Stories have been circulating for some weeks that “up to 40 African nations” have been given exemptions from the June 17th absolute switch-over from analogue TV broadcasting to digital.

‘Not so” states the ITU bluntly, and warns that any nation which has not switched off its analogue TV by mid-June risks their international protection rights to non-interference by adjacent nations.

The “exemption” claim was made in a Kenyan court-room last month by litigants seeking to extend their analogue transmissions for a period.

The ITU explains it has worked patiently with 47 African nations over a period of years to prepare for the mid-June date and in the planning and coordination needed to free up the 700 and 800 MHz bands (usually used for analogue TV).

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