The Nordic Approach to DTT From the perspective of a public service broadcaster Peter Looms Danish Broadcasting Corporation Conference on POLISH ELECTRONIC

The Nordic Approach to DTTFrom the perspective of a public service broadcaster

Peter Looms Danish Broadcasting Corporation

Conference onPOLISH ELECTRONIC MEDIA POLICY ON THE EVE OF ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

Warsaw 29th March 2004

Who I am and what I do 1/3

Altid Sport

Full-time consultant at DR, a public service broadcaster - “to inform, educate and entertain”Strategic planning, mainly digital TV and broadband


Teach postgraduate courses in format development and strategic issues related to digital content

the University of Hong Kong the IT-University of Copenhagen EMMDIS and TRAM (INA) Institute of Interactive

Television Research, Murdoch University, Perth (October/November 2004)

Hong KongJanuary 2004


Current tasks:Participation in European standardisation efforts for Personal Video Recorders

Benchmarking of web, mobile & digital TV projects in the Nordic countries within the Nordvision New Media group

Negotiations with FTTH operators for true broadband services

Media strategy for DRs interactive media towards 2010

My presentation

• Why is a Strategy for DTT Important? The RRC 04/06 conferences

• Convergence and its impact to date

• DTT - the strategic dilemmas and options from a Nordic perspective

Why is a strategy for DTT important?

Why is a strategy for DTT important?

• The RRC 04/06 conference starts The RRC 04/06 conference starts in less than 7 weeks’ timein less than 7 weeks’ time

• First major review of VHF/UHF First major review of VHF/UHF frequency allocation since the frequency allocation since the Stockholm Plan in 1961 during the Stockholm Plan in 1961 during the Cold WarCold War

• The next agreement is to last 20-The next agreement is to last 20-30 years 30 years

Two Scenarios for DTT in the Nordic countries for next 20-30 years

1. ”Business as Usual” for Public Service Broadcasting

2. Public Service Broadcasting as a Minimalist Niche in a Free Market Environment

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

BroadcastRadio incl. DAB

Television(analogue)

Now Simulcasting Digital broadcasting only 2004 DSO 2005 ASO 2008-2013??? 2030

BroadcastRadio &


Analog Broadcast Services

Broadcast radio & TV(digital)

Data Broadcast Services(digital)

HDTV(digital)


DanishVHF/UHFchannels


1. Business as Usual


• How much bandwidth will we need in phases 2 og 3?• How much will be needed for SD TV, Datacast and HDTV?





BroadcastRadio &







2. Free Market Model


• In this model, no interactive media and services on DTT• No HDTV using MPEG-4 or alternative codec• I-media and services on digital cable/satellite/IP broadband only

Auction of “surplus”

frequencies[broadcast and

datacast]

Supply Danish Channels 1995

radio

tv

Convergence to date

Supply Danish Channels 2004

Altid SportP5 P6radio

tv

Convergence to date

Some things change slowly...Daily television consumption in Denmark 1964-2002

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1964-69 1970-79 1980-87 1988-91 1992-99 2000-02

Minutes/day Danish public service Other TV channels

Year

Demand - Television Viewing

Convergence to date

Media consumption - 1995Estimated daily media consumption

(320 minutes/day)

"Watching""Playing""Connecting"

Convergence to date

Media consumption - 2004Estimated daily media consumption

(360 minutes/day)

"Watching""Playing""Connecting"

Paradigm shift emerging for 15-24 year olds• 25% don’t watch TV any more

Convergence to date

Fragmentation yet to show itself

•Public service TV has 71% market share •Will it continue to do so?

Share of prime time 2004

DR 1+2 TV2 Other Danish Non-Danish

Convergence to date

What are the critical challenges for public service strategy?1. More choice? (channels

and programmes)2. More quality?

(better picture and sound)3. More flexibility?

(anything, anytime, anywhere)4. More interactive content and

services?5. Terrestrial broadcasting or a mix

of terrestrial/satellite/cable?6. A presence on ”our” or ”their”

distribution systems?

From 2004 to 2024

1. More Choice

• 76% of Danish households alresdy have more than the three free-to-air TV channels (”refusniks”)

• DTT a weak alternative to satellite and cable• More free-to-air TV• Cheaper alternative to satellite, calbe

and SMATV

2 More quality

• Large, 16:9 flat screens and • Multichannel audio weak drivers• Quality drama still attracts large

audiences

Even the 15-24 year olds will watch TV if there’sa programme or series they think is worth watching

5 of the 10 most seen TV programmes in the last13 years were broadcast in February-March 2004

2. More quality

Better programmes?

