The South African pay TV operator TopTV is telling TopTV subscribers in an open letter that the operator is planning to launch its separate stand-alone package of 3 pornographic channels or so-called ''adult channels'' from Playboy TV on 20 December this year.
''TopTV will begin broadcast of three Playboy adult channels on the 20 December 2011,'' says TopTV in the letter to subscribers.
TopTV's senior manager of regulatory affairs, Thato Mahapa also said yesterday TopTV ''hope to launch this month still'' . Shortly thereafter, TopTV's official spokesperson Melinda O'Connor said ''we can confirm that we'll not be launching in December. We will announce the launch date closer to the time.'' No other open letter besides the one listing the date of 20 December was sent or made available to TopTV subscribers.
The conflicting statements - and the open letter to TopTV subscribers indicating a 20 December launch - are creating huge confusion about what TopTV's real plans and intentions are for launching its hardcore pornography channels sourced from Playboy TV. TopTV plans to make these R18 rated channels available as a separate stand-alone package of R199 for the three 24 hour channels per month.
TopTV does not have a sertificate of authorisation to start these channels from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) which regulates broadcasting in the country. No public hearing date has yet been called by Icasa or taken place. TopTV's application was published in the Government Gazette on 17 November and interested parties had 14 days to make written submissions after which Icasa will convene a public hearing.
TopTV using the words ''by default already approved'' said it intends to start broadcasting the channels regardless and considers its porn application approved. Icasa said yesterday ''there is no decision at the moment until the public consultation process is complete'' and that it will be ''unfortunate'' if TopTV, which is ''not authorised to broadcast the proposed three additional video channels'', goes ahead and ''disregard the public consultation process that is currently underway and which it is very much aware of.''
In the letter to subscribers TopTV says ''there have been some reports in the media recently regarding the broadcast of adult channels on TopTV. While some of the reports were somewhat misleading, we would like to take this opportunity to explain the current situation and set the record straight.''
TopTV says subscribers' ''normal viewing will not be affected''.
TopTV explains the separate Playboy porn package in the letter and says ''while adult content on TV remains a contentious issue, adult material produced in South Africa and elsewhere is widely available on cellphones, the internet, DVDs and magazines. TopTV is offering an adult content package to this selected audience in a highly secure and responsible environment to ensure that it does not impinge in any way on the viewing options of current TopTV subscribers.''
The full content of the letter is readable in bigger format by clicking on it.
