BREAKING. TopTV: From 'strong Christian ethical codes' and not wanting 'to poison the minds of million of SA children' to adult channels.

''We are running our business with strong Christian ethical codes and we are not planning to introduce a porn channel. Besides, we don't want to poison the minds of millions of SA children out there.''

So said TopTV CEO Vino Govender in March 2010 just before the commercial launch of On Digital Media's (ODM) commercial launch of the pay TV platform a few months later in May 2010 in South Africa.

Today in a press release TopTV stated its intention to start at least 3 adult TV channels as part of a porn package, with subscribers who would - if approved by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) gets access to the channels with an R18 age restriction in a separate subscription on the pay platform in 2012.

The company didn't explain or answer specific questions about the surprising turn-around as to why TopTV is renouncing its earlier smut free policy and now wanting to venture into explicit video entertainment, except to now say in a press release that ''recent research has shown that there is a definite market for adult content and channels among South African television viewers'' and that TopTV is ''constantly reassessing the market''.

TopTV has failed to add any other new commercial TV channels in 2011, did not keep its promise of adding a sports channel in the third quarter of this year, and recently lost the Hi Nolly and One Music channels.

''Television viewers have the right to choose what content they view in the privacy of their own homes. By offering these channels on a secure and encrypted pay-TV platform, it will not be possible for the three additional channels to be viewed inadvertently by TopTV subscribers,'' said TopTV today in the press statement. ''We have established that there is a niche market for such a service and are ensuring that we offer it to potential subscribers in a responsible and secure environment.''

TV with Thinus asked TopTV and CEO Vino Govender specifically as to why - before launch - TopTV said adult content channels will not form a part of TopTV service but has decided to do so now. Why did that change and when did that intention change?

Also asked about in the media enquiry is how TopTV sees the impact of carrying adult content on the image under consumers and subscribers on TopTV - aspects of TopTV's business plan the pay TV operator would have discussed as part of due diligence before applying for 3 channels of this nature from Icasa.

TopTV didn't respond to these and other questions put to TopTV as part of a media enquiry following the issuing of the TopTV press release at 16:02 this afternoon.


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