June 3, 2022 – The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica has announced that longtime broadcast television expert Aldo Cugnini of AGC Systems is being retained to provide advisory services in support of Jamaica’s transition from analog to digital broadcasting and the analog TV switch-off. Several years in the making, Jamaica’s Digital Switch Over (DSO) will transition the island nation’s over-the-air television broadcasting system to the ATSC 3.0 digital standard.
“Aldo is an excellent addition to the Jamaica DSO team. He will also help to advance our relations with ATSC, as Jamaica joins the NexGen TV community,” said Cordel Green, Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica.
A long-time Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) member and technical committee participant, Cugnini will serve as Technical Advisor to the Commission, which will include support for rolling out ATSC 3.0 Transmission, Application and Presentation services, as well as providing input into the deployment of digital-to-analog converters for Jamaican viewers.
“I’m very excited to be part of the Broadcasting Commission technical team and I am proud to be helping to bring the most modern television standard available today to the broadcasters and people of Jamaica,” Cugnini said.
“ATSC welcomes Jamaica to the growing number of countries deploying ATSC 3.0 technologies with Television Jamaica blazing the trail, launching NextGen TV services in January this year,” said Madeleine Noland, ATSC President. “With many more Jamaican broadcasters preparing for service launches, there is much work yet to be done. With the selection of AGC Systems and Aldo as a long-time ATSC member, Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica has brought years of expertise to the project.”
On January 31, Jamaica joined South Korea and the U.S. in the adoption and transmission of an ATSC 3.0 digital terrestrial television service. TV Jamaica (TVJ) is offering free broadcasting services to viewers, with a variety of channels including TVJ, TVJ Sports Network, Reggae Entertainment Television and Jamaica News Network, and the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica.
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The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica is an independent statutory agency established in June 1986. It falls under the ambit of the Minister with responsibility for Information. The Commission is mandated by the Broadcasting and Radio Re-diffusion Act (BRRA) to monitor and regulate free-to-air television, broadcast radio and subscriber television (Cable) services to ensure their operation at appropriate levels in relation to technical, programming, and service standards.
AGC Systems was founded in 2003 by engineer and technologist Aldo Cugnini and provides consulting services in the areas of digital audio, video, and television systems. Its clients include, and have included, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Philips, The WNET Group, SMPTE, General Electric, and Funai Electric.