3. More flexibility

• Time-shifting and on-demand

Personal Video Recorder PVR

with STB

PVR + DVD recorder

”Intelligent” devicesThe user records programmes locally via an EPG; signalling data for accurate recordings.

Digital TV with built-in DVD-recorder

VHS

DVD+VHS

”dumb” DVR

Data-VHS

”Dumb” devicesThe user has to record aprogramme herself

Video On Demand via cable or broadband

Central solutionsNo recordings, but programmes held centrallyand a user can orderand play back programmesas if they were recorded• Video On Demand (VOD)• Network-PVRs

Wireless communicationin the home links everything together

Watching TV when YOU want to - options

3. More flexibility

3. More flexibility

• Time-shifting and on-demand• Viewing TV anywhere

Ultimately ”Anything, anytime, anywhere”Bill Gates - ITU Conference, Geneva, October 1999

3. More flexibility

4. More interactivity

• More participation• More control• Cross Media - designing public

service across multiple platforms• More opportunities for physical and

virtual sharing

More functionality

All: Subtitles if you want them - DVB-textAll: Alternative commentaries (football)Blind: Alternative audio channelsDeaf: Option of signing with important programmes such as primetime news

Rejseholdet kommer igen 2. Rejseholdet kommer igen 2. juledagjuledag


Better programme-synchronous services*

• Links - just a click away on your remoteLinks - just a click away on your remote• ” ”Dong” - on demand sports resultsDong” - on demand sports results• ” ”Who’s who?” about persons in interviewsWho’s who?” about persons in interviews

Source: ”program-synchronised services”; Motoko Hatarri, The Debute of Digital Television page 3, NHK Monthly Review June 2000 http://www.jri.co.jp/contents/english/index.html


24/7 services independent of programmes

• News - text with illustrationsNews - text with illustrations• Traffic advisories for your areaTraffic advisories for your area• Airline arrivals and departuresAirline arrivals and departures

Source: ”program-independent services”; Motoko Hatarri, The Debute of Digital Television page 3, NHK Monthly Review June 2000


Interactive TV-programmes

• Taking part in quizzes and votes Taking part in quizzes and votes (SMS and remote control)(SMS and remote control)• Cross media formats (eg. Boogie)Cross media formats (eg. Boogie)


More Quality Scenario“Improve the TV experience”• Bigger, 16:9 screens• 5.1 audio• Improved picture definition • Subtitling• Alternative audio tracks• Links to related content• Signing for deaf/hard-of-hearing• 24/7 services:news, weather, traffic

No in

tera

ctio

nS

ign

ifica

nt in

tera

ction

More Choice Scenario“More TV”•More Free-To-Air channels• Electronic Programming Guide to find your way around so many channels

More Flexibility Scenario“Making your own channel” • Seeing what you want, when you want• Finding your programmes• Personalised programme guides • Intelligent agent working for you• Ultimately Anything, Anytime, Anywhere

More InteractivityScenario“Taking control, taking part”• Taking part in shows• Personalised news • “Tell me more” documentaries• Anything, anytime on a TV• Multitasking - foreground/•background media• Sharing with peers while watching and playing

Digital Domination

Analogue still widespread

Dilemmas:• The need to assure universal access

versus the need to maintain PSB audience reach and share (legitimacy of funding model)

• DTT unlikely to have more than a small market share until Analogue Switch Off

• DTT as primary distribution or should PSBs go where our viewers choose to be?

5. Terrestrial or a mix of terrestrial/satellite/cable?

Dilemmas:• DTT is ”our” system - is it just an

issue of broadcasting or also public services? (DVB-T or also IP Datacast on DVB-H)

• Is there political legitimacy for Public Services on ”their” systems? i.e. The Internet (narrow and broadband), mobile and wireless in the home and public areas

6. ”Our”or ”their” distribution system?

Strategies, policies and supporting arguments needed here both for DSO & ASO

DTT Other Digital TV

Non-Broadcast distribution systems

SD channels

HDTV channels

Programme synchronous services

Programme and channel-independent services

Nordic PSBs work together on strategy





BroadcastRadio &





HDTV(digital)




Nordic PSBs work together on strategy


•Working together prepares us better to discuss the issues associated with the equitable sharing of frequencies

What have we learned?

1. We have more in common than we are different.

2. Collaboration on strategy and policy gives better coverage and awareness of the issues than in one country alone.

3. A problem shared is a problem halved!

Baltic collaboration?

Thank you!

Contact details:

Peter Olaf LoomsDR InteractiveDR/Danmarks RadioTV-ByenDK-2860 Søborg

[email protected]: +45 51 56 75 46

mailto:[email protected]





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The Nordic Approach to DTT From the perspective of a public service broadcaster Peter Looms Danish Broadcasting Corporation Conference on POLISH ELECTRONIC