Shipments of TVs and tuners for broadcast satellite digital broadcasting services have slumped and probably won't reach the industry's goal of 10 million units sold within 1,000 days of December 2000, an industry association said Monday.
BS digital broadcasting technology was once lauded as the biggest innovation since color TV. But the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association said shipments of BS TVs and equipment have come to just 956,000 units in the 18 months between June 2000 and December 2001.
Shipments last month totaled 94,000 units, up by 20,000 units from November, but down about 40 percent from a year earlier.
The association said consumer interest in BS digital broadcasting has been disappointing since its launch in Japan in December 2000, partly because programs for the service are scarce and equipment prices relatively high.
Electronic appliance manufacturers hope next month's Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and this summer's World Cup finals will stimulate demand for BS digital TVs and equipment.
But some in the industry said they have already shifted gears and will promote large-scale home-theater equipment instead of BS TVs.