TELEVIZIONETKOSOVAREDHEDIGJITALIZIMI

KOSOVSKETELEVIZIJEIDIGITALIZACIJA
TELEVISIONINKOSOVOANDDIGITALIZATION
Preparedby:Visar Hoti

Prishtin Pristina
July10,2013

Digitalvs.Analogbroadcast
y Radiofrequencyspectrumefficient(morechannels)
y Betterreceptionofpictureandsound
y PossibilityofbroadcastinHighDefinition(HD)
y MobileTV
y Releaseofspectrumforelectroniccomm.(3G,4G,etc)
y Additionalservices(PayTV,VOD,EPG)

ConventionsandLegislation
y ITURRC06,DTTplan,recommendations
y ConstitutionoftheRepublicofKosovo,Article141on
y
y
y
y

IndependentMediaCommission(IMC)
LawonIMC
LawonElectronicCommunications
StrategyfortransitiontoDigitalbroadcastinthe
RepublicofKosovo(IMC)
LawonDigitalTV(MED)

ITURRC06andKosovo
y ITUGuidelinesfortransition:*

StrongleadershipfromGovernment
FirmdecisionforAnalogSwitchOffdate(ASO)
ClosecooperationbetweenRegulatorandthemarketparties
Clearandtimelylegalframework
Adequateinformationandassistancetotheviewers

TheRegionalRadiocommunicationConferences(RRC06)approvedplansfordigital
terrestrialbroadcasting,whichshouldbeimplementedby17June2015,withthe
exceptionofsomedevelopingcountries,forwhichthetransitionperiodshallendonJune
17,2020forRegion1andIran.
*SamiAlBasheer AlMorshid,DirectorofTelecommDevelopmentBureau,ITU,2010

ITU KOSOVOALLOTMENT
1Allotment(Broadcastzone)
2Transmittersites(Golesh andCvilen)
Allotmentbordersnotincompliance
withthemapofKosovo
1MUXinVHF(CH.07)
7MUXsinUHF
(CH.21,31,44,46,48,58,67)

Article141,ConstitutionofRKS
y TheIndependentMediaCommissionisan

independentbody,whichregulatestheRangeof
BroadcastingFrequenciesintheRepublicof
Kosovo,issueslicensestopublicandprivate
broadcasters,establishesandimplements
broadcastingpoliciesandexercisesother
competenciesassetforthbylaw.
....

LawonIMC
y 1.IndependentMediaCommissionshallbeanindependentbodyfor

regulation,management,andoversightofthebroadcastingfrequency
spectrum
.
1.1.IMCshalldrafttheStrategyfortransferringintoDigitalbroadcasting
inRepublicofKosovo,aswellasotherstrategicdocumentsfor
audiovisualmediaservices,forapprovalbytheGovernment.
..
1.itshallissuelicensestothepublicandprivatebroadcastersandshall
renewthelicenses,grantingthelicensedsubjectstherighttousethe
frequenciesinBroadcastingFrequencySpectrumaswellasitshall
licenseallaudiovisualmediaservices;..

LawonElectronicCommunications
AMPEKviews:
CollideswiththeArticle141oftheConstitutionand

LawonIMCinregulationofbroadcastspectrumand
assignment/supervisionofbroadcastinfrastructure.
Prematurelypromotesconvergenceofbroadcastand
telecommunicationregulatorsandservicesinanon
converginglegalandsocialenvironment.

StrategyfortransitiontoDigitalbroadcastin
RepublicofKosovo(IMC)
Status:Incomplete(astodate)

AMPEKcomplaints:
Inadequatemodel:Expensiveforpublic,harmsthe
broadcasters.
Hasnotreachedgeneralsupport
Nontransparentprocedure.
Givesnosolutionsforfutureregulationofthemedia
ownershipandthemediamarket
Doesnotofferviabletechnicalandfinancialsolution.

LawonDigitaltelevision
Status:PENDING
AMPEKviews:
InterferesandcollideswiththeArticle141andLawonIMC
Createsalternativemodel,thusneglectsexpectedsocial

agreementtobesetintheoriginalIMCStrategy.
Enablespoliticalinterferencewithlicensingofindependent
media
Expensiveforviewers,broadcastersandinvestors.
NodistinctionbetweenFTVandPAYTV.
Disfavorshistoricalchannels,particularlylocalTVinlongrun.

