MutiChoice Nigeria, has told the Senate ad-hoc committee that the pay-per-view model being canvassed by it is not workable.
The pay TV firm noted that it cannot implement the model for its DStv and GOtv subscription-based platforms because it is expensive.
The senate panel is chaired by the Senate Deputy Whip, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, and have as members, Senators Michael Nnachi, Suleiman Abdul Kwali, and Abba Moro, who moved the motion for the upper chamber to probe the incessant price hike by cable television operators.
The House of Representatives had adopted pay-as-you-go and a price slash for DSTV and other cable satellite operators in the country.
The House considered and approved recommendations of the “Ad–hoc Committee on Non–Implementation of Pay–As–You–Go and sudden Increment of Tariffs plan by Broadcast Digital Satellite Service Providers.”
Bit in his presentation, John Ugbe, chief executive officer (CEO) of MultiChoice Nigeria who appeared before the ad-hoc committee of the senate in Abuja on Thursday, said cost on the consumers make the model “unsustainable.”
The committee was set up after the upper legislative chamber resolved to probe the hike in subscription prices in DStv and GOtv prices and why MultiChoice could not implement PPV.
“PPV involves retailing a single television programme. This involves a broadcaster transmitting a single event at the same time to its subscribers who have paid to watch the event,” Ugbe said.
“From industry analysis PPV would be very expensive for DTH subscribers and therefore unsustainable.
“A subscriber who wants to watch an event on PPV is required to pay an additional fee besides his subscription, to watch the programme on PPV.”
Ugbe listed inflation, tax and cost of content as some of the reasons they hiked tariffs.
“Inflation rate has steadily gone up which has adversely affected the economic environment as the cost of doing business has gone up exponentially thus undermining our ability to maintain the same subscription price every year,” the MultiChoice CEO said.
“Over the past five years, MultiChoice has spent an excess of $238 million on direct and indirect taxes, and $15.1 million on licensing fees.
“The number of channels on the DStv service has increased substantially from the launch of the service to the current 171 channels included on the Premium bouquet. Thus, the value to subscribers in terms of variety and choice of channels has increased tremendously.”
Also speaking at the hearing, Anthony Iyare, coordinator of Nigerian Viewers Collective, corroborated the views of Ugbe on the PPV.
