Sentech's failure to stop widespread broadcast piracy in Southern Africa is negatively impacting on Botswana's television industry says e.tv, and the free-to-air broadcaster that is broadcasting in Botswana as eBotswana, is ready to tackle the South African signal distributor Sentech in the South Gauteng High Court tomorrow about this serious issue.
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eBotswana – a sister company to e.tv – is in court tomorrow (Thursday 28 July) arguing an application against the South African signal distributor Sentech for failing to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent pirate viewing of the SABC channels in Botswana.
''At the moment, approximately 70% of the Botswana population is watching the pirated SABC channels, thereby seriously damaging growth in the local broadcast, production and advertising industries through the loss of potential advertising revenue,'' says eBotswana general manager Dave Coles.
eBotswana argues that Sentech has failed to maintain the encryption system on its Vivid decoder platform which has led to the piracy. ''Despite repeated requests from eBotswana since 2009 and Sentech's undertakings to South Africa's parliament that it would upgrade the encryption by March 2011, it has failed to do so,'' says e.tv.
''Due to Sentech's failure to maintain the encryption system, the SABC signal is currently being pirated off Sentech's Vivid Bouquet with the use of a satellite receiver commonly referred to as the Philiboa. We believe that the television industry not only in Botswana but the entire Southern Africa region will benefit greatly if the piracy is stopped,'' says Dave Coles.
