REPORT OF THE 5TH MEETING OF EACO WORKING GROUP 6 ON BROADCASTING SERVICES DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION HELD IN KAMPALA, UGANDA FROM 12TH-13TH JANUARY 2015
1. OPENING OF THE MEETING The 5th meeting of the EACO Working Group 6 (WG6) on Broadcasting Services Development and Regulation was held from 12th to 13th January 2015 in Kampala, Uganda. The meeting was hosted by Uganda Communications Commission. Fred Otunnu, Acting Director of Broadcasting welcomed members to the meeting on behalf of the Executive Director of Uganda Communications Commission. 2. ATTENDANCE The meeting was attended by participants from EACO Secretariat, Broadcasting Operators and Regulatory Agencies of the EACO members, namely Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda as attached in Annex 1. 3. CONSTITUTION OF THE BUREAU The Bureau was elected as follows: Mr. Habbi Gunze Ms. Rebecca Mukite Ms Caroline Mengich
Chairman First Rapporteur Second Rapporteur
Tanzania Uganda Kenya
4. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA The agenda was adopted as indicated in Annex 2. 5. REVIEW OF THE WG6 REPORT FOR THE 4TH MEETING HELD IN DECEMBER 2014 AND MATTERS ARISING Members reviewed the report and matters arising were as follows: i.
The meeting urged EACO members who have licensed Digital Signal Distributors in their countries to explore options of incorporating requirements on video compression standards in the issued licenses.
ii.
The Secretariat presented the liaison statement of WG6 to WG 11 on cross border terrestrial television frequency coordination with a view of protecting digital broadcasting services after ASO. The liaison statement was adopted for circulation to members of WG 11. See Annex 3
iii.
The Secretariat informed the meeting that invitations were sent to public broadcasters to attend the meeting but no responses were received. The meeting agreed that in future, the invitations should be sent early enough and copied to the regulators for further follow up.
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iv.
The meeting acknowledged receipt of the liaison statement circulated by Rwanda to WG11 regarding WRC agenda items relevant to broadcasting services and protection of broadcasting services within these agenda items.
v.
The meeting agreed to hold an event to commemorate ITU Analogue Switch Off date (17th June 2015) within the EACO region.
6. REVIEW OF WG6 ACTION PLAN Members reviewed the action plan attached as Annex 4 and agreed on the following: AGREED 1 The meeting agreed to finalize the following the reports presented in the previous meeting for presentation to the Assembly: i.
Framework for Local Content Development and Sharing by Uganda
ii.
Report on Assessment of Implementation of Harmonized Methodologies & Principles for DTT Transmission Fees by Tanzania
iii.
Performance Indicators for Broadcasting Services-Kenya
iv.
Updated Minimum Technical Standards for Set Top Boxes-Rwanda
AGREED 2 The meeting agreed that the documents would be circulated online for contributions under the following working timelines: January: Circulation of the first draft reports to members for inputs February: Submission of inputs to the focal point March: Submission of consolidated report to EACO secretariat April: Consideration of the reports by WG6. AGREED 3 The WG to have the final meeting in April to finalize the documents and the Chairman’s report to be presented at the Assembly. 7. REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF DIGITAL MIGRATION IN THE REGION Members presented individual country reports on the status of digital migration. The matrix on digital migration process in the region is attached as Annex 5. NOTED 1 The meeting cautioned members to prioritize the roll out of DTT services over DTH to ensure that the operators invest in the DTT Services. 3|Page
NOTED 2 The meeting noted that inclusion of FTA channels on DTH subscription bouquets was conflicting their status as FTA channels. The chairman urged members to ensure that FTA channels are accesible on all platforms without subscription. NOTED 3 The meeting noted that licensing of self provisioning operators would not only compromise spectrum efficiency but also the sustainability of the national signal distributors. 8. REVIEW OF THE CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Members agreed on the format to be used in developing the chairman’s report as attached in Annex 6. 9. NEXT MEETING It was agreed that the next meeting will be held in second week of April 2015. The EACO secretariat shall consult members to determine the host of the meeting 10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS The EACO members were urged to submit response to the questionnaires on the Report on Assessment of Implementation of Harmonized Methodologies & Principles for DTT Transmission fees by the end of January 2015. 11. CLOSING OF THE MEETING In the closing remarks, The Chairman thanked the members for their participation and dedication to the work of the Working Group. The Chairman therefore declared the meeting closed at 15:00hrs.
