Nowadays broadcasting of television and sound programs is the most effective and practically feasible way of providing population with information.

In the Republic of Belarus television broadcasting is provided by 36 high-power broadcasting stations and 21 repeaters. 247 installed television transmitters of various capacity provide the distribution of the following programs: “TV-First Channel”, “ONT”, “Lad”, “STV”, “RTR-Belarus”, “NTV-Belarus”, “Mir”, “TVC” and 16 private programs. In 2008 ten new television transmitters were installed and implemented, 7 – were updated ,7 television transmitters were replaced. The carried out actions have allowed to increase percent of coverage of the Republic of Belarus by television broadcasting.

As of January 01, 2009 99,64 % of the population of the Republic can receive the program “TV-First Channel”, 97,94 % of the population - “ONT”, 91,84 % of the population – “Lad”, 80,60 % of the population – “STV”, 63,92 % of the population – “RTR-Belarus”, 60,01 % of the population – “NTV-Belarus”.

Deployment of terrestrial digital broadcasting (DVB-T) on the territory of the Republic of Belarus has a special place in the television broadcasting development.

"Conception of the Development of the System of Digital Broadcasting DVB in the Republic of Belarus by the year 2015" and "State Program of Implementing Digital Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Republic of Belarus up to 2015" are prepared and approved by the Resolutions of the Council of Ministers.

The Technical Normative Legal Acts are developing for implementation of digital broadcasting.

Since July 1, 2005 the constant broadcast of digital program package was started in Minsk on the frequency of 48 TV-channel. Nowadays five TV-programs (TV-First Channel, ONT, LAD, STV, NTV-Belarus) and one sound program (First National Channel of the Belarusian Radio) in DVB-T are translating.

In 2007 DVB-T terrestrial digital television broadcasting was started:

• in Sharkovshina of Vitebsk region on the frequency of 43 TV-channel;
• in Mogilev on the frequency of 49 TV-channel;
• in Trokeniki of Grodno region on the frequency of 44 TV-channel.

In 2008 DVB-T terrestrial digital television broadcasting was started:

• in Kopyl of Minsk region on the frequency of 34 TV-channel;
• in Orsha of Vitebsk region on the frequency of 25 TV-channel;
• in Zaschebe of Gomel region on the frequency of 43 TV-channel;
• in Berezino of Minsk region on the frequency of 41 TV-channel;
• in Brest on the frequency of 51 TV-channel;
• in Gomel on the frequency of 51 TV-channel.

As of January 1, 2009 the digital television broadcasting covers 46,77 % of the population of the Republic of Belarus.

The transition period from the analogue television broadcasting to the digital television broadcasting will be completed to 2015.

Subject to ITU Recommendations and development of modern technologies, MPEG-4 compression format will be used when implementing of terrestrial on-air digital broadcasting DVB-T standard.

The Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus recommends to obtain the equipment with supporting of MPEG-4 format for DVB-T standard signals receiving.

312 transmitters of different frequency bands (including 163 ones in the band 87,5 – 108 MHz) guarantee broadcasting of the following programs: "First National Channel of the Belarusian Radio", "The Radio Channel Culture ", "Radius FM", "Stolitsa", regional broadcasting, “Belarus Radio Station” and 23 private programs.

As of January 1, 2009 the program "First National Channel of the Belarusian Radio" is accessible in the all Belarus’ territory as well as in the border regions of adjoining states. The program "The Radio Channel Culture" is available for 97,18 % of the population, "Radius FM" for 96,99 %, "Stolitsa" for 89,83 %, regional broadcasting – 95,06 %, private channels - 54,20 % of the population. The Belarusian programs are broadcasting for the countries of Western Europe, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Baltic States.

The main goals of broadcasting companies are the following:

• enhancement of the television and sound broadcasting content;
• expansion of coverage area of transmission equipment;
• expansion of coverage area of population of the Republic of Belarus by the television and sound broadcasting;
• improvement of the quality of rendering services.

For achieving of the goals the following lines of development are planned:

• building of new broadcasting stations;
• installation of new television transmitters at broadcasting stations;
• providing of active broadcasting stations with modern measuring equipment;
• further development of sound broadcasting network in the band 87,5 –108 MHz;
• further development of the terrestrial digital television and sound broadcasting in the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
• replacement of wire broadcasting amplifiers;
• replacement of outdated energy-intensive transmitting equipment by modern equipment