Kathmandu, March 28

The government finally switched off analogue television channels in Kathmandu Valley from today.

As part of enforcing digital cable television broadcasting system across the country, the Ministry of Information and Communications today inspected a dozen cable service providers and blocked analogue channel broadcasting across the valley.

It means that if cable television subscribers in the valley have not connected set-top boxes to their television sets, they will be deprived of viewing any channels, including Nepali channels. As per MoIC, analogue television channels will soon be blocked in every metro, sub-metro and municipality before enforcing the digital broadcasting system across the country.

“Cable operators continuing to broadcast analogue television channels in the valley will face action,” informed Ram Chandra Dhakal, spokesperson for MoIC, adding that digital television broadcasting will be made mandatory in every city within a few days while the plan will be enforced in the country’s rural parts gradually.

Under the digital system of cable TV broadcasting, cable TV subscribers will be required to connect set-top boxes to their television sets, which will enable them to view clear and high-definition TV channels. Implementation of this plan will also help increase the government revenue.

Meanwhile, cable television operators said analogue television channels in the valley were blocked from today following MoIC directive.

“As a majority of cable TV subscribers in the valley have already switched to digital broadcasting system, we have switched off analogue television channels here,” Sudhir Parajuli, president of the Federation of Nepal Cable Television Association, told THT.

However, Parajuli urged the government to gradually enforce digital television broadcasting system in other parts of the country, especially in rural areas where cable TV subscribers are still unaware of the digital television broadcasting system. “We are not in a position to enforce the system in remote areas, which are yet to be connected with optical fibre,” said Parajuli, adding that digital broadcasting across the nation should be made mandatory only after every district is connected with fibre optics. Initially, the government had planned to make digital broadcasting mandatory from November 14. However, the government decided not to implement the system from the given date, as its implementation just ahead of the parliamentary and provincial elections would have prevented millions of people from watching television and getting updates of the poll results.