18-02-2004

THE FIRST TENDER FOR DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION ANNOUNCED

The Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (RTCL) invited a tender for 6 DTT licences to broadcast or rebroadcast programmes over 53^rd digital TV channel in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The licences will give the right to use the transmission service provided by the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre.

31-03-2004

RESULTS OF THE TENDER SUMMED UP

 The RTCL nominated the winners of the tender for broadcasting or rebroadcasting programmes over the 53^rd digital TV channel in Vilnius.

 The licences were granted to three participants of the tender, i. e. UAB “Balticum TV”, UAB “Laisvas ir nepriklausomas kanalas” and UAB “TV1”.

28-07-2004

THE TENDER FOR REMAINING THREE DTT LICENCES ANNOUNCED ONCE AGAIN

The RTCL repeatedly announced a tender for the three remaining DTT licences to broadcast or rebroadcast programmes over the 53^rd digital TV channel in Vilnius, because last time only 3 participants (out of at least 6 possible) applied. 

06-10-2004

After summing up the results of the tender, the Radio and Television Commission decided to grant DTT licences to rebroadcast programmes over the 53^rd digital channel in Vilnius to UAB “Balticum TV” for 3 television programmes “Viasat Explorer, “Viasat History” and “Viasat TV1000”.

25-11-2004

THE LR GOVERNMENT ADOPTED THE MODEL OF SWITCHOVER TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING IN LITHUANIA

The LR Government approved and adopted the Model of Switchover to Digital Broadcasting in Lithuania, which was prepared by the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania together with other relevant institutions. This Model determines the dates and stages of the DTT development in Lithuania. 
 The DTT in Lithuania is planned to be implemented gradually by 4 national DTT networks, over which no less than 20 programmes will be broadcast.
 According to the Model by the end of 2007 transmissions should be started in 5 largest towns of Lithuania, by the beginning of 2009 one of the DTT networks should cover no less than 95 per cent of Lithuania’s territory. The gradual switchover period from analogue to digital terrestrial television will start in 2012.

13-01-2005

The RTCL started active preparations for the announcement of the DTT tender. Consultations began with all the relevant institutions: CRA, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Communications, other regulatory authorities. Discussions about the particular steps, means and possible dates of the DTT implementation process, number of licences and programmes, amount of licence fees, etc. are taking place. 

07-06-2005

THE RTCL ORGANIZED A FORUM ON THE ISSUES OF DTT IMPLEMENTATION

The RTCL held a forum on the issues of the DTT development, were all the players of the market were present. The participants adopted a Resolution to address the LR Seimas (Parliament) and the Government on the possibility for financial exemptions in order to accelerate and facilitate this process in Lithuania.

The broadcasters were of the opinion that the Government should ensure the necessary funding for the public broadcaster LRT in the period of switchover to digital TV broadcasting in order not to lay the burden on the private broadcasters.

19-10-2005

THE TENDER FOR DTT LICENCES POSTPONED

The RTCL was planning to invite the tender for the DTT licences on 19 October 2005, however due to the failure of the potential participants to agree upon the transmission conditions, programme compression standards, encrypting of the programmes, ways of submitting the signal, etc., the tender was postponed.

26-10-2005

THE TENDER FOR DTT LICENCES ANNOUNCED

The RTCL announced a tender for DTT licences to broadcast and rebroadcast TV programmes. The tender will determine the winners, who will have the right to broadcast and rebroadcast TV programmes over DTT networks using their own electronic communications networks or using transmission services of AB “Lietuvos telekomas” or AB Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre, who previously had won the CRA tender for transmission services.

The tender was announced in accordance with the LR Government’s Model of Switchover to Digital Broadcasting in Lithuania, adopted in November 2004.

14-02-2006

THE WINNERS OF THE DTT TENDER ANNOUNCED

The RTCL summed up the results of the DTT tender and announced the winners and the programmes to be broadcast or rebroadcast over the electronic communications networks covering the whole territory of Lithuania.
All in all there were 6 broadcasters with 12 programmes and 3 re-broadcasters participating in the tender.
The licences were granted to the following broadcasters: UAB “Baltijos TV” – to broadcast programmes “BTV” and “BTV Linksmas”, UAB “Laisvas ir nepriklausomas kanalas” to broadcast its programme “LNK” and “Info TV”, UAB “Tele-3” to broadcast “TV3” and “Tango TV”, UAB “TV1” to broadcast “TV1” and “Bravo TV”, UAB “Spaudos televizija” to broadcast “NTK Naujas Televizijos Kanalas”. In accordance with the Model of Switchover to Digital Broadcasting in Lithuania two licences were reserved for the public broadcaster to broadcast its programmes LTV1 and LTV2
Rebroadcasting licences were granted to UAB “Mikrovisatos TV” for 24 programmes: “Deutsche Welle”, “TV Polonia”, “BBC World”, “Discovery Channel”, “Eurosport”, “CNN”, “Balticum Auksinis”, “Cartoon Networks”, “RTR Planeta”, “National Geographic Channel”, “MTV Europe”, “RTL”, “RTVi”, “Animal Planet”, “Euronews”, “Jetix”, “Discovery Civilisation”, “BBC Prime”, “TV5 Europe”, “Discovery Travel and Living”, “VH1 European”, “Discovery Science”, “Nickelodeon”, “World Fashion Channel” and UAB “Tele-3” for “Viasat History”, TV 1000 East”, Viasat Explorer”, “Viasat Sport 2” and “Viasat Sport 3”.

