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The Battle For Content Exclusitivity Among Pay-tv Operators In Nigeria - TV/Movies - Nairaland

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The Battle For Content Exclusitivity Among Pay-tv Operators In Nigeria by celepapa: 3:20pm On Jul 30, 2013
The June 17, 2015 deadline as set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the transition from analogue broadcasting to digital broadcasting seems to have triggered activities in the broadcasting industry. Though not too many Nigerians are aware of the migration deadline or the processes in place to ensure that they are not being cut-off from television viewing, one of the many advantages of the digital migration would be the availability of more radio frequency spectrum for broadcasting, thereby providing opportunity for more programming content/channels to the viewers.

Bearing in mind that most terrestrial TV stations in Nigeria (also known as free-to-air stations) might be facing serious financial challenges in acquiring full digital equipment for a successful migration due to its high cost, and more importantly the need not to deprive the Nigerian audience they serve from television viewing, most of these TV stations will be willing to engage the services of platforms providers (mostly pay-tv operators) to ensure a successful migration.

But the question remains how these contents/channels will be distributed or viewed by the public, especially where platform providers are becoming more selective and demanding for content/channel exclusivity.

Believing that quality contents/programmes should be priority for pay-tv operators, why do platform providers impose tough conditions for channel/contents owners who seek to be on their platform? Will Nigerians ever have the right like their counterparts in other parts of the world, to subscribe and unsubscribe from the services of these service operators whenever they are not getting the desired value?

One is not averse to pay-tv operators owning 100% exclusivity to contents/channels developed by its content/programmes department, but it becomes worrisome when they put in place outrageous conditions for content/channel owners or providers to be on their platform.


According to a content developer who chooses to be remain anonymous, “The success of a channel/content should not be based on the amount of money spent is developing or acquiring it, but on the number of audience who are able to access such a channel/content and the positive impact it has on their lives.”

Pay-Tv operators in their quest to make “excessive profit” by constantly seeking ways to maintain and increase its subscriber’s base, should not do so at the detriment of Nigerians who do not subscribe to their services, depriving them of quality contents that ideally should be accessed by all, either local or foreign.

One still wonders why channels like CNN and most significantly TVC News, a news channel that recently launched its signals in the UK on Sky channel 572 cannot be found on all pay-tv platforms in Nigeria.

While the former is an American based news channel that has also been accused of reporting American views, one would have at least thought that pay-tv operators as a matter of national and African interest would have granted TVC News a place on their platform.

The news channel for those who are yet to access it, probably due to exclusivity demands of some pay-tv operators, is a 24 hours pan-African news channel, offering a fresh perspective on African and world events. The channel apart from challenging stereotypes and correcting factual inaccuracies about Africa is also projecting the positive values and image of Africa.

There are other channels/contents that suffer same challenges of not reaching out to all Nigerians, possibly due to limited radio frequency spectrum and licensing issues, but more annoyingly the strict demands of exclusivity by these operators.

As the digital migration draws near, it becomes more pertinent for stakeholders and regulators to properly identify and establish proper guidelines for channel/content acquisition and distribution.

Emphasis should however be on providing more quality contents/channels to Nigerians at an affordable or better still no cost, rather than pay-tv operators striving to lockdown channels/content exclusively to their platforms, thereby depriving millions of Nigerians who do not subscribe to their services of quality content.

TV viewing is not a social class thing, and shouldn’t be encouraged as such. The more quality information made easily accessible to Nigerians, the better our society and the economy.

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Re: The Battle For Content Exclusitivity Among Pay-tv Operators In Nigeria by LaudateII: 11:44am On Aug 12, 2013
celepapa:

Believing that quality contents/programmes should be priority for pay-tv operators, why do platform providers impose tough conditions for channel/contents owners who seek to be on their platform? Will Nigerians ever have the right like their counterparts in other parts of the world, to subscribe and unsubscribe from the services of these service operators whenever they are not getting the desired value?

One is not averse to pay-tv operators owning 100% exclusivity to contents/channels developed by its content/programmes department, but it becomes worrisome when they put in place outrageous conditions for content/channel owners or providers to be on their platform.



According to a content developer who chooses to be remain anonymous, “The success of a channel/content should not be based on the amount of money spent is developing or acquiring it, but on the number of audience who are able to access such a channel/content and the positive impact it has on their lives.”

..... Emphasis should however be on providing more quality contents/channels to Nigerians at an affordable or better still no cost,
rather than pay-tv operators striving to lockdown channels/content exclusively to their platforms, thereby depriving millions of Nigerians who do not subscribe to their services of quality content.

TV viewing is not a social class thing, and shouldn’t be encouraged as such. The more quality information made easily accessible to Nigerians, the better our society and the economy.

Gbam! Gbam!! Gbam!!! cool

Even though I do not agree with everything written in your original post, the highlighted portion in your quote resonates with a lot of people in the industry.

These terrestial TV stations with the worst type of content are the ones that charge the independent producers the highest fees. Instead of working out a win-win situation for all parties concerned, (afterall, they have the most to gain) they often try to milk the independent producers dry, with outrageous charges. The most annoying one is the fee they call 'displacement charges' which a lot of private TV and radio stations charge. it is downright annoying. angry

The radio stations are the worst culprits. Their charges per hour almost rivals those of the TV stations and you start wondering what kind of skewed parameters were used by their management to arrive at such rates. angry

That is why we continue to have such lousy content on our terrestial stations. The high fees discourage the independent content producers from airing their programmes. undecided

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