Small Broadcasters Are Likely At Risk Of Being Removed From MultiChoice's DStv

A few years ago, ICASA held talks with various broadcasters (like Cape Town TV for instance) regarding its must carry bill. As it stands this conditions only included public broadcasters such as the SABC.

Cape Town TV and various other provincial broadcasters wanted their services to form part of these laws and wanted companies like MultiChoice to pay for their services under this agreement. But ICASA had since then turned them down.

ICASA has stated that rules only apply to public broadcasters and not any other tier of broadcasting. It is on this basis that the existing regulations are considered sufficient to address local content and must-carry.

This not only puts Cape Town TV at risk of being removed from DStv but also Soweto TV, Mpuma Kapa TV, 1KZN TV, GauTV and Tshwane TV. 

It was stated during this briefing years ago that some of these channels very much like your SABC News and eNCA are dependant on DStv for their survival. Without them, there's no way they continue to be in operation.

Look at what happened when StarSat was shut down in South Africa after failing to renew it's broadcasting licence. One Freestate Televisual and Rising Sun TV had to scale back on its operations and are now grasping through straws.

MultiChoice had not only been distributing some of these channels exclusively but helping them out with content and other expenses. With them continuing to lose subscribers and under French hands this luxury might come to an end.

Canal+ came into an agreement with regulators to ensure they continue sourcing services from these brands. But that doesn't stop them from scaling back on costs and overtime deciding to no longer offer some of these services on DStv.