Stakeholders To GOTv: You’re Operating Illegal Business; Take Case To N/Assembly, Jonathan. November 13, 2013

Stakeholders To GOTv: You’re Operating Illegal Business; Take Case To N/Assembly, Jonathan

The controversy surrounding the operation of pay-tv channel, GoTV in Nigeria continues unabated with some aggrieved stakeholders in the industry insisting that the pay-tv channel is not only operating illegally in the country but also doing so with the active connivance of the officials of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Thegazellenews.com can revealed that the aggrieved stakeholders have vowed to fight the matter to a logical conclusion using all available legal means. “We will fight this to a logical conclusion and we would use all available legal means to ensure that we get justice on this matter,” Dawud Abiodun, one of those who spoke with our correspondent said.

According to another stakeholder, Anastacia Onyewu, they are taken the case to the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku. “If we don’t get redress from Maku, we will go to the National Assembly and the President and if all these fail, we will go to court,” he said, real anger showing on his face.

The bone of contention has been whether or not GOTv can operate Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) when it seems it has not been licenced to do so.

In our earlier report, thegazellenews.com had reported that going by investigation based on a petition by the Stakeholders to the NBC, GOTv was not licenced to operate DTT in the country.

According to the petition, GOTv has no legal right to transmit digital broadcasting in Nigeria using DVB-T technology. The petitioners through a letter to the NBC questioned the right of GOTv providing Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT) services in Nigeria. They stated that such services can only be provided for now by the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) which is the only organ licenced by the NBC to provide such service in Nigeria.

Thegazellenews.com’s investigation had revealed that the stakeholders’ claim may have been right. The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, had cleared the air after one of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings. Maku confirmed that NTA is the only organisation approved by the Federal Government to provide DTT service, thus meaning NTA is the public signal distributor licenced in the country. Simply put, no DTT licence has been granted to any other service provider except the one given to NTA. So the question of why is GOTv operating and expanding its service illegally when it seems it has not been licenced to do so arises?

For the uninitiated, the Digital Video Broadcasting Terrestrial (DVBT) offers Digital Terrestrial Television services while the Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVBH) offers digital mobile television services.

Investigation revealed that there is a whole lot of difference between the two. The former allows the operator to transmit from video terrestrial television while the later only gives room for the operator to provide services only on handheld devices such mobile phones, i-phones, i-pad among others. Since the NTA is the only organisation legally licenced to provide terrestrial television services, why is GOTv doing so illegally?

However, GOTv seems to have favour with the NBC with the agency declaring that the pay-tv channel can operate DTT in Nigeria without any hindrance.

According to the NBC, the pay-tv channel has every legal right to provide the service since the parent company of the channel, Details Nigeria Limited, has upgraded its licence which allowed the pay-tv company to provide both mobile and terrestrial services.

Speaking on the controversy, the Head of Public Affairs of NBC, Mrs. Maimuna Jimada, stated that GOTv through Details Nigeria Limited has licence to operate Multipoint Multimedia Distribution System (MMDS) and Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld (DVB-H).

Mrs. Jimada stated that “what Details Nigeria Limited has simply done was to deploy the Digital Video Broadcasting – Technology2 (DVB-T2) which allows it to provide both Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) services”.

She debunked the claim that GOTv was using understand tactics to ensure that it remains in the market. “I’m not aware of any scheming. The company has a licence that allows it to operate and provide the services it is providing and I have simply explained how it attained such status,” she said.

But some analysts in the industry believed that the agency is speaking from two sides of the mouth and indeed thegazellenews.com can reveal that NBC has deliberately decided not to speak on the Minister’s statement that it was only NTA that has been licenced to provide DTT services.

According to them, GOTv, aided by the NBC, is using the inter-connectivity and similarity between DVBT and DVBH to play a fast one on the Nigerian government.

“We have found out that GOTv is only licenced to provide DVBH services but is using that to provide DTT services to members of the public illegally. This should stop and we will fight this to a logical conclusion. If the NBC is not acting on this, we will take the matter to the National Assembly and we may even go to court,” Nwachukwu Austin, an industry stakeholder told thegazellenews.com.

