Kolkata to switch off all analog signals by December 27

The analog-signal switch off process has already been initiated in the capital of West Bengal from December 16 onwards. The switch-offs will begin with the second-rung genres within the state and by December 27, the Bengali channels will face complete blackout.

Digitisation in Kolkata, which appeared to have reached its saturation with an approximate 70 per cent penetration, is expected find a new impetus. According to a new directive from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Kolkata will have to switch off all analog signals by December 27 and thereby go completely digital by December 28.

The analog-signal switch off process has already been initiated in the capital of West Bengal from December 16 onwards. The switch-offs will begin with the second-rung genres within the state and by December 27, the Bengali channels will face complete blackout.

Sapan Choudhury, convenor, Cable Operator Digitization Committee, Kolkata, tells afaqs!, "Currently, while there has been a complete switch off of the English entertainment and news channels within the market, about 40 channels are still available for viewing through analog. These include all the Bengali entertainment and news channels, as well as the main Hindi GECs - Star Plus, Colors, Zee and Sony. The channels are expected to be phased out genre-wise."

For the record, the I&B Ministry had made the digital switch over mandatory across the four metros - Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai from - November 1. However, Kolkata waited till Diwali for digitisation to take place. It was after Diwali that adoption took off and a week later had touched a penetration level of 70 per cent.

Meanwhile, Chennai is still at 26 per cent; there is no change in the state yet.