Semiu Osho, Tunde Eludini, Bolade Oladoye

and Olusola Babarinsa


August 21, 2009 12:04AMT
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Commercial customers of HiTV a pay-TV operator in Nigeria are at war with the organisation for introducing a new rate of N20, 000-a month fee for commercial users.

The new rate followed HiTV success in securing transmission franchise for six football leagues across the world, including the English Premier League, which has a very strong following in Nigeria. But the commercial users, mostly operators of viewing centres across Lagos State said the new fees is too much to be paid for only three channels.

Getting tough

The organisation, incensed that private subscribers decided to convert their decoders to business use, came out with a decision to impose a special rate to regulate what it described as illegal redistribution of its services.

The new regulation also covers hotel operators, who will pay N1,200 for distribution in each of their rooms.

Spokesperson for the Pay-TV outfit, Justin Akpovi-Esade told NEXT via an email that Hitv will use legal means to enforce compliance to the new directives after a similar attempt by another Pay-TV outfit, DSTV was frustrated.

Akpovi-Esade said: "A condition for the sale of HiTV service is that it is meant for use by a single domestic household or for private residential unit. Redistribution of any type of the signal from the decoder is deemed illegal. Subscribers are not permitted to exhibit or use the subscription service in public whether or not admission fees are charged.

"We are, however, aware that the entry of HiTV created job opportunities for thousands of Nigerians who inadvertently converted a private service into a commercial venture. In order to legitimise these otherwise illegal businesses pirating our content, HiTV is affording them the opportunity to regularise their businesses."

Unacceptable

But the affected subscribers insisted the paying of N6,000 and another N20,000 for public distribution is unacceptable.

Lekan Oduntan, a student of the University of Lagos who operates a viewing centre in Oworonsoki in Lagos said, "I was surprised when I saw it in the papers that we would now be paying N20,000 as viewing centre operators, Haba! That would not be fair at all. This is my sole means of income and I even support my family with the little I get from here. Right now I charge N50 for each match and rarely make up to that N20,000. They can increase the money a little bit maybe N8,000 or N10,000 would be okay."

Ayodeji Onafeso, who manages a viewing centre in Agric, Ikorodu says HiTV is simply joking. "Of course, they are joking. Nothing dey happen, I got their call and told them I use it at home. Imagine, who tell them say we dey make N20,000 a month; ask around and you will find that most viewing centre operators have other things they do. I sell foot wears; it is not a big deal for me.

"They are the one who will lose, no be their fault, na the country wey we dey. In Agric, alone we get over 500 centres; closing them down will only make HiTV lose money."

Daniel Dairo, a viewing centre operator in Ketu, adds, "the problem is we don't have a union, if we do, we will fight it. Anyway who cares, it won't stop us from our business there are other ways of getting the needed matches. Hitv thinks we are making money because it is everywhere.

"Every month I pay HiTV and DSTV N13,000 as subscription, add the money spent on petrol for the generators, add NEPA bills, [and] rent. All this mathematics is on the N50 we charge per match.

"There are 10 flats in this house, only one has HiTV. Take a count along this street, how many people can afford to pay N9,000 for DSTV or N4,000 for HiTV. We increase sales for them; they should give us bonuses from time to time instead of fooling themselves by asking for N20,000."

Reneging on promise

Kazeem Hussien, another Oworonsoki-based operator believes HiTV should be considerate: "They should just say they don't want us to run viewing centres again. How much are we making that we will now be parting with N20,000 every month. We know what we go through to make the fans pay N50 per match, sometimes we even reduce it to allow more people to come in. So if we now say we would increase our fares just to be able pay N20,000 monthly to Hitv we would only be deceiving ourselves. Please help us beg them."

For Dayo Adebayo, who also operates from Oworonsoki, the Pay-Tv operator is reneging on a promise it made to Nigerians when it launched its services:

"Well I know HiTV would have paid a lot of money to secure the rights to air these matches, but beyond that I know they promised Nigerians that they would provide them affordable Pay-Tv. N20, 000 monthly for me is not affordable. They get a lot of adverts and other sources of income, they should just try and reduce the N20,000 so they can allow Nigerians enjoy football at its best."

In other parts of Lagos, viewing centre operators share the same view.

Seun Oluyemi, who manages a viewing centre in ijeshatedo, believes HiTV ought to be thinking of how to improve the quality of its services instead of asking for too much from its customers. He said: "I am surprised to hear that from HiTV because I think they still have a lot to do with their services. DSTV have been operating this for a long time and they did not come up with something like this. Perhaps I will understand if they say those of us operating the viewing centres should pay N10, 000 or so as a special package. But to ask us to pay N20, 000 plus the regular N6000 is unacceptable for me.

Calling the bluff

In Abule Egba, Seun Martins and Kayode Michael echo Oluyemi's position, Martins goes further to dare HiTV to arrest him: "They (HiTV) called me, threatening me with police, but the fact is, I have stopped using HiTV for the viewing centre, and I stopped using their services because they are useless and a waste of money.

"Their network is always breaking and experiencing interference whenever a live match is on. When complaints from customers became too much, I changed to satellite services, plus the fact that they don't have varieties, they are always repeating programmes. Let them come with their police, thank God my father is a legal practitioner."

Michael advises the Pay-Tv company to re-evaluate its position in the interest of its customers: "Yeah they called me, but I don't think it's about money per se. I think they are trying to carry out statistical research about the number of private users, and commercial users. I feel they are trying to feel the pulse of their customers so as to know whether they will still retain their patronage if they increase payment for subscription. From N3,000 they have increased it to N3,500 for those that don't want sport stations, and N6,000 for those that want the sport stations. N2,500 difference for just three sports stations, they need to re-evaluate."