Cyprus government addresses digital television transition issues

The Cyprus Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communications and Works met on July 16 to discuss ongoing technical disruptions related to the transition to the Hellas Sat digital television platform. Deputy Minister of Innovation Nikodemos Damianou attended the session alongside television channel representatives. The government plans to implement technical adjustments on Tuesday, July 21, to recalibrate the signal transmission. These changes involve reducing transmission quality to address current signal problems, a decision that has drawn criticism for potentially limiting future technological advancements such as 4K broadcasting and restricting market competition. Hellas Sat representative Petros Theocharidis confirmed the scheduled technical modifications, noting that viewers will not need to manually retune their devices. Meanwhile, the Deputy Ministry of Innovation has yet to outline a long-term plan for the post-transitional period. Regarding calls for state subsidies, Minister Damianou stated that while the matter is being reviewed, it is not currently an immediate government priority.