01-03-2006

THE DTT LICENCES ISSUED

 The RTCL issued licences to the DTT tender winners to broadcast or rebroadcast programmes over either AB “Lietuvos telekomas” or AB Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre DTT networks. Up to 10 programmes will be transmitted over each of the 4 DTT networks.

24-01-2007

BROADCAST OF NEW PROGRAMMES POSTPONED REPRIMANDS ISSUED TO THE DTT REBROADCASTERS

The RTCL considered the requests of UAB “Baltijos TV”, UAB “Laisvas ir Nepriklausomas kanalas” and UAB “TV1” to postpone the beginning of DTT broadcasting until 1 July 2007 due to the need of more time and finances to prepare new programmes.
The Commission issued reprimands to the DTT rebroadcasters UAB “Mikrovisatos TV” and UAB “Tele-3” for failing to carry out their activity.

14-03-2007

LICENCES TO BROADCAST OVER 53^RD DIGITAL CHANNEL IN VILNIUS CANCELLED

 Under the request of UAB “Laisvas ir Nepriklausomas Kanalas” and UAB “TV1” the RTCL cancelled the licences to broadcast their programmes LNK and TV1 over the 53^rd digital channel in Vilnius.

09-05-2007

DTT NETWORKS ALLOCATED ANEW

The Vilnius Regional Administrative Court obligated RTCL to review the issue of allocation of DTT networks for transmission of programmes, as one of the DTT tender winners appealed against the RTCL decision, which was therefore annulled. 

18-07-2007

With a view to accelerate the DTT development in Lithuania and in order to solve the problems more efficiently and help the market players to find the consensus, the Radio and Television Commission held discussions with the interested parties once again.
The participants of the discussions focused on how to make the DTT service more attractive and the public more aware of it. 

24-10-2007

The Commission cancelled the DTT rebroadcasting licence issued to UAB “Tele-3” upon their own request.

21-11-2007

After UAB “Tele-3” had refused their DTT rebroadcasting licences, the RTCL announced two new tenders: for 2 DTT broadcasting and up to 3 rebroadcasting licences.

09-01-2008

THE DTT LICENCE TO BROADCAST “BTV LINKSMAS” CANCELLED

The Commission cancelled the DTT licence to broadcast “BTV Linksmas” by UAB “Baltijos TV” upon their own request.

30-01-2008

 After summing up the results, the Commission decided to grant UAB “Sporto komunikacijos” a DTT licence to broadcast the programme “Sport 1”. The winner was chosen out of 5 participants. It plans to begin broadcasting by July 2008.

13-02-2008

As last tender did not reveal the winners for up to 3 DTT rebroadcasting licences to acquire, the RTCL invited a tender once again.

20-02-2008

This tender was invited again as the UAB “Baltijos TV” refused its licence for the programme “BTV Linksmas” in December last year. The winner will have the right to broadcast the programme using the transmission service of AB Lietuvos Radijo ir Televizijos Centras.

UAB “NACIONALINE  SKAITMENINE TELEVIZIJA” WAS GRANTED 3 MORE RE-BROADCASTING LICENCES

In May UAB “Nacionaline skaitmenine televizija" will start rebroadcasting “Hallmark channel”, “Travel channel” and “Ren TV” Baltic version over TEO LT, AB digital terrestrial networks.

LICENCES ISSUED FOR DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL POGRAMMES “BALTICUM TELEVIZIJA” AND  “3+”

On 1 August, UAB “Balticum TV” was granted licence to broadcast its programme “Balticum televizija” over TEO LT, AB networks from 1 January 2009.
UAB “TELE-3” was announced the winner of the tender for broadcasting its programme “3+” over AB “Lietuvos radijo ir televizijos centras” networks from 1 February 2009.

On 22 October, 2008 the UAB “Balticum TV” won the tender and from March next year will start rebroadcasting 4 more programmes over the 53^rd digital channel in Vilnius.
UAB “Balticum TV” is already broadcasting its own programme “Balticum Auksinis” and is rebroadcasting 3 other programmes on the same channel.