Digital Television in Ukraine: Current State and Prospects of Development

<jats:p>The main objective of the study was to analyse the particularities of transition from terrestrial to digital format of the television in Ukraine. This objective was accomplished with the help of the following research methods: the method of analysis was applied to select the subjects of digitalization and to determine their role in the overall process; historical method was used to reconstruct the chronological order of events in transition to the digital television in Ukraine and in the world; the method of analogy was applied to determine the prospects of digital broadcasting development in Ukraine. Results and Conclusions. The process of transition from analogue to digital format of television in Ukraine has been lasting for 10 years. This is due to some problems at the state level (the conflict in competences of the responsible state agencies, the lack of a single decision-making centre, the lack of influence on the monopoly provider), at the TV content market (the unfounded costs of territory coverage with analogue signal, the lack of digital broadcasting licenses for many regional and local channels), and at the service provider’s level (the monopoly position of the existing provider, the absence of grounded calculation for territory coverage by the current national network). This set of problems leads to ambiguity in digital television perception within the domestic market, and costs Ukraine in its international public image due to failure to fulfil the Geneva 2006 agreement. The new relationships and patterns in transition from terrestrial to digital format of the television broadcasting in Ukraine were discovered in this study. It is grounded that the coordinated and efficient work of responsible state agencies is needed to solve the existing problems and to implement transition to digital broadcasting in Ukraine. The construction of alternative digital networks and the licensing of new digital networks providers are also needed, as well as the state assistance in providing digital TV devices to vulnerable groups of population and proper information campaign of the need to transit to digital TV.</jats:p>