About three years from now, the era of analog TV broadcasting will end as digital broadcasting takes over. A survey shows that 92 percent of those polled know there will be a switch from analog to digital broadcasting, but fewer people know when the switch will take place (65 percent) or that they will need to buy new equipment (52 percent).
The government should not only further publicize the switch to prevent confusion among TV viewers, but also take adequate measures to help people who are financially strapped and unable to afford digital TV sets.
In March, 43.3 percent of the nation's households had TV sets that can receive digital terrestrial broadcasting. Some households will choose to continue using their analog TV sets and rely on digital-analog converters. The government has requested electronics makers to accelerate the development of such converters, which will be priced at around ¥5,000 each.