Industry watchers believed that there is need for the Nigerian government through the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, to make a public clarification on the matter. “The Minster needs to intervene because it seems the NBC has fallen for the antics of GOTv. If the Minister has said that the NTA is only agency licenced to run DTT, then we need to know when the decision has been overturned or else it means GOTv is illegal,” Rasheed Ayinde, an industry watcher said, a view corroborated by others who spoke with thegazellenews.com.

As it is, it seems the battle line has just been drawn on this controversy, we will continue to keep you updated as events unfold.

http://www.thegazellenews.com/2013/11/13/stakeholders-to-gotv-youre-operating-illegal-business-take-case-to-nassembly-jonathan/

Hum first to comment tank God.MOD first page pls

What does the law says about DSTV broadcasting their channels? Was it by solely digital means only or any other means? Does DSTV transmits other channels apart from those channels it has on Digitals? Some questions that needs answers.
Having said this, It is a good development for the consumers. Startimes and Gotv competions favours the consumers. Whenever government is looking at the issues, they should consider the consumers interest in this matter.

itv and *times at work.

Bad belle wey no want make poor man pikin watch small version of dstv..#HATERS

for does dat av not heard what our able grammar speaker said about d death of ASUU former leaders death,read below

"The grand initiation of Professor
Festus Iyayi is a lancinating loss of
another stentorian voice, against
retrograde and prebendal forces of primitive mercantilism.That he
passed through transition on
matters pro bono publico,bears
eloquent testimony to our state of
dystopia.Such is the evanescence of
life.Its all vanitas vanitatum...."

#BIGWIG

5!!! Space-Booked! Will modify later

YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

so what do u want us to Do

What ever•

This fight against GoTV is no doubt being fueled by the brand's only competition (Startimes), and those who they have bought over in NTA.

It is sad to see these Chinese & South-Africans battle to own the television space in Nigeria. They rule our world and those who we felt was coming to fight for us - HiTV (worse, and thank God, didn't last). Daarsat (never came).

Almost all stations on the so called DTT (Startimes & GoTV) are Free-To-Air stations in other countries and NBC has nothing to say about it. It seems all NBC knows how to do is to ban commercials and musical videos with scenes having ladies wearing bikinis at the beach (they should be wearing caftan). Mshewww

Hmmmm. I suspect the so called 'stakeholders' is led by NTA/STATIMES.

and who are these "stakeholders" DSTV huh?

OK

And so what.

noj02: so what do u want us to Do

go and drink GO-90

GOTV is Even Preferable to Many Users Because of Its Affordability, They Should Put that into Consideration Before any Action is Meted.

I prefa 1.5k subscription a month plus 2h weekend at westend viu centa...wia dia r pple to ajiu with.....than d.stv 15k

dedons: YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

bro u need to pray harder. . .

dedons: YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

u try

Casted!

"STAKEHOLDERS"? .......Sounds like "SELFISH interest" to me!...... Or how come they have turned themselves into the 'regulatory authorities"?

Let them pay attention to their own License and Service Delivery to customers.

If and when the Public does not like the services of GoTV, they will shout loud to the Govt.


Lastpage!

17th to comment....

dedons: YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

who is this one

Wetin be may own here self , Abeg who get BlackBerry charger

Na real gbege be this o

Trying to destroy something that favours d mass as usual. Y can't they handle a little competition?

I think they're scared that goTV is gradually taking over from the big guys in the industry. What do they expect when DSTV recently increased the price of its monthly fee x2.

Abeg make dem no put sand for goTV garri ooOoo. . .

skotch: Trying to destroy something that favours d mass as usual. Y can't they handle a little competition?

I wonder o

dedons: YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

aboki abeg give dis man military discipline

dedons: YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

aboki abeg give dis man military discipline

dedons: YES!

YES!!

YES!!!












It worked!!!






I'v been on a 30days prayers and fasting just to be the first to comment...
















Finally I made it...











1st to comment.

what happened to dis guy? somebori pls tel me.