Latvians to plug in to digital television

Latvia's National Radio and Television Center announced it will begin providing digital television service by early next year.

"Digital television will enable people to watch more programs than they can get now and with better reception as well," said Maris Pauders, director general of the state-run center.

"There are currently 747 televisions, but only 10 home computers, in Latvia for every 1,000 people," said Pauders. "With digital television, people will be able to access the Internet through their television sets, and they will be able to use it for things like e-banking as well."

According to Pauders, people will only have to buy a digital television box, the cheapest of which cost from 100 lats ($160) to 150 lats, rather than having to buy a new TV set.

"There are boxes, like some that Nokia makes, that offer many more features, but people will be able to enjoy the benefits of digital television with the lower-end models as well," said Pauders.

"We have built a highway which you (the television stations), hopefully, will be able to fill with good programs," said Guntars Spunde, head of the Digital Latvian Radio and Television Center, another participant in the project.

Latvia's Neatkariga Televi-zija (LNT) Director Andrejs Ekis agreed with Spunde that the networks needed to use the technology, particularly to provide local programming.

"The time has come when the television companies will have to produce many more television programs than they already do," said Ekis.

Pauders envisions specialized local channels for things like sports and children's programming.

"We will of course offer high-quality (foreign) movie and sports channels on digital television, but we think that there is a real market for local channels," said Pauders.

By looking at other European digital television providers as a model, Pauders hopes to eventually offer 36 channels in Riga and about 24 in the rest of Latvia.

"There are many places in the countryside where people can't get cable," said Pauders. "Now they will still get channels like LTV (Latvijas Televizija) and LNT for free, but they will also be able to subscribe to other stations too."

Pauders believes that the monthly cost for subscribers to digital television will be about 5 lats.