Switch To Digital TV Will Widen Information Access – Minister Williams

Education, Youth and Information Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the transition from analog to fully digital free-to-air television (TV) will significantly increase the number of channels, thus allowing Jamaicans wider access to information.

“Currently, a high percentage of Jamaicans still only have access to analog free- to-air television, which gives them limited channel choices. When we transition to digital, there should be more channel choices,” she noted.

Minister Williams was addressing a virtual Post Sectoral Debate Press Conference on Thursday (April 29).

The process to switch from analog to digital TV is already under way, with the process to be completed by 2023.

Jamaica is undertaking a phased one-year transition to digital broadcasting technology, with the initial focus on the main urban centres as of January 2022.

Broadcasters will have at least one year of simultaneous digital and analog broadcast to give them time to change their equipment and test the new system.

Information from the Ministry indicates that approximately 83.7 per cent of Jamaicans still use analog free-to-air television service.