The National Communications Commission (NCC) is at the end of this month to hold a public hearing on a new policy that would require cable systems to use three digits when numbering their channels and to divide the channels into eight blocks based on their content.
Although the nation’s cable systems have been fully digitized since 2020, which should have greatly expanded the number of channels available, the nation’s cable system operators have continued to arrange their channel lineups in the same way as they did on analogue TV. While the operators have divided the channels into blocks based on content, each block has only a limited number of channels.
A news channel block, for example, generally refers to channels 49 to 58. Any new news channel that wants to be aired in this much-coveted block would first need to negotiate with cable system operators and be approved by the NCC.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
As the current system hinders new channel operators from broadcasting on cable and gives cable systems less motivation to adjust their channel lineups, lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee in November last year passed a motion asking the NCC to propose a new policy before next month that would alter how cable system operators arrange their lineups, but would not drastically change the way people watch cable channels.
NCC Deputy Chairman and spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said that the commission disclosed the details of the proposal yesterday in accordance with the motion passed at the legislature last year, adding that details were finalized after consulting experts in six seminars over the past year.
Under the new policy, cable channels would be numbered using a three digits and be divided into eight blocks, he said. Channels with the number “1” as the first digit would be “must-carry” or family channels, while those with “3” would be variety show channels.
Numbers “5,” “6,” and “7” would refer to news, movie and sports channels respectively, he said.
The number “8” would be the first digit of drama or faith-based channels, while “9” would represent adult or music channels, he said.
Home shopping channels, which are not numbered, would be placed in between blocks, he added.
The commission proposed another two solutions to help viewers adapt to the new numbering system, Wong said.
The first solution would be to allow the current and new cable numbering systems to coexist for two to three years, he said.
“If people want to watch TVBS channel on Channel 56, they can press either 56 or 556. This way, they can watch TVBS when they are in channels 1 to 100 or in the new news block channels 500 to 599,” Wong said.
“The second solution is to allow people to watch TVBS on Channel 556 by pressing only 56, although there might be technical difficulties to overcome,” he said.
The Satellite Television Broadcasting Association said that it would propose its own plan to be considered at the public hearing, which would keep the two-digit numbering system, while adding channels with three-digit numbers.
The commission has listened to diverse opinions from industry representatives and civic groups, Wong said.
Cable operators said that the government needs to provide funding so that they can upgrade to the new numbering system, while civic group representatives said that elderly people might have trouble adjusting to the new system, he said.
“The key now is to listen to opinions from all stakeholders,” he said, adding that the policy is feasible if all parties can reach a consensus.
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