By Adekunle Adekoya

ON Digital Media, ODM, owner of South African pay-TV platform, Top TV is in the news again. The development centred around a business plan to reposition the TV operator which some shareholders allege they were not privy to.

Specifically, ODM’s TopTV hopes to regain market traction through introduction of adult content in its bouquet offerings, which met stiff resistance from stakeholders in South Africa. There are palpable fears that if the bid in South Africa succeeds, StarTimes may extend the adult channels to its Nigerian operations.

Top TV experienced a business failure last year and filed for rescue. The rescue plan was brokered by business rescue practitioner, Peter van den Steen.

In the deal, which encompasses restructuring of the company, Chinese pay-Tv provider, StarTimes stepped in and acquired 20 per cent of ODM’s equity, while the equity held by First National Media Investment Holdings (FNMIH), First AOne and Red Gold Investments, along with the National Empowerment Fund and the IDC — will be diluted to a 15 per cent non-controlling interest.

Van den Steen explained further that ODM is in the process of concluding the implementation of the business rescue plan, as voted and adopted by its creditors and shareholders on 30 April this year. “This is a legally binding process that allows for the company to continue to operate in the normal course of business and to be restructured within the protective bubble of business rescue as per Chapter 6 of the Companies Act.”

StarTimes’compensation for providing the much-needed cash in the bailout deal  will be a  65 per cent economic stake in the company, which gives the operator effective control.

As a result, ODM’s TopTV has rebounded into the South African broadcast market with a wider range of content which includes a pornography bouquet, Playboy TV, but is now operating as StarSat.

StarSat, which will also offer NatGeo Gold, Fox International and Bollywood channels will be available to consumers from December 1, through the company’s high definition, HD, decoder. TopTV subscribers will be able to receive StarSat signals on their old decoder, while those who wish to upgrade to the HD decoder can do so.

Interim chief executive of ODM, Eddie Mbalo says while the company is launching an HD decoder, the channels are not HD as yet, adding that the entry of StarSat into the pay-TV market “promises a new viewing experience”. The adult bouquet, says Mbalo, will also be available with the kick-off of StarSat.

StarTimes boss, Pang Xinxing says his company believes diversity in the broadcasting space is the ultimate consumer benefit. “Now South African viewers will have a wider choice of TV services to subscribe to.”

This is what raises anxiety in Nigeria, whether Nigerian viewers, by StarSat of StarTimes, will also “have a wider choice of TV services to subscribe to.” The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, ICASA, the country’s one-stop industry regulator recently licensed TopTV, rebranded StarSat, to broadcast three adult content channels — Playboy TV, Desire TV, and Private Spice in South Africa, raising fears that the Chinese pay TV operator may include the Top TV porn channels in its Nigerian bouquet offerings.

Contacted on the development, Irete Anetor, Public Relations Manager of the NTA-Star TV Network in an e-mail, said:

“I sincerely want to categorically state here, that this insinuation is baseless, untrue and unnecessary. StarTimes respects and abides by the rules and regulation that guides Broadcasting in Nigeria. We respect religious and Cultural views and will not violate such. Our content are rich and will remain rich in Local contents, educational programs, News, Music, Movies, entertainment, Sports and much more.

“StarTimes is the only pay-tv that gives over 40% local content on its platform. StarTimes is here to stay and will achieve its set goal of digital migration before dues date of 2015.

We have done so much in the last 3 years of our existence expanding our coverage to over 22 cities (states) across the country (Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ibadan and Port-Harcourt, Aba, Benin, Enugu, Ilorin, Jos, Kaduna, Makurdi, Onitsha, Sokoto, Uyo and Yola) and providing the best of 70+ channels to our subscribers which is reach in Local contents, educational programs, News, Music, Entertainment, Sports and much more. We launched in 9 new cities in the past two months (Abeokuta, Akure, Oshogbo, Lokoja, Owerri, Warri, Calabar, Zaria and Awka)  and we are launching in more states before the end of the year. We have over 1.5 million subscribers in just 3 years of operation.

“In Life, when a man is reaching his aims and objectives, achieving his goals and fulfilling his purpose, there will be people or group of persons that will want to distract him or want to pull him down (PHD Syndrome). This is a fact of life”.

“StarTimes as the only licensed Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in Nigeria can’t be distracted from successfully migrating Nigeria from Analogue to Digital before due date 2015. StarTimes is a joint venture between the largest TV Network in Africa, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) of Nigeria and Star Communication Network CO, Limited of China. ….it is not possible to have fund crisis and still be expanding in Nigeria. Our vision is to provide every African family with affordable and enjoyable DTT service.”