Showing posts with label Cape Town Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cape Town Television. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Cape Town Television (CTV) makes shocking revelations to the broadcasting regulator about how all of South Africa's community TV stations are dependent on money from the pay-TV giant, MultiChoice, for their survival.
Cape Town TV (CTV) is shocking South Africa's TV industry in a submission to the broadcasting regulator, with eye-popping revelations about the degree to which community TV stations have all become dependent for their live blood on feeding off of MultiChoice for its financial survival, including channel carriage for ratings and infrastructure support.
And they're desperate for more.
Community TV channels in South Africa are battling a persistent existential crisis and they want the broadcasting regulator to create and introduce fixed formal rules to ensure that MultiChoice will support and give money to the community TV stations.
The Cape Town community TV channel, in its written submission to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) detailed the extend to which community TV stations, supposed to serve and be sustained by their respective city and regional viewers, have in a sense become dotted little MultiChoice TV outposts across the country - community channels that are not supposed to be commercialised, but getting money from a pay-TV business.
Community TV stations are now heavily dependent on the Naspers pay-TV giant for literally millions in financial support and infrastructure upgrades - and they gladly take it just to survive.
It does however raise serious questions about the degree to which community television stations in South Africa are really independent, and able to function independently, when their financial positions and operational existence is so largely tied to MultiChoice pumping millions of rand into these stations - as well as dictating terms in some stifling contract stipulations that their audiences are blissfully unaware of.
Icasa on Monday started a week-long session of oral hearings in Johannesburg as part of a yet another new inquiry by the regulator about subscription television broadcasting services, or in layman's terms "pay-TV" in South Africa.
Icasa wants to try and find out how to possibly better regulate South Africa's pay-TV industry where Naspers' MultiChoice, although not enjoying a monopoly, dominates the market with its DStv satellite pay-TV service with brands like SuperSport and M-Net that have the cash and willingness to scoop up premium international entertainment and local and international sports rights, often with exclusive licensing and broadcasting window contracts.
Icasa already received written presentations from the SABC, South African Rugby, South African Cricket, e.tv, the Premier Soccer League (PSL), Econet Media