Ghana to go into digital broadcasting

The National Communication Authority (NCA) is conducting research to introduce a Frequency Band Plan to replace the existing VHF-FM Band Plan. This would give way to a new band for terrestrial digital broadcasting.

The new band plan - to involve the change from analogue to digital broadcasting - would make the storing, editing and the procession as well as retrieving of a huge volume of data, including audio and textual data easier, Major. John Tandoh (Rtd), Acting Director General of NCA, said on Monday.

Maj. Tandoh said with the proliferation of radio stations, there is the need for a careful research and planning of the radio frequency spectrum to safeguard Electromagnetic Interference (EMI).

The EMI may soon disrupt a wide range of electronic and electrical equipment and services as more of such equipment are introduced in the system, he told the opening session of a week's training workshop on Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (MSE) radio programmes for radio presenters.

Maj. Tandoh said currently all forms of information are transmitted on the basis of separate fixed-voice and image channels. However, through digitalisation and new communication technologies, all information would be conveyed through a single channel to ensure the orderly development and efficient operation of communications services in the country.

The workshop is being organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) through its In-Focus Programme on Small Enterprise Development to support the development of radio programmes.

The MSE radio programmes examine issues affecting small businesses and identify solutions with the sole objective of making the small business sector develop.

The programme is aimed at encouraging FM radio stations to package and produce programmes in local languages easily understood by small-scale business people. It was started in Uganda on a pilot basis and has been extended to Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Tanzania.

Kapital Radio in Kumasi has been running a pilot programme since November 2000. Five other stations - Eastern FM, Koforidua, Choice FM, Accra, Top Radio, Accra, Asta Radio, Techiman and Shaft Radio, Obuasi - will be launching their editions of the programme after the workshop.