Blogs - Cape Town TV

Invitation for proposals: animated stings

by Mike Aldridge | Nov 9, 2022 | Uncategorised

CTV is changing its brand and identity to Cape Town TV and we are inviting members of the creative community to take our new name, logo and tagline to create animated stings that communicate the new brand.

Take our NEW LOGO and re-imagine it in a way that conveys the tagline – for you, by you – and the core values and messaging of the channel (see the Creative Brief below). Some ideas include overlaying the logo image with moving or still images or morphing the logo into different devices to illustrate that Cape Town TV is now available digitally both on air and online. Be creative!

Technical specifications

Stings must be between 5 – 15 seconds long
Original or copyright free music
High Definition (HD) format: 1024×768
Standard Definition (SD) format: 720×576 PAL widescreen
Aspect ratio: 16:9 (NOT vertical 9:16)

Creative Brief

Cape Town TV is “going digital”. It is now available free-to-air, on digital terrestrial television and has 9 online channels to make content available on-demand across all devices.
As we expand our broadcast footprint we will retain our progressive values and build the channel from the bottom-up through a participatory and inclusive approach. That is our unique selling point and why people resonate with the channel. Because it is “for you – by you”. This new tagline conveys the core purpose of the channel which is to promote community access to the medium of television as a tool for community development and social change. It’s about democratising the media, empowering people, developing local talent, strengthening the voice of civil society and promoting diverse, authentic voices.
Cape Town TV has a progressive editorial orientation and is committed to addressing inequality and promoting human rights and social justice.
Cape Town TV is a platform for creative expression.

Should you be interested in this opportunity, contact marketing@capetowntv.org to enter. Download the logo from this page or contact us for different picture formats.

Your final design is due the 30 November 2022.

Find Cape Town TV on the Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT)

by Mike Aldridge | Sep 14, 2022 | Uncategorised

Cape Town TV is now available on DTT! Before we jump straight into the blog, let me explain to you what DTT is. DTT stands for ‘Digital Terrestrial Transmission’. This means that a digital signal is broadcast across land-based transmitters straight to your TV.

As South Africa makes the switch from analogue TV to digital we are proud to be available to our long-standing viewers on multiple platforms, which includes both analogue and digital broadcasts along with our own video-on–demand website.

As CTV Station Director Karen Thorne explains, “The DTT transmissions extend CTV’s broadcast footprint considerably. It now extends up to Yzerfontein on the West Coast. Stellenbosch to the north-east and it reaches all the areas on the southern peninsula that previously could not receive the signal from Tygerberg.”

Cape Town TV prides itself on being “for you, by you” and that is why our audience and the communities we serve are an essential part of our channel. By being available on DTT, we can help our loyal viewers avoid the costs of subscription TV. Yes, you heard that right. With DTT there is no monthly fee, you just pay for a decoder or digital TV set to get access to all the available channels. These include six SABC channels, six e-TV channels, the Parliamentary channel and of course CTV in the southern Cape region.

How to get a DTT signal

Basically you just need the right equipment. The cheapest solution is to buy a set-top box (decoder) from select retailers. This box costs around R450 and is plugged into your TV with an HDMI cable or the three breakout cables that go to the Video and Audio inputs on your TV set.

If you already have a DTT decoder you may need to re-scan the frequencies in order for the box to pick up the new CTV channel. Optimally you should use an outdoor aerial instead of the “bunny ears” indoor aerial, and this is just the old ‘grid-type’ UHF aerial that brought you the analogue signal.

You can also use a computer monitor instead of a TV set because the decoder picks up the TV signal and sends it to the monitor, although you will need speakers too for the sound. Or you can get a TV card to turn your PC into a television set.

If you have a household income of less than R3,500 per month you can register at your nearest post office to get a free set-top box with installation. The closing date for all registrations is 30 September 2022. Yes, that’s the end of this month! So if you qualify, get to your nearest post office today to place your order.

If you feel that now is a good time to replace your analogue television set, you can opt for a new digital TV. Bear in mind that the set must have an integrated digital tuner to receive the digital TV signal. A base-model or small-screen IDTV set goes for around R4,500, with big-screen versions available at higher prices.

Some people, particularly those in rural areas, might have a satellite decoder with Sentech’s FreeVision TV service. If you have one of these decoders then you will receive all of the DTT channels via satellite transmission.

Digital broadcasting is the future. However, as we make the switch to a digital broadcasting system we must not leave anyone behind. Remember access to information is a basic human right and television channels like CTV provide you with a wealth of information and entertainment. Get a fast-track to the future with digital TV and make the switch before the analogue signal is turned off and you no longer have access to free-to-air TV.

Con-Court decision is a victory for free-to-air TV

by Mike Aldridge | Jul 15, 2022 | Blog

Cape Town TV welcomes the Constitutional Court ruling to delay the switch-off of analogue television broadcasts.

The judgement, read by Justice J. Mhlantla, declared that “the demands of justice and equity require that the Minister’s decision be declared invalid and set aside.” The court found that the Minister acted in an irrational and unconstitutional manner. The Minister has behaved in an extremely authoritarian and over-hasty way in setting the analogue switch-off (ASO) date just five months after announcing it last year. Broadcasts on the digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) network in South Africa have been going on since 2012, but the South African public has been slow to pick up on it while analogue transmissions have continued.

This judgement gives South Africans more time to get the equipment needed to switch over from an analogue to a DTT signal. TV viewers can also opt for pay-TV platforms such as DStv and OpenView, or they can get an OpenView decoder. To receive the DTT signal you will need either a TV set that has a built in digital tuner (IDTV) or a set-top box DTT decoder that connects to your TV set.

The tough economic climate makes it hard for many South Africans to afford new TV reception equipment. Government has promised free DTT decoders to households earning under R3,500 a month, but a new television set with an integrated digital tuner (IDTV) will set you back at least R4,500 and not everyone can afford a DSTV package.

The Con-Court judgement delays the ASO to allow South Africans time to get their free decoders from government through the post office, or buy their own equipment. The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies must now consult with all stakeholders in the broadcast digital migration (BDM) in order to determine a new date for the ASO. By that time all of the community TV channels will be available on DTT, along with six SABC channels and six eTV channels.

To register for your government set-top box decoder, go to your nearest Post Office with the following items:

A South African identity document.
Proof of address.
An affidavit to confirm that the family has a working television set.
A bank statement or affidavit to confirm that the family income is R3,500 per month or less. If you receive a SASSA grant, you do not need to bring proof of income. Proof that you receive a SASSA grant is enough

Registration for these set-top boxes ends on 30 September 2022.

For those wanting to buy their own equipment, you will find DTT decoders in retailers specialising in TV equipment and online on sales portals such as Takealot. If you’re looking for an IDTV, shop around at TV retailers for sets that can pick up the DTT signal that are within your affordable price range.

For now, we don’t have to worry about an immediate ASO. Make the switch as soon as possible to continue watching TV and your favourite community TV station.