Star TV
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- Jan 1, 2008
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Ndugu MwanaJF, tafadhali pata wasaa wa kujisomea yaliyojiri kwa majirani zetu Kenya, hatimaye wakatangaziwa maboresho ya ving'amuzi walivyokuwa wakiuziwa awali kwa ajili ya kupokelea matangazo yanayorushwa na chaneli zilizo bainishwa kama za bure, yaani Free-To-Air (FTA):
Habari hiyo pia iliandikwa kama ifuatavyo:
Nukuu ya habari kutoka: Owners Yank Three Local TV channels From Chinese Pay TV, StarTimes, Over Signal Distribution Dispute - Jackal News
Nukuhu ya habari kutoka: The Story of Startimes and Missing Local Channels | AFRICA NEWS POST, ambayo ilinakiliwa kutoka: nairobiwire.comTheStory of Startimes and Missing Local Channels
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
About two weeks ago, tens of thousandsof Startimes subscribers were shocked to find none of the major localTV stations was available on whatever package they had paid for.
What seemed like a one night technicalhitch has now dragged for two weeks. Calls to customer care are onlyanswered with the usual 'we're working on it' phrase.
The missing stations include CitizenTV, KTN and NTV.
KBC, Kiss TV and K24 are the only majorlocal channels available.
For the past three days however, thepay TV provider has been passing messages to its clients, trying toexplain why they are not providing local channels. According to thecompany, the three stations have pulled out of Signet, the companythey've been using to air them.
The story is deeper and morecomplicated than Startimes is ready to admit. A few weeks back,Startimes was airing the three stations directly without anytroubles, until they pulled out. The pay TV company had an elaborateexit strategy, because they immediately acquired rights from Signet,to air its over ten stations.
Among Signet's channels were the threethat had pulled out of Startimes, namely Citizen, NTV and KTN. So,Startimes was still able to have the 3 stations via a back door.
This was not to last for long, becausetwo weeks ago, they withdrew from Signet.
So, where does the feud between Citizen- KTN - NTV and Startimes start?
Some years back, the government invitedtenders for the distribution of digital signal. Signet, a companypartly owned by KBC and Pan African Network, PAN ( a companyaffiliated to Startimes), won the tender. Citizen, NTV and KTN hadformed a consortium, but lost the tendering process. Even today, theyare still pressuring the government to approve a third license. CCKhas until now rejected that request.
SK Macharia was especially vocal at thetime of tendering, with claims of corruption in the tendering process surfacing. The stations' heads are in agreement that Startimes gotthe license in dubious circumstances.
Apart from the tendering process wherethe three stations believe Startimes was favoured over their
consortium, there have been complainsthat the Chinese are charging their subscribers for content that isfree to air; specifically the local channels.
Startimes however defends itself sayingit pays for rights to air other international stations, and it wouldmake little business sense should their subscribers convert theirdecoders into free to air ones.
Startimes is now pleading with CCK toresolve the matter, as it threatens to cripple its local operations.With the hype of digital migration, Startimes has been a popularchoice among Kenyans, as it offers the cheapest services, starting atonly Sh 500 a month. Their most expensive package is Sh 1999, asopposed to DSTV which charges in excess of Sh 6000.
Habari hiyo pia iliandikwa kama ifuatavyo:
Owners Yank Three Local TV channels From Chinese Pay TV, StarTimes, Over
Signal Distribution Dispute
May 28, 2013
A few days ago, three Kenyan TV channels yanked their signals from the Chinese Pay TV,
StarTimes – a subsidiary of Pan African Network - after talks with the transmission vehicle
(distributor) failed. The trio Citizen TV, NTV and KTN claimed that the Chinese channel was
charging clients to access to access the local channels that are supposed to be free-to-air.
In addition, the sources said, about ten days ago, the three channels also pulled out of Signet, a
state-funded body that alongside PAN, won the tender to distribute the digital signal in Kenya,
alongside many Third World nations, is under pressure to migrate into digital.
This has left tens of thousands StarTimes clients without access to the three top channels, a
move that may threaten its business operations in east Africa's biggest economy.
Here is the story. A few year ago, the Kenyan government invited tenders for the distribution of
digital signal amid pressure from the International Telecommunication Union that was
pushing to abandon the outdated analogy signal.
At the end of the process, Signet and PAN won the tender, edging out a consortium of that
included Citizen, NTV and KTN. Despite losing, the three broadcasters loathing the fact that
they would have to pay KBC-affiliated Signet and the Chinese firm pushed the government to
approve the third licence. But CCK rejected, claiming it was set aside for a telecommunication
firm.
"The Media owners association has had issues with regulator CCK and government on the
issuance of third digital signal distribution license and until last week they withdrew the
content and activated their call for the government to award them this license," the source
said.
A government source told us that the three stations are not being realistic because other local
TV channels - KBC, K24, Kiss TV, Saraye TV, Gor, Three Stones and KASS TV are still on the
StarTimes platforms. So far, the Chinese outfit is offers for subscription bands: Basic – Ksh
499, Classic – Ksh 999, Indian – Ksh 999, Unique – 1999. (Kenyan media owners say here is
where the problem starts)
But the CCK is told the local TV consortium that it would be considered if they put up infrastructure that would facilitate licence; such as form a company and created
administrative and technical structures. "The CCK can still give them the licence if they prove
the economic viability," a source explained.
If not, the three TV stations can buy shares in Signet or PANG-which is required to float 20
percent shares to local investors after two years of operation- which is next year June.
But Linus Gitahi, the CEO Nation Media Group, told the Jackal News that they have been
short-changed in the deal. First, he spoke of the dubious circumstances under which the
StarTimes acquired the licence.
Second, he said Startimes were licensed as a free-to-air signal distribute that, surreptitiously
morphed into a pay TV, compelling the TV audience to pay in order to access its signal,
including local TV channels that are free-to-air. "If it was registered as a pay TV under should
operate under different licensing regime like DSTV," he explained.
Gitahi further lamented that it was too expensive to produce local channels - government
policy is pushing for 60 percent of TV content should be local – but the Chinese company goes
ahead to charge its consumers for channels that are free on terrestrial. "This is unfair to local
TV companies and even the Kenyans," he growled.
Nonsense, responded a rival source. Because StarTimes is similar to GoTV, a distribution
platform owned by DSTV, why have the three TV channels not yanked their signal from it?
On its part, StarTimes said, its signal includes dozens of other international channels that cost
money.
"Already, many Kenyans had started experiencing digital migration and especially cheaper pay
TV option. StarTimes has the highest number of subscribers currently and you notice this by
the number of calls to customer care," the source explained.
To avoid a collapse of the local market, the Startimes pleaded with state regulator, CCK, as well
as signal distributors (Signet and PAN) to resolve their grievances.
Nukuu ya habari kutoka: Owners Yank Three Local TV channels From Chinese Pay TV, StarTimes, Over Signal Distribution Dispute - Jackal News