TelevisionsofKosovo National
y RTK Public

broadcaster
y TV21 Commercial
broadcaster
y KTV Commercial
broadcaster
y Coverage62.7%of

Kosovoterritory*
*CoveragemapscourtesyofIMC

TelevisionsofKosovo Regional/Local
y Opinioni,Mitrovica,Most,

Herc,Vali,Puls,Dukagjini,
Syri Vision,Tema,Besa,
Ballkan,Festina,Iliria,Liria,
Men,Mir,Prizreni and
Zoom

y 19broadcasterscover

68.14%oftheKosovo
territory

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(a)
y 19TowerSiteswithEffectiveantennaheight>>150m
y 4TowersiteswithEffectiveantennaheight>130m
y 6broadcastlocal(city)sites

Estimatedminimalcostofthecurrentbroadcasting
infrastructure:
3.44 MillionEuros(KTTN+REGIONAL+LOCAL)*
*DatagatheredfromKTTN,MOST,MIR,TEMA,VALI,OPINION,PULSANDMITROVICA.HERC,BALLKANANDDUKAGJINICOSTISESTIMATED.
MISSINGDATAFROMILIRIA,LIRIA,FESTINA,MEN,ZOOM,PRIZRENI,SYRIVISIONANDBESA.

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(b)
NATIONALBROADCASTERS

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(c)
NATIONALBROADCASTERS

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(d)
NATIONALBROADCASTERS

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(e)
REGIONAL&LOCAL
BROADCASTERS

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(f)
REGIONAL&LOCAL
BROADCASTERS

Existingbroadcastinfrastructure(g)
REGIONAL&LOCAL
BROADCASTERS

TelevisionpenetrationinKosovo
y Households:312,711(withatleast1dweller)*
y PenetrationofTerrestrialandsatelliteTV:69.73%
y PenetrationofCableTV:30.27%**
Penetration
30%
FTV,SAT
CABLE
70%

*KosovoHouseholdEnergyConsumption(2013)
**DatafromIMC,2013.CablesubscribersinKosovo94661

TelevisionMarketinKosovo
y Advertisingrevenues2011(RTV):10.16Millioneuro*
y Cableoperatorssubscription:13.59Millioneuro**
15
10
5
0

Mill.EUR

Advertising
Radio,TV
y
y

Cable
operators
subscription

Mill.EUR

*AdvertisingrevenuedatareferencefromtheStrategyofIMCfortransitiontoDTT
**Estimatedincomereportedfrom10Cableoperators.Valuesmaybehigher.

Transitionmodelexamplesin
Europe Legalframework
y FivecountriesinEurope

(Finland,Germany,Lithuania,Luxembourgand
Switzerland)hadnotalteredtheirlegalframeworkfor
transitiontoDTT.
y Severalothercountriesadoptedonlysecondary
legislation,butmainbroadcastingactwasnot
changed.
y Goalsforadaptationoftheframework:
Separationbetweentransmissionandcontent
Newlicensingrolefortheregulator
Cooperationbetweenregulators

TransitionmodelexamplesinEurope
Multiplexcapacity(DTTfrequency)
y InSwedenandFinland,capacityisallocateddirectlyto

theindividualhistoricalchannels.
y InBritain,eachhistoricalchannelwasassignedhalf
thecapacityofaMultiplex.3operators,6Mux.
y InNorwaybeautycontestandauctionwere
implementedforoperatingamultiplex.
y Singlenetworkoperatorcases:Germany,Macedonia
etc.

TransitionmodelexamplesinEurope
Contentlicensing
y Analogapproach,wherecontentlicensingwithina

multiplexwassimilartoanaloglicensing.
y Gatekeepermodel,whereauthoritieswouldsetthe

minimumrequiredcriteriaforthenetworkoperatorto
achievemediapluralismandfulfillmentofpublic
interest,butauthorizetobroadcast,ratherthen
license.

