Communications minister Yunus Carrim says that South Africa cannot continue with MultiChoice’s monopoly in the pay-TV space, which he noted has a 98% control of satellite TV in the country.<\/p>\n
Speaking on SABC TV, the minister said: “If you look at MultiChoice, they control 98% of satellite TV\u2026the president has repeatedly said that we must give black players a space, we must deracialise the economy.”<\/p>\n
\u201cThey (MultiChoice) have 60% of the daily sales of newspapers, 50% of the weekly sales, 70% of the magazines in this country\u2026we cannot continue with this level of monopoly,\u201d Carrim said.<\/p>\n
The minister was also critical of an advert placed by MultiChoice in the Sunday papers over the past weekend (16 March 2014).<\/p>\n
MultiChoice, Act-SA and Namec published an open letter to Carrim, asking him to allow free, unencrypted digital terrestrial television to launch without any further delay.<\/p>\n
MultiChoice\u00a0criticized government\u2019s position that set-top boxes must include technology which they say is \u201cunnecessary and expensive\u201d. They specifically referred to encryption technology, which is used to control access to TV services, saying it is not needed.<\/p>\n
Carrim hit back in a press statement, saying that the open letter is \u201castonishingly inaccurate and serves to substantially weaken the case of those opposed to the government\u2019s policy\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are the same old, tired issues (raised in the advertisement) that several experts responded to in detail in the facilitation process on the Set-Top Boxes (decoders), necessary for the transition from the current analogue to digital television,\u201d said Carrim.<\/p>\n
In his interview on SABC, Carrim was far more candid about his feelings.<\/p>\n
“We accept as government that we dithered for a while, but in the last two years if not more, government has been clear about what it wants, it\u2019s the broadcasters and manufacturers who have been feuding up until this very moment.”<\/p>\n
“We are ready to move and we are pleading with the broadcasters even at this last hour \u2013 why don\u2019t they come to an agreement.<\/p>\n
“But even if they don\u2019t, government has to govern, and we have to move forward\u2026we must move forward.”<\/p>\n
Advert in poor taste<\/strong><\/p>\n Carrim said that after six exhausting weeks,\u00a0MultiChoice and other broadcasters came to an impasse.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been keeping the door open to them\u2026out of the blue comes this advert \u2013 it shows bad faith, it\u2019s in poor taste, its replete with inaccuracies that they (MultiChoice) themselves know.”<\/p>\n “In short, its odd that a private commercial company speaks on behalf of consumers from which it draws huge profits, and suggests that this\u00a0MultiChoice represents the nations interests rather than the government does \u2013 it\u2019s like the landlord saying, I represent the interests of the tenant,” the minister said.<\/p>\n Make satellite TV cheaper!<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf they really feel strongly about the consumer, why don\u2019t they make pay TV cheaper, why don\u2019t they make available sport and other activities they have premier content access to the poor and disadvantaged,” Carrim said.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernment has the responsibility to respect their (the poor and disadvantaged’s) interest.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhile they are negotiating, while we are keeping the door open they released this advert\u2026which has shot them in their foot.”<\/p>\n Minister lashes out at MultiChoice digital TV ad<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Digital TV in SA: no encryption needed, says Cabinet<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on digital TV<\/h3>\n