[Community Television] France green-lights MPEG-2 DTT

[Chris Hewson]

France green-lights MPEG-2 DTT

http://www.advanced-television.com/2004/news_archive_2004/Nov8_12.htm

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has confirmed that digital
terrestrial television (DTT) will be launched in March 2005 using the MPEG-2
standard. Raffarin announced the decision following a meeting with TV
regulator Conseil Supérieur de l' Audiovisuel (CSA).

"By March 2005, I wanted us to be able to expand the free-to-air service
from French channels. That decision has been taken today. As from March
2005, we are going to treble the number of free television services," he
said. "Accordingly, French households, particularly the two-thirds that
currently only receive five channels, will be able to receive 15 free
services, across the entire country."

Leading commercial broadcaster TF1 had lobbied for MPEG-4, which would
permit higher quality broadcasts, but would not be commercially available by
Spring 2005. "It's a question of social progress, of technological progress,
but also cultural progress. It is a significant moment for television in our
country," claimed Raffarin, a view echoed by Dominique Baudis, president of
the CSA, who called the decision "a great victory for the vast majority of
television viewers." Baudis had lobbied for a spring 2005 launch using
MPEG-2. "MPEG2 is a force everywhere in Europe, everywhere in the world, in
Asia, in North America," stressed Baudis. "It is reliable, it works
everywhere and it is cheap."