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
y KosovoresourcesinDTT

7usableSFNmultiplexes(A,B,C,D,E,F,G)afterASO
withnationalcoverageprovidingmaximum126TV
channelsinSDor42TVChannelsinHD,ortheir
combination.(*)
Theserequirecooperationwithneighboringcountries.
Upto6SFNregionalmultiplexes(threeper
region)**,enablingadditional54+54channelsSDor
18+18channelsHDinregionalscale.Localfrequencies
used,noneedforinternationalcoordination.
*ApplicablewhenMPEG4andDVBT2systemsareused.
**AMPEKproposestworegions:KosovovalleyandDukagjini valley

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
Positionsanddemands:
Cohesioninsteadofcollisionbetweenmedialegislation
andregulators(Constitution,StrategyonDTT,Lawon
IMC,ElectronicCommunications,DTT)
ApplianceofHYBRIDMODELoflicensingforthe
operators,duringtransition(simulcast)andafterASO:
AutomaticlicensingofRTKasPublicmultiplex(A)
Settingminimumcriteriaandsecondarylegislationfor
directlicensingoftwocommercialnationalmultiplexes
andthreeregionalmultiplexestonationaland
regional/localhistoricalchannels,ortheir
consortium(s).(MultiplexesB,CandRA1,RA2andRB1)

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
Model:
Combinationof
currentbroadcast
infrastructurecan
coverupto85%of
Kosovoterritory
andupto95%of
itspopulation.*
MUX:
A,B,C,D,E,F,G
(Ref.Net.RN1)
*ThismaprepresentscoveragewithGolesh orlowerGoleshW
active

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
Model:
RegionA
Allmunicipalities
locatedeastofthe
imaginaryline
Prevall/Prevalac
BerishaGazivode
Local/RegionalTV
frequenciesused
MUX:RA1,RA2
(Ref.Net.RN2)
*ThismaprepresentscoveragewithGolesh orlowerGoleshW
active

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
Model:
RegionB
Allmunicipalities
locatedWestof
imaginaryline
Prevall/Prevalac
BerishaGazivode
Local/RegionalTV
frequenciesused
MUX:RB1(RN2)
*ThismaprepresentscoveragewithGolesh orlowerGoleshW
active

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
Advantagesofthehybridmodel:
Successfulgeneralacceptancebyall

parties(public,state,regulator,broadcastersandinvestors)
Promotesthediversityofmediaownershipandpluralism,keepsthe
marketbalance.
Lowcostofimplementation.
EnablesfinancialstabilityforRTKandcommercialbroadcastersin
Kosovo.
InstantcoverageofthewholeKosovowithTVsignal,includingnorthern
municipalities
Cheaperforhistoricalchannels(preventsdepreciationofassetsand
ensurescontinuityviaMustCarryRulethrough2019)
Enablesfastreleaseof4Multiplexesinnationalscaleand3Multiplexesin
regionalscaleforauction(MUX.C,D,E,F,GandRegionalRA3,RA4,RB2)
Promoteslocalcontentproductionandmediagrowth.

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
CostofaregionalMUX
RAisestimated70%ofa
nationalMUXcost.
CostofaregionalMUXRB
isestimated40%ofa
nationalMUXcost.
Estimatedcostforstartup
of3NationalMUXsand
3RegionalMUXs

6.427.200EUR
Costestimationforone(1)NationalMUX*:
*UseddatafromStrategyofAlbania(2012),adoptedforKosovoandcostin2013.This
breakupincludesreplacementofantennasystems.Figuresmayvary+ 15%

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
Proposalsandrecommendations:
*Establishmentofminimumcriteriafordirectlicensingof
historicalchannelsasnetworkoperators.
EstablishmentofregulationsforFTVandPAYTV
RegulationforMustCarryrule
RegulationforcontentlicensinginDTT.
Softrelocationofanalogchannelstoenablesimulcastperiodin
nationalandregionallevel,followedwithstrongpublic
informationcampaign.
MoratoriumtofurtheranalogTVlicensing
ApplicationforIPAorlowinterestloanwithgraceperioduntil
payoffofdigitaldividend(Bosnianmodel)forsubsidiestothe
viewersandthebroadcasters.

AMPEK:RoadmapTODTT
TOGETHER..
YES,WECAN!

References
y ConstitutionofKosovo
y ITUFinalactsRRCGE06
y ITUGuidelinesfortransitiontoDTT(2010)
y LawonIMC04/L44
y IMCAlternativeplananalysisGE06EBEP
y IMCStrategyfortransitiontodigitalbroadcastinRepublicofKosovo(2012)
y DraftLawonDigitalBroadcastinRepublicofKosovo
y StrategyforTransitiontoDTTinBosniaandHercegovina
y StrategyfortransitiontodigitalbroadcastofAlbania
y EPRAPlenarySession2:32EPRAMeeting2010.

Iwanttothankmycolleaguesfortheircontributionwithpicturesanddata.V.H.