by Andreas Gr. Orphanides
Cyprus's transition to the new DVB-T2 digital terrestrial television system could have constituted a successful example of technological modernisation. Instead, the first days of its implementation revealed a different problem, not technological, but organisational. Thousands of citizens suddenly found themselves without access to most private television channels, with the sole exception of the channels broadcasting via CyBC, while others were forced to buy equipment without knowing whether it was the right kind. The telephone support lines were flooded with thousands of calls, electronics shops exhausted their available decoders and technicians were unable to keep up with demand.
This incident is not a simple "teething problem" of a new system. On the contrary, it highlights long-standing weaknesses of the public administration in the planning and implementation of significant reforms. Once again it was proven that in Cyprus many changes are designed on the basis of the technical specifications and timetables of the organisations involved, without adequately assessing the experience of the end user, who is the citizen. The transition from the DVB-T standard to DVB-T2 is necessary. Nobody disputes the need for modernisation. What is disputed is the manner in which it was implemented.
Informing the public
The first and most serious problem concerns the information provided to citizens. The competent authorities maintain that announcements had preceded the change for several weeks. However, reality proved that the information was neither sufficient nor effective. Thousands of viewers did not know whether their television was compatible, which decoder was required, whether they needed to change their aerial or simply retune their channels. Communication was confined mainly to the announcement that a transition would take place. It was not explained, however, in a simple and comprehensible manner, what exactly this change meant for each different category of consumer. Thus, the elderly in particular, who constitute the most systematic users of terrestrial television, found themselves confronted with a technology they could not manage on their own.
The second problem concerns the electronics market itself. It had been known for months that after the activation of DVB-T2 the demand for compatible decoders would rise sharply. Nevertheless, the market was not adequately prepared. The consumer, without specialised knowledge, found it practically impossible to distinguish which device was suitable. The result was that they paid for products that ultimately did not solve their problem. This fact raises serious questions about the effectiveness of market oversight. When a state-designed technological transition presupposes specific equipment, it is the responsibility of the competent authorities to ensure that this equipment is available, certified and clearly identifiable by the consumer.
The mass recourse of citizens to the call centres confirms the scale of the disruption. Thousands of calls within the first hours of the new network's operation constitute a clear indication that the transition was not carried out with the degree of preparation that a project of such scale required. When a system causes such disruption immediately after its activation, its implementation cannot be considered successful, even if it functions correctly in technical terms.
Restricting access
The most important issue, however, concerns the relationship between the citizen and public services. Television is no longer the sole means of information, but it remains the principal medium for tens of thousands of elderly people and residents of remote areas. The temporary loss of access to news channels is not merely a technical malfunction; it constitutes a restriction of access to information and, to a degree, to public dialogue. This is precisely why such transitions require far greater sensitivity towards vulnerable social groups. It is not enough to take for granted that everyone can buy new equipment or call a private technician. For quite a few elderly people or low-pension recipients, even an expense of a few dozen euros constitutes a significant financial burden.
Experience and lessons
The experience of other European countries offers useful examples. In many cases, programmes were implemented for the subsidisation of decoders, free technical support for the elderly, certification of equipment before its release to the market and months-long information campaigns with personalised instructions for consumers. The success of a digital transition is not measured only by the operation of the transmitters, but by the percentage of citizens who continue to receive, without interruption, the services they were using until the previous day.
The management of this particular transition offers valuable lessons.
- First, the immediate publication of an official list of all fully compatible decoders is required, so that the confusion in the market ceases.
- Second, the Consumer Protection Service must carry out intensive checks to prevent the sale of devices that do not meet the requirements of the new network.
- Third, Hellas Sat, the television stations and the competent Deputy Ministry must organise a new, coordinated information campaign with clear instructions, videos, television demonstrations and regional support centres.
- In parallel, it would be advisable to consider a programme of subsidisation or free provision of decoders to vulnerable population groups, as well as the creation of mobile technical support crews in mountainous and remote communities. The cost of such an intervention will clearly be smaller than the social cost of the prolonged hardship of thousands of citizens.
The digital television affair highlights a broader problem of the Cypriot public administration. Very often, reforms are assessed as successful because they were completed on schedule or because the technical infrastructure worked. Real success, however, is judged differently. It is judged by whether the citizen feels that the change facilitates, rather than complicates, their daily life.
In conclusion, the country's digital transformation is necessary and must continue. But modernisation cannot be confined to the installation of new technology. It presupposes effective planning, substantive information, adequate market oversight, consumer protection and, above all, respect for the citizen. Otherwise, even the most modern technological infrastructure risks leaving behind the same old feeling, namely that the state designs changes without having truly taken into account those who are called upon to live with them.
Former rector, professor-anthropologist at Philips University
