The majority of the board of On Digital Media (ODM) that runs TopTV is now against the pay TV service's plans to launch a new porn bouquet of hardcore pornographic channels, with investor Kopano ke Matla Investor Company threatening ODM that it will pull its 20% stake in the company if TopTV goes ahead with its proposed porn plan.
According to Collin Matjila, the CEO of Kopano ke Matla Investment Company (Pty) Ltd, the ODM board held a special meeting on Wednesday to talk about the highly contentious porn plan of TopTV which has led to a barrage of public criticism again the pay TV operator, widespread reaction and condemnation and has inflicted incalculable damage to TopTV's brand and reputation the past two months.
According to Collin Matjila ''the majority view'' on ODM's board is now that TopTV's porn plan is detrimental to the pay TV operator with the majority of ODM's board in fact opposing the launch of pornographic channels. ''However due to potential financial and contractual consequences with the content suppliers it was agreed that we let the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) complete the process and make a final decision,'' he writes in a letter to Cosatu.
Cosatu, South Africa's biggest trade union movement last week denounced TopTV's planned porn bouquet and threatened to withdraw and disinvest its capital investment in TopTV should ODM proceed with its plans.
''From a Kopano perspective, we have noted the directive in your letter and will abide accordingly should this become necessary" writes Collin Matjila to Cosatu, which means that Kopano ke Matla Investment Company will withdraw its 20% stake in ODM should TopTV's porn plan go ahead.
TopTV, after last week's public hearing, is waiting to hear from Icasa, on whether it can start the channels Private Spice, Adult XXX and Playboy Europe in South Africa.
TopTV's vice president for market and sales Marius Liebenberg didn't respond to media enquiries made on Friday regarding the latest position of the ODM board regarding TopTV's porn plans and what the financial and contractual consequences to TopTV will be should the application for authorisation of channels not be approved by Icasa.
