The year 2012 will mark the start of the new era of high definition television in Taiwan, ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said June 12.
“By the start of the London Olympics in June next year, I expect that everyone in Taiwan will have access to HDTV channels to watch the games,” Ma said at a ceremony in Taichung City marking the launch of Public Television Service’s HDTV channel HiHD in central Taiwan.
The Government Information Office, which co-hosted the ceremony with PTS, has allocated NT$2 billion (US$69 million) to the TV station to carry out the digitization of public television and the establishment of HDTV services.
Premier Wu Den-yih said launching HDTV in Taiwan in 2012 is the government’s policy, pointing out that the Executive Yuan has approved a budget of NT$898 million for a project to promote HDTV content next year.
Wu acknowledged the need to accelerate the development of digital content, emulating the South Korean government, which has invested billions of dollars in supporting the industry’s development.
Meanwhile Patrick Wang, director of the GIO’s Department of Broadcasting Affairs, noted that the production value of Taiwan’s television broadcasting industry has topped NT$110 billion per year.
Wang said industry players hope the government can take the lead in spurring the sector to become internationally competitive in digitization, as well as help to accelerate the digital convergence of television, smartphone, tablet computer and telecommunications services across industries. (SB)