Lourenço Melo
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília – Minister of Communications, Hélio Costa, will soon travel abroad to check on the chances for technology transfer which will make it easier to decide on the country's digital TV format. According to the minister, there is interest by some countries in installing factories in Brazil which would reduce the cost of new technology. Brazil is specifically interested in semi-conductor industries, said Costa.

"In Brazil, 93% of the TV sets receive open TV broadcasting. What we want is a system that is robust enough to reach that 93%," explained the minister. "What Brazil really wants is a format that will have zero cost for the Brazilian consumer."

Among the various countries Costa will visit are Japan and Korea.

Translation: Allen Bennett