Jakarta is taking a fast step concerning digitization in broadcast sector. It is in accordance with President Joko Widodo's message that digital TV broadcasting is a momentum for Indonesia's digital transformation to take leaps of progress towards an advanced Indonesia.

Digital broadcasting concerns various aspects of broadcasting, community readiness, and broadcasting industry

Since the enactment of Omnibus Law on Job Creation, the issue of Terrestrial Digital TV broadcasting has begun to rush. Government has begun to take steps in migrating from analog broadcasting through Communication and Informatics Minister. Article 60A (paragraph 2) of Omnibus Law on Job Creation mandates the migration of terrestrial broadcast from analog technology to digital technology as referred to in paragraph (1) and analog broadcast disconnection (analaog switch off) is completed at least 2 years since the enactment of Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Therefore, Jakarta KPID continues to coordinate with broadcasting stakeholders in welcoming the Analog Switch Off (ASO) of analog broadcasting towards digital television broadcasting. Surely broadcast digitization is not just a matter of technology transfer. Many factors have correlation, such as community readiness, digital television broadcast receiving devices or media, and broadcast material contents.

It is a great task and must be completed as soon as possible, considering 2 years are short.

Jakarta KPID Commissioner for Structure and Broadcasting System Management, Thomas Bambang Pamungkas said, digitization involves various factors. Therefore, it needs cooperation from various parties, especially broadcasting stakeholders.

"Digital broadcasting concerns various aspects of broadcasting, community readiness, and broadcasting industry, " he said in written statement, Thursday (1/28).

He emphasized that Jakarta KPID supported long before Omnibus Law on Job Creation was enacted as the legal basis for implementing digital TV broadcasting.

"We fully support the government's policy regarding terrestrial digital television broadcasting system, basically it is building diversity of content, and diversity of ownership," he conveyed.

Jakarta KPID took a part in holding Focus Group Discussion (FGD) last December involving Jakarta Vice Governor, Ahmad Riza Patria, associations, academics, practitioners, and community. The goal is to get inputs to formulate policies for digital TV broadcasting.

Jakarta Vice Governor, Ariza, supports Jakarta KPID thus Jakarta will be more aware of digital TV broadcasting. Following up on FGD, Jakarta KPID held coordination meeting with multiplexing digital TV broadcasters in IV service of Jakarta and Banten. There are 8 private television stations, namely, MNC Group, Metro TV, Trans TV, Viva Group, Emtek (SCTV-Indosiar), RTV, Berita Satu TV, and one public television, TVRI.

In the agenda, there are several things needed to be discussed together regarding "Jakarta Welcomes ASO Digital Television Broadcast" as a transitional period before cut log is carried out nationwide.

"Those are to encourage analog broadcasts to carry out multicast broadcasts immediately as a transition mass towards ASO 2022. Various things must be prepared and the issue of digital TV broadcasting becomes a common homework, thus the broadcasting industry can progress further," he asserted.