MultiChoice accused of hijacking digital TV

I don't get why everyone is so upset. Conditional access is a BAD THING. Multichoice is doing us a favour by arguing against it. Take the UK for example. They have "Freeview" which is their digital TV network and it's fantastic despite the lack of conditional access. The lack of conditional access has not stopped it from offering quality programming at all. It also means that the consumer pays almost next to nothing for a digital TV tuner because you can basically import them from anywhere in the world and sell them as is. It's a good thing!
 
Perhaps you should read the article first before you post. Article is not about whether CA is bad or not. It's actual good journalism for a change.
 
deweyzeph said:
I don't get why everyone is so upset. Conditional access is a BAD THING. MultiChoice is doing us a favour by arguing against it.
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As JustAsk says, it's not about this one time where MultiChoice and I are on the same page (albeit for different reasons). It's about MultiChoice having enough power over the regulatory head that any future minister needs to be wary of opposing MultiChoice's will. Last thing we need is more regulatory capture of our communications department. We've had decades of them making policy decisions that benefit Telkom, last thing we need is policy built to cater to the whims of the bigger ****s at MultiChoice.
 
But without conditional access, new service providers would have no way of using the STBs to offer paid-for services, and MultiChoice’s virtual monopoly would be secured.
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Why should Joe Tax payer subsidise new pay tv entrants? I'm no MultiChoice fan but that kinda seems unfair and too much of government control. Hypothetically what if the Gov want to block BBC News or Al Jazeera to clamp down on negative press? I'm well aware of pros and cons. And yes I do believe MultiChoice has there own ulterior movie but then again e.tv also do have pay tv ambitions (anyone remember the still born e.sat?).
 
To me the evil of conditional access is a far greater threat than any shenanigans that Multichoice might be up to.
 
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