DVB-T kicks off in northern Germany

Michael Hedges December 2, 2004

Speaking at the annual Mediatage Nord conference, ULR (Independent regional institute for broadcasting and new media) director Gernot Schumann thanked public and private sector broadcasters at the launch of DVB-T (Freeview) in Schleswig-Holstein

Saying that DVB-T broadcasts can be seen in 85% of the northern German state, Schumann also expressed the hope that private broadcasters would add more programs. Forgetting nobody, he even thanked the daily newspapers for their coverage, making the new technology “more understandable.”

Ekkehard Wienholtz, ULR-Medienrat Chairman, also called for more cross-sector cooperation to develop new media. “Such projects require many partners,“ he said.

Twenty DVB-T programs were launched in Kiel, 8 in the private sector and 12 from public broadcasters, with an additional 4 private channel programs scheduled for March 2005. 24 programs are available in the Hamburg area. Berlin and the Cologne/Bonn areas have also launched DVB-T programs. As in Berlin, analogue television will come to an end after a short transition.

DVB-T, being wireless, offers portability to television reception. Only a decoder and a small, blade-like antenna are necessary. Schumann said people now recognized that DVB-T is a “simple and economical” system, particularly for that second or third household TV set.

Since the launch of the DVB-T programs Wienholtz wants to turn attention to the interactivity made possible by the technology in mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). “But,” he said “ it needs ideas, concepts and strategies.”

The ULR is promoting, with €200,000, projects to aid development of those ideas and concepts for new media with the School of New Media in Luebeck and the Multimedia Campus in Kiel. The grant also includes funding to train young film producers.

The young and their protection was another topic at Mediatage Nord. Wienholtz referred to new programs like “Big,” live broadcasts of cosmetic surgery, as “the last piece of privacy sacrificed.” Such programs, he said “blur” the difference between acceptable standards and “what is intolerable.”

Questioning broadcasters self-regulation of content, Wienholtz said competition drives stronger and stronger programming.