Discovery's three TV channels on On Digital Media (ODM) struggling pay-TV service TopTV suddenly went completely dark today without warning and with no notice or announcement to TopTV subscribers, as the satellite pay-TV operator is scrambling to fix the problem of the missing Discovery Science (TopTV 302), TLC (TopTV 453) and ID: Investigation Discovery (TopTV 303) - all provided by Discovery Networks International CEEMEA.
Angry TopTV subscribers are fuming about the three missing Discovery channels with no indication of why Discovery Science, ID: Investigation Discovery and TLC suddenly disappeared.
TopTV failed to talk to subscribers today or to give bewildered subscribers any reasons for the channels suddenly being missing. Likewise Discovery Networks International CEEMEA didn't say a word to viewers of their channels on TopTV as to why they're paying for something they're not getting and suddenly can't see.
ALSO READ: Shocking lack of communication from TopTV and Discovery Networks CEEMEA after 3 Discovery channels suddenly disappear.
All three Discovery TV channels of Discovery Networks International CEEMEA on TopTV simply display an on-air sentence: "We apologise for the break in transmission and will be back shortly."
It's exactly what TopTV displayed when other TV channels on its bouquet ceased and never returned. Once again TopTV subscribers - especially pre-paid TopTV subscribers who gave money at the beginning of a month - are not getting the product that they've been promised and paid for.
While TopTV's normal channel offering keeps dwindling, TopTV has put focus and effort behind a second attempt - which was approved by South Africa's broadcasting regulator - to start a separate porn bouquet with three sex channels from Playboy.
No starting dat for the porn channels is known yet which will carry a classification of R18 and for which TopTV will now have to register as a porn distributor with South Africa's Film and Publication Board (FPB).
TopTV would have gone dark on Tuesday night as channel and content suppliers were ready to turn off the taps to their content if ODM failed to get approval for the StarTimes business rescue plan bail-out, but shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the bail-out deal.
It's possible that Discovery Networks International decided to pull their channels off of TopTV at the end of April anyway, similar to what Manchester United Television (MUTV) did in November and Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) did in December when Turner yanked its three channels, Showtime, Silver and Star! from TopTV's line-up.
It's now come to light that TopTV owes millions to several content providers who decided to pull their TV channels from TopTV due to outstanding debt.
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.
"Where did Discovery Science, TLC and Discovery ID go? Nothing on air on TopTV," is the response to TV with Thinus from just one irate TopTV subscriber, echoeing the sentiment of several subscribers who can't watch any of their three Discovery channels on TopTV - without any explanation from the company.
TLC (DStv 172) and ID: Investigation Discovery (DStv 171) - which ironically today had a show entitled Disappeared on - are both also available on competitor MultiChoice's DStv channel line-up and are showing uninterrupted and unaffected.
I've made a media enquiry to Discovery Networks International CEEMEA and I'm awaiting a response.
I've also asked TopTV what is going on. TopTV says the pay-TV operator is "trying to get the problem sorted out with Discovery".
I've asked, but TopTV isn't explaining what exactly the problem is, why is happened, what went wrong, or when - or if - the three Discovery channels will be restored.
