ASTV, the Afrikaans TV channel, saying it will remain as a content provider, comes amidst a growing number of content distributors who've pulled their TV channels from TopTV due to mounting debt and outstanding payment.
After Manchester United Television (MUTV) pulled its channel in November due to large outstanding payments from TopTV, followed by Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) which followed suit in December and pulled Silver, Showtime and Star!, TopTV scrambled last week to sort out the "miscommunication" when Discovery Networks CEEMEA pulled its three TV channels - Discovery Science, ID: Investigation Discovery and TLC - from the flailing pay-TV service.
Disney has also threatened to pull its content from TopTV and it's not yet clear what Fox International's position is on TopTV. TopTV runs FOX, FX and Fox Retro from Fox International Channels (FIC) on TopTV.
TopTV owes Fox International a massive R43,8 million which amounts to 3% overall of TopTV's debt to creditors. Warner Bros. is owed R25,4 million or 1,7% of the total, Paramount is owed R13,1 million and Manchester United Television is owed R9,5 million, Turner Broadcasting is owed R6,4 million and The Walt Disney Company R7,2 million.
"ASTV remains on the TopTV platform," says Jaco Ferreira, ASTV managing director. Asked whether TopTV also owes ASTV money in outstanding payments, and if so, how much, ASTV says that it is "confidential".
TopTV has been placed in public business rescue at the end of October 2012 with a business rescue practitioner which was appointed.
Asked how ASTV feels about TopTV, ASTV says "our feelings towards ASTV remains unchanged".
Asked if there is anything else ASTV wants to comment on regarding TopTV, ASTV says there is nothing else that ASTV wants to mention about TopTV.
