Icasa may shut new free broadcaster
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) warned on Friday that it could block Free2View's satellite signal, or take other action, if the UK-based free-to-air broadcaster continued operating without a licence.
Free2View launched its satellite broadcasting services last week, which will provide consumers with access to a variety of channels; such as live news programmes and documentaries for free. Consumers will only make a once-off payment of R1 400 for a decoder and a satellite dish.
Icasa, which regulates the broadcasting and telecoms sectors, has not issued Free2View with a licence or permission to operate. Any entity that planned to provide a broadcasting service in South Africa required a licence and any attempt to provide such service without one constituted a criminal offence, Icasa said. If Free2View continued operating, Icasa could approach the court for an interdict to stop its operations.
"If they continue to offer the service, Icasa has a variety of options, including sealing their equipment and submitting an application for a court interdict to stop such illegal activity," the regulator said. This means that Icasa could also block Free2View's satellite link or signal.
Elissa Wilding, the chief operating officer of Great Media, the owner of Free2View, said the company was operating legally as its channels were linked directly from the US. Currently, Free2View provides MSNBC, a US-based news channel.
Wilding said Free2View would not have to wait for Icasa to finalise its free-to-air regulations – a process Wilding believed would take about eight years – as this would deprive the local market of fundamental programmes such as education.
Icasa plans to develop a framework for free-to-air broadcasting in the next two years.
"When the majority of Africa lives on a dollar a day, pay-TV is fundamentally flawed," Wilding said. She added that the Free2View platform had been developed to engage, entertain and empower consumers and communicate the advantages of digital TV by making it free, simple and inclusive.
Free2View will compete with e.tv, the licensed free-to-air provider, and new pay-TV licensees such as Telkom Media, On Digital Media and Walking on Water.
Wilding said that with the recent flood of pay-TV operators, South Africans would find the digital TV landscape to be a "confusing and complex place".
The decoders, which enable Free2View services, are available at retail stores. Free2View would increase its channels to about six next month and 36 in the next 18 months, Wilding said.
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