The Republic of the Maldives Ministry of Home Affairs Data Collection Survey on Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in the Republic of the Maldives Final Report March 2015 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. EI JR 15 - 062 The Republic of the Maldives Ministry of Home Affairs Data Collection Survey on Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in the Republic of the Maldives Final Report March 2015 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables Location Map Pictures of Survey Abbreviations Chapter 1 Outline of the Survey .................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Objective ................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.3 Work Schedule ........................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.4 Main Activities of the Survey Team in the Maldives .............................................................. 1-2 Chapter 2 Survey Results ............................................................................................................ 2-1 2.1 General Information on the Maldives ..................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Current State of the Broadcasting Sector ................................................................................ 2-3 2.2.1 Organisations Involved in Broadcasting Services ........................................................ 2-3 2.2.2 Policies and Legal Framework of the Broadcasting Services ...................................... 2-10 2.2.3 Broadcasting Market in the Maldives .......................................................................... 2-13 2.2.4 Assistance Provided by Other Donors ......................................................................... 2-16 2.2.5 Consistency with the National Development Plan of the Maldives and the Country Assistance Policy of Japan .................................................................. 2-18 2.3 Broadcasting Service Provision .............................................................................................. 2-20 2.3.1 Frequency Licencing and Use ...................................................................................... 2-20 2.3.2 Outline of the Major Broadcasters ............................................................................... 2-22 2.3.3 Broadcasting Networks in the Maldives ...................................................................... 2-28 2.4 Status of Preparation for Migration to DTTB ......................................................................... 2-32 2.4.1 National-level Plan for Migration to DTTB and Implementation System ................... 2-32 2.4.2 Status of Preparations at Major Broadcasters .............................................................. 2-34 2.5 Natural Disaster Response System .......................................................................................... 2-38 2.5.1 Natural Disaster Risk in the Maldives ......................................................................... 2-38 2.5.2 Disaster Management Organisations and the Government’s Disaster Prevention Programme ................................................................................... 2-39 2.5.3 Disaster Management/Prevention System and Disaster Response Capacity ............... 2-43 2.5.4 System to Communicate and Diffuse Advisory/Warning and other Disaster Information .................................................................................... 2-45 Chapter 3 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Existing Issues and Assistance Needs ..................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Roadmap for DTTB Migration .................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Study on the Business Model for Platform Operation .............................................. 3-2 3.1.3 Preparation of a DTTB Master Plan............................................................................. 3-6 3.1.4 Study for Preparation of DTTB Migration Plan .......................................................... 3-11 3.1.5 Study on Legal Framework and Guidelines ................................................................. 3-12 3.1.6 Study on Equipment Procurement and Construction Work ......................................... 3-14 3.1.7 Study on Organisational and Human Resource Development ..................................... 3-17 3.1.8 Assistance for Preparation of Technical Standards ...................................................... 3-19 3.2 Direction of Future Assistance ................................................................................................ 3-24 3.2.1 Policy on Examination of the Direction of Assistance ................................................. 3-24 3.2.2 Possible Assistance Components for the Establishment of the DTTB Network .......... 3-25 3.2.3 Examination of Other Assistance ................................................................................. 3-33 3.3 Possibility of Japanese Companies Penetrating the Market by Adoption of Japanese Standards and Market Size .................................................................................. 3-34 3.4 Matters to be Examined in Next Phase Survey ....................................................................... 3-36 3.4.1 Preparation of Channel Plan and Radio Wave Propagation Simulation ....................... 3-36 3.4.2 Possibility of Utilising Existing Antenna Towers and Examination of Construction Sites for New Antenna Towers ............................................................... 3-36 3.4.3 Examination of DBNO Business Model and Financial Analysis ................................. 3-37 Attachment 1. List of Interviewees ...................................................................................................................... A1-1 2. List of Collected Materials ........................................................................................................... A2-1 List of Figures & Tables Chapter 1 Figure 1.3-1 Work Schedule ............................................................................................................... 1-2 Table 1.4-1 Responsibilities and Dispatch Period of the Survey Team Members ............................. 1-3 Table 1.4-2 Main Activities in the Maldives (First On-Site Survey) ................................................. 1-3 Table 1.4-3 Main Activities in the Maldives (Second On-Site Survey) ............................................ 1-4 Chapter 2 Figure 2.2-1 Organisations Involved in the Broadcasting Sector and Relationships among them ..... 2-4 Figure 2.2-2 Organogram of the MoHA ............................................................................................. 2-6 Figure 2.2-3 Organogram of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission .............................................. 2-7 Figure 2.2-4 Organogram of CAM ..................................................................................................... 2-8 Figure 2.2-5 Organogram of the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation ............................................... 2-9 Figure 2.2-6 Organogram of the Maldives Media Council ................................................................. 2-10 Figure 2.2-7 Legal Framework of the Broadcasting Sector in the Maldives ...................................... 2-11 Figure 2.2-8 Examples of Maintenance Services Provided by Japanese Manufacturers .................... 2-14 Figure 2.2-9 Changes in the Number of TV Sets Imported into the Maldives (total number and numbers from the three largest supplier countries) ........................... 2-15 Figure 2.2-10 Unit Price of Imported TV Sets (average CIF price) by Importing Country.................. 2-16 Figure 2.3-1 Composition of MBCo Broadcasts ................................................................................ 2-24 Figure 2.4-1 Roadmap for DTTB (developed in 2011) ...................................................................... 2-35 Figure 2.5-1 Correlation Diagram of Organisations in Charge of Disaster Information and Communication ....................................................................................................... 2-40 Figure 2.5-2 SNAP Framework .......................................................................................................... 2-41 Figure 2.5-3 Organogram of NDMC .................................................................................................. 2-42 Figure 2.5-4 Meteorological Observation Network of MMS ............................................................. 2-43 Figure 2.5-5 Location of MMS Tide Gauges and Diagram of Collaboration with University of Hawaii .............................................................................................. 2-45 Figure 2.5-6 Advisory/Warning Communication System of MMS .................................................... 2-48 Figure 2.5-7 MMS Studio for Weather Programme Production