As of the start of 2011, the digital television signal will be broadcast throughout Croatia, according to a strategy for conversion from analogue to digital TV broadcasting, which was presented at the Croatian government on Thursday.
Presenting the document, the state-secretary of the central e-Croatia office, Igor Lučić, said that in this way the TV audience would get higher-quality broadcasting, new inter-active services as well as four new national TV channels.
Lučić said that the European Commission bound European Union member states to convert to digital broadcasting by the end of 2012, and stressed that Croatia would do it a year earlier.
Currently, 10 percent of Croatian households are ready for digital TV broadcasting, Lučić said, adding that all TV subscribers will receive coupons in the amount of HRK 135 as the government's financial support for the purchase of digital TV receivers.
This year, the government is going to spend HRK 15 million for a campaign about digital conversion and for financial support for receivers.
Next year, the sum will rise up to HRK 41.5 million and in 2010, the government will earmark HRK 106 million for this purpose.
Announcing the government's adoption of the strategy at its session on Thursday, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said that his cabinet was proud of participating in TV digitalization. (Hina)