A total of 26 transmitting stations ended the analogue broadcast simultaneously, completing the country’s successful switch over to digital TV. Bernama Photo
SIBU: When the Negaraku is played at 12.30am, it normally marks the end of television broadcast for the day.
However, this time, when the national anthem was sung by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) officers and staffers of the TV Transmitting Station at Bukit Lima here last night, it signified the end of analogue television and the switch over to digital broadcast, which offers better audio-visual quality.
A total of 26 transmitting stations ended the analogue broadcast simultaneously last night, completing the country’s successful switch over to digital TV.
MCMC head of department, Digital Creation and Distribution Platform, Azlina Mohd Yusof, who was present at the brief ceremony last night, said among the preparations made before the switch over was ensuring that the digital system functioned properly.
“What happens after the end of analogue broadcast is that viewers will see a static graphic on the myFreeview service that is offered for free. This is for those who have not yet obtained the myFreeview decoder,” she told Bernama and RTM reporters.
The static graphic will be on display for a week and after that the television screen will be a sea of black and white spots.
“For those who already have myFreeview, broadcast will proceed as usual,” she said.
The digital terrestrial TV service under myFreeview is a government initiative provided free to the people, and is managed by MYTV Broadcasting Sdn Bhd via private sector financing.
Azlina encouraged individuals who received the MYTV decoder for free to install it so as to enjoy its various benefits.
The free decoder recipients were selected from the Bantuan Sara Hidup Rakyat (BSH) list, especially B40 households.
The decoder can be bought for not more than RM200 and those who are interested can visit https://myfreeview.tv or call 1800181088 for further information.
In Sandakan, heavy rains at Stesen TM Bukit Trig failed to dampen a ceremony held to mark the switch over to digital TV transmission in Sabah.
The ceremony was witnessed by Sabah Education and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob.
Sabah and Sarawak were the final two states to switch to myFreeview TV under a nationwide transition process which began on Sept 30.
Also present at the ceremony were TM Sabah general manager Mohd Sainal Mohd Amin, chief executive officer of Altel Holdings Group Chelvakumar G Krishnan, MCMC senior director of Digital Enablement Nor Akmar Shah Minan, MYTV vice-president of regulatory division Shamsul Najib, Sabah and Labuan MCMC director Roslan Mohamad and Sabah Broadcasting director Malinaziah Datu Mohd Julaspi.
Yusof said the switch over to digital TV is also a boost to related industries in content creation like animation, drama and documentaries.
“For sure the broadcasting industry will expand because many will be involved, leading to creation of job opportunities,” he told reporters.
Through myFreeview digital TV broadcast, the audience would be able to enjoy various TV and radio channels and new applications such as online shopping, interactive learning via TV channels including TV1, TV2, TV3, NTV7, 8TV, TV9, Al Hijrah, Bernama, TV Okey and six radio channels. – Bernama