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ANNEX1
Communications for all in East Africa WORKING GROUP 6: Broadcasting Service Development Regulation
12th to 14th January 2015 EACO HQs, KIGALI, RWANDA
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
No
Names
Institution
Country
Phone No
1. 2. 3.
Andrew Kisaka Kaggwa Meddy Dr. John
TCRA UCC TCRA
TANZANIA UGANDA TANZANIA
+255653948176 +256772452167 +255762545228
andrewk@tcra.go.tz mkaggwa@ucc.co.ug rmpapalika@tcra.go.tz
4 5. 6.
Mpapalika Gababo Wako Caroline Mengich Ndayisenga
CA CA RBA
KENYA KENYA RWANDA
+254721600694 +254727255696 +250788306035
gababo@ca.go.ke mengich@ca.go.ke ndayicall2000@yahoo.fr
7.
Callixte Ange
ARCT
BURUNDI
+25775640226
ngarange12@yahoo.fr
8.
Ngarukiyinka Joel David
TCRA
Tanzania
+255688365095
jchacha@tcra.go.tz
9.
Chacha Nyiringabo
RURA
RWANDA
+250788414729
joseph.nyiringabo@rura.rw
Joseph 10. Caroline Koech
EACO
RWANDA
+254722540603/+
ckoech@eaco.int deobizi@yahoo.fr
11. Deo Bizindavyi
ARCT
BURUNDI
250735122775 +257 799 259994
12
Eng. Barongo
CAA
UGANDA
+256757977352
deo.b@arct.gov.bi rbarongo@caa.co.ug
13 14
Ronus AGABA GERALD Henry Mugabi
CAA UCC
UGANDA UGANDA
+256705323252 +256339000
gagaba@caa.co.ug hmugabi@ucc.co.ug 5|Page
15
Jean Pierre
RURA
RWANDA
+250788834890
Peter.mubiligi@rura.rw
16 17
Mubiligi N. Habbi Gunze Victor Kweka
TCRA TCRA
TANZANIA TANZANIA
+255784822297 +255712470618
gunze@tcra.go.tz vkweka@tcra.go.tz
New Vision
+255763910928 0778506093
ccmuhindo@gmail.com
com Jacqueline
New Vision
0788006760
Jacqueline.achende@gmail.c
Achende Victor Kweka Rebecca Mukite Sara Kabahuma Ruth Kibuuka
TCRA UCC UCC UCC
+255712470618 +256784 361 739 +25678159536 +256 772563870
VKWEKA@TCRA.GO.TZ rmukite@ucc.co.ug skagaba@ucc.co.ug rkibuuka@ucc.co.ug
18
Clare Muhindo@gmail.
19 20 21 22 23 24
TANZANIA UGANDA UGANDA UGANDA
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Annex 2 AGENDA FOR THE 5th EACO WORKING GROUP 6 MEETING 12-14 JANUARY 2015 1.
Opening of the Meeting
2.
Constitution of the Bureau
3.
Adoption of the Agenda
4.
Review 4th meeting Report of the WG6 and Matters arising
5.
Updating country reports on Digital Migration
6.
Progress report on the implementation of the WG6 Action Plan
7.
Preparations of Chair and Assembly Reports
8.
AOB
9.
Closing of the meeting
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ANNEX 3 – LIAISON STATEMENT
ANNEX 4 – WG6 ACTION PLAN
ANNEX 5 – DIGITAL MIGRATION
ANNEX 6 – CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
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