Broadcasting
Nigerians Protest DStv Tariff Hike, Urge Govt to Intervene
Many Nigerians on Monday decried the announcement by Multichoice that it would increase its subscription rates for DStv packages from August 1.
Multichoice in its messages to its subscribers recently, said that it would, however, reduce its rates for Gotv on its satellite platform.
The company which recently announced the proposed increment said that its rate for the Dstv Premium package would be from N14, 700 to N15; 800; the Compact Plus would be increased to N10, 650 from N9, 900.
It added that the Compact package would be from N6,300 to N6,800; Family package would be increased from N3,800 to N4,000, and Access package would be from would be from N1,900 to N2,000.
It, however, said that each of its subscribers on Gotv Max package would begin to pay N3,200 instead of the previous N3,800.
It added that each of its subscribers on Gotv Plus, Gotv Value and Gotv Lite subscribers would be paying N1,900, N1,250 and N400, respectively, on monthly basis.
Some Nigerians condemned the proposed new rates in their posts on their social media platforms.
They said that it would amount to ripping them off of their hard earned money as well as wondered what was responsible for the sudden increase.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that a Twitter name Mazi Ubadire was quoted as saying: “I just saw a message on my DStv explorer about an upgrade of subscription from high to higher.
“What is the rationale behind this increment of subscription fees on DStv, the company needs to explain.”
Akinlade tweeted: “These DStv guys are not ready to do business. After showing the same programmes repeatedly till the subscriber gets tired, they are increasing their subscriptions.”
Abiodun Bukola said: “DStv has increased the price for premium again. These guys are bold.
“The question we must ask DStv is how come they cannot change their subscriptions to Pay as you use?
“If not for the football channels my husband watches, I would have thrown that decoder in the bin.”
Olamipekun Adeshina tweets: “DStv has increased their subscription again, why are these people ripping us off like this and more importantly, why are we quiet? This madness has to stop.
“I just received a message from DStv about decreasing my channels by 15.8 (%) per cent. Is it with the new tariff or the old tariff? I don’t understand them.
“Is this how DStv will be reaping us up in our own country? Is this obtainable. in other countries where they exist? What happens to our consumer rights?”
Zoba Okorie tweeted: “DStv is a liability not an asset. It takes money off your pocket and doesn’t bring back cash flow. So, if you genuinely can’t afford it for now and pay comfortably, don’t get it.
“Don’t be pressurised by the internet people. Don’t try to fit in, just be you and leave within your means.’’
Blessing Nwanze tweeted: “Even with everyday repeat of movies and programmes, DStv is still increasing the amount of their brochure effective 1 August, 2018.
“This is really more money for nothing. Do we have a government? Can this be regulated or the government is on free subscription.”
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that Nigerians will no longer pay annual Digital Access Fees under the renewed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Ebuebu said viewers only need to purchase an approved decoder and satellite dish which cost below N20,000 to enjoy free television permanently.
“Previously, users paid an annual digital access fee of about N1,500, described as an administrative charge.
“The new system removes that annual fee. It provides free access to free-to-air television channels without any payment.
“Premium channels will be introduced later. Viewers who want those additional channels will be able to access them through paid services.
“Nigerian content on free-to-air channels remains free to watch. Unlike Pay TV, this platform does not require monthly subscriptions for its basic service,” he said
Ebuebu said approved decoders for the FreeTV will cost less than N20,000 and authorised sales outlets will soon be announced.
He urged Nigerians to wait for official information on approved dealers for the DSO decoders, warning that unauthorised sellers are exploiting growing public demand.
He reiterated that people only need a free-to-air decoder, along with a satellite dish instead of the old antenna system to receive the DSO signal.
“Once the equipment is installed, viewers can access all available channels across the country without paying any subscription fees,” he stressed
The DG dismissed claims by some retailers that there are different categories of decoders sold at varying prices, stressing that such sellers are not authorised by the commission.
According to him, the NBC will soon publish the list of approved dealers, official prices, and locations where genuine decoder boxes and accessories can be purchased.
The NBC boss said the DSO project is designed not only to improve television broadcasting but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and opening up opportunities for businesses that support the broadcasting industry.
Ebuebu noted that content producers and broadcasters stand to benefit significantly from the nationwide reach of the DSO platform.
Unlike the previous system, where many stations had limited regional audiences, he said the new platform will make their channels available to viewers across Nigeria.
He added that the introduction of audience measurement technology will provide scientific and reliable data on television viewership.
Ebuebu added that audience measurement technology will give advertisers greater confidence in placing adverts and enable broadcasters to demonstrate the true size and reach of their audiences nationwide.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker, has raised concerns over the alleged unauthorised broadcast of Nollywood films by some Ghanaian television stations, calling on Ghana’s National Film Authority (NFA) to strengthen the enforcement of copyright laws.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker
Mbunabo made the remarks during a conversation with James Gardiner, deputy CEO of the National Film Authority (NFA) of Ghana.
He questioned whether it was permissible for television stations in Ghana to download Nigerian movies from YouTube and air them without obtaining permission from the producers.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity. Is it legalised in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?”
According to Mbunabo, some Ghanaian television stations have been downloading newly released Nollywood films from YouTube and broadcasting them without authorisation, depriving producers of revenue generated through the platform.
He also stated that he had not witnessed Nigerian television stations engaging in similar practices and questioned what measures Ghana was taking to protect filmmakers’ intellectual property.
Responding to the concerns, Gardiner acknowledged that the issue exists and said the National Film Authority had begun engaging relevant stakeholders to address it.
He disclosed that the NFA has held discussions with the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) on improving copyright enforcement.
Gardiner explained that while Ghana has copyright laws, enforcement remains challenging because many television stations now operate digitally and may not have physical offices within the country.
“There are copyright laws, but they are not effective because a lot of the TV stations don’t have offices. Most of them are now digital, so they operate from anywhere. They can even have a Ghanaian TV station but be operating from Austria simply because it is digital.”
He added that authorities are considering a new licensing framework that would require broadcasters to undergo a fresh licensing process to improve monitoring and enforcement.
According to Gardiner, television stations found guilty of illegally broadcasting copyrighted content would be required to compensate affected producers through fines.
He added that repeat offenders could face suspension of their broadcasting licences, while a third violation could result in the revocation of their licences.
Although he did not provide a specific timeline, Gardiner said the reforms were already underway and expressed hope that significant progress would be seen next year.
Mbunabo welcomed the proposed measures but urged the National Film Authority to expedite the process, stating that unauthorised broadcasts continue to affect filmmakers’ ability to recover production costs through legitimate distribution channels such as YouTube.
He also stressed that his comments were not directed at Ghana’s film industry, noting that he has worked with several Ghanaian actors over the years and supports collaborations between Nollywood and Ghallywood.
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