VZCZCXRO9796
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHSO #0245/01 0651939
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061939Z MAR 06
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4612
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 5770
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2293
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 1833
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0390
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 2066
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 2417
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 1580
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ 2612
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 2735
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 6863

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SAO PAULO 000245 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND EB/CIP 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR MSULLIVAN 
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN 
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/OLAC/DRISCOLL,BASTIAN 
USDOC FOR 3134/USFCS/OIO/MKESHISHIAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS ECON PGOV ETRD BEXP BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL CRAWLS TOWARD DIGITAL TV 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  With the nominal March deadline set for the 
adoption of a digital television (DTV) standard, Brazilian officials 
remain divided on the issue, and the recent entry of the Brazilian 
Congress into the process will likely delay a final decision. 
Brazil is currently choosing a digital TV standard from among three 
competing consortia: ATSC (embraced by the United States, Canada, 
Mexico, and South Korea), DVB (the European standard), and ISDB-T 
(Japan's choice).  While the Japanese standard is favored by 
Minister of Communications Helio Costa, it has become clear that the 
President's office will be making the ultimate call on this.  U.S. 
Mission is working with the ATSC Forum and ATSC-related companies to 
showcase the merits of that standard.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
DIGITAL TV DECISION STILL UP IN THE AIR 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Brazil's interagency community is in the midst of a 
complicated process to select the standard for the country's digital 
TV system.  While Minister of Communications Helio Costa, a 
proponent of the Japanese standard, has led much of the Government's 
preparatory efforts, responsibility for presenting the options to 
President Lula has now shifted to the president's Chief of Staff: 
Dilma Rousseff.  Based upon Mission's contacts with Rousseff, she 
appears determined at all costs to avoid a repeat of the debacle 
surrounding Brazil's choice of its PAL-M analog standard - which 
ended up being embraced by only Brazil and Laos (the latter hardly a 
major world player).  According to Rousseff and Minister of Trade 
Luiz Fernando Furlan, Brazil's decision should be based on the needs 
of Brazilian manufacturers and the country's potential export 
markets.  Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil has chimed in as well, 
noting that all three standards equally meet Brazil's technological 
requirements and that the choice will be based on business and 
regulatory concerns. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  While Minister Costa announced recently that Lula has all 
the information he needs to make a decision, this statement appears 
to be a bit premature.  The various ministries involved have until 
March 10 to submit their views to the President's office (the 
Planalto).  Thereafter, it is unclear when a decision would be made. 
 One industry contact Emboff spoke to thought that given the desire 
on the part of some GOB staffers to convene another round of 
meetings between high-level officials and consortia reps, no 
decision would be forthcoming until May or June. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Meanwhile, Federal Deputy Walter Pinheiro (PT-Bahia) has 
presented a bill to Congress that would suspend the March 10 
deadline and allow more time to discuss the issue within the 
Brazilian government.  While Pinheiro's bill stands little chance of 
passage, it has served notice to the executive branch that Congress 
would like input into the ultimate decision, thus throwing another 
wild card into the deck.  A recent editorial in the influential 
newspaper "O Estado de Sao Paulo" notes that Congress' decision to 
enter the debate comes late in the process and will only deepen the 
differences within the GOB, adding pointedly, "this is a billion 
dollar business.  The changeover from analog to digital will cost 
about USD 45 billion dollars over four years...  Depending on the 
standard selected, Brazil stands to export digital TV sets, and not 
just to South American countries." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
JAPANESE DIGITAL TV STANDARD COSTS THE CONSUMER MORE 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  According to a report by the GoB's Technological Research 
and Development Foundation Center (CPqD), the Japanese digital 
television standard would be the most expensive for the consumer 
among the systems being considered for adoption in Brazil.  Reports 
say the leaking of the report's conclusions displeased Minister 
Costa, who labeled the data as "inconsistent".  The report states 
that, of the three consortia, the European standard would have the 
lowest broadcasting cost to Brazil.  The study also recommends that 
selection not be based on technological considerations alone. 
 
 
SAO PAULO 00000245  002 OF 003 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
GOB SEEKING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  In recent days, it has become clear that the GOB is 
placing a great deal of emphasis on the financial incentives that 
each consortia can offer.  We know that Trade Ministry staffers have 
approached one ATSC manufacturer seeking a commitment to invest in 
local production of television sets and/or semi-conductors.  Other 
key factors for the Brazilians will likely be exemptions from 
royalty requirements, cut-rate financing and/or loan guarantees, 
opportunities for both technology transfer and Brazilian 
participation in the development of "middleware," and the potential 
for duty-free access by Brazilian manufacturers of receivers to 
developed country markets.  We were told by one industry contact 
that the GOB thought that if it were accorded duty-free access to 
the U.S. market, DTVs manufactured in the south of Brazil could get 
to the U.S. market as cheaply as those made in Mexico.  Meanwhile, 
the Europeans are already moving to sweeten their often.  Siemens 
has announced that it will create a DTV Development Center in 
Manaus.  Once operational, the USD 5.5 million facility would be 
capable of exporting 2.5 million Euros annually in software and 
set-top boxes. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  According to the ATSC Forum, there are at least eight 
equipment manufacturers competing to provide ATSC transmission 
equipment (compared to only two for the Japanese system).  In the 
U.S., Harris Corporation is the leading provider in this highly 
competitive market.  Harris played a leading role in preparing U.S. 
broadcasters for the introduction of DTV, and, if Brazil were to 
adopt the ATSC standard, Harris would be prepared to: 
 
--  Conduct up to three, week-long, intensive ATSC Convergence 
Seminars, 
 
--  Following ATSC adoption, for any transmitter sold, train up to 
three technicians about the transmitter, and 
 
--  Open a factory in Brazil for the final assembly of transmitters 
and exciters. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Meanwhile, the ATSC Forum also reports that, again if 
Brazil were to adopt the ATSC Standard, Zenith Electronics and its 
parent company, LG Electronics, would be prepared to support the 
transition to DTV broadcasting through: 
 
--  Direct contributions to a Brazilian DTV development fund, 
 
--  Transfer of receiver reference designs to Brazilian 
manufacturers, 
 
--  Transfer of ATSC modulator reference designs to Brazilian 
manufacturers, and 
 
--  Expanded manufacturing investments in Brazil. 
 
The timing and amounts of these investments and contributions would 
depend on the pace of the DTV transition in Brazil. 
 
--------------- 
MISSION EFFORTS 
--------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Over the past month, FCS and State have worked closely 
with the ATSC Forum to highlight the advantages associated with the 
ATSC system.  Now that the competition is reaching the end-game 
stage, we are intensifying our 
efforts.   Charge has co-signed a letter with the Canadian and South 
Korean Ambassadors (the Mexican Ambassador couldn't get 
authorization from his capital to sign) emphasizing the degree to 
which the ATSC standard would 
promote the GOB's goal of digital inclusion. In addition, we are 
pushing forward on the public diplomacy front and keeping in touch 
with ATSC manufacturers - who are conducting their own lobbying 
 
SAO PAULO 00000245  003 OF 003 
 
 
campaign.  Specifically, both Embassy and Consulate will note to our 
interlocutors here 
that the GOB can easily gain duty-free access to the U.S. market for 
Brazilian-manufactured digital televisions by simply signing on to 
the WTO Information Technology Agreement.  Overall, Mission shall 
continue to report 
on the DTV issue as the situation develops. 
 
¶10.  (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Brasilia. 
 
McMullen