Russia has confirmed that it will complete the transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting in 2018.
Quoting Nikolay Nikiforov, the country’s minister of communications and mass media, AKTR and News.mail report that this will be immediately following the withdrawal of all subsidies for anlaogue TV services.
Nikiforov added that unlike the first multiplex, the second (national) and third (regional) ones are not publicly funded. Due to a severe decline in ad revenues, the second multiplex will therefore not be available throughout the whole country and the third is not eceonomically viable.
In addition, Nikiforov said that the ministry has drafted a bill that will provide operators with non-discriminatory access for their communications infrastucture to homes.