TopTV has announced that it will discontinue its Top Movies +24 and Top Junior channels from Wednesday<\/p>\n
“TopTV regrets the timing of this change to its channel make-up, but due to operational reasons, it has become necessary to prepare for a proposed new channel structure,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
TopTV said it was in negotiations with a prospective investor, and that it expected to make details of the deal public in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
In November last year it was reported that the pay-TV platform faced financial difficulty and had gone into business rescue under section 129 of the Companies Act as a “precautionary measure”.<\/p>\n
According to an article posted on the Channel 24 website, it was felt it could have problems meeting its payment obligations due within six months from then.<\/p>\n
It reported that the business rescue plan was intended to “provide a protective bubble around the company and buy it some time to complete the search for a strategic equity partner”.<\/p>\n
TopTV, which is owned by On Digital Media (ODM), started operating in May 2010, in competition with Multichoice’s pay-TV platform DStv.<\/p>\n
In March, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) heard an application by TopTV to broadcast three channels of pornography –Playboy, Desire, and Private Spice — between 8pm and 5am.<\/p>\n
“There is a potential, when the business does come out of its current situation, that adult content will help in the survival of the business. It is a revenue stream,” CEO Eddie Mbalo said at the time.<\/p>\n
TopTV applied to Icasa in September for permission to flight three, subscription-based porn channels, but went ahead without Icasa’s consent when it had received no response after two months.<\/p>\n
The High Court in Johannesburg later ruled that it could not broadcast pornography channels without Icasa’s permission.<\/p>\n
In December 2011, Christian organisations, including the Evangelical Alliance of SA and the Methodist Church of SA, planned a boycott of TopTV, its advertisers and sponsors, after the pornography plan was announced.<\/p>\n
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