and this move by Southeast Asia’s two most populous countries could open business opportunities for Japanese companies with related hardware. The Philippine government will announce a plan Tuesday for shifting to the new technology. The private-sector GMA Network will invest 416 million pesos ($8.33 million) in equipment, while fellow major television network ABS-CBN has begun testing the technology in major cities. The project includes the “one-segment” broadcasting for mobile devices. The government will call for a gradual shift from analog technology to terrestrial digital, completed by 2022 before President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends. TVs adopting terrestrial digital broadcasting technology are on display at an appliance store in Bangkok (Image: Nikkei) The Philippines has employed a version of the digital technology cultivated in Japan. The country looks to popularize the emergency warning system that comes with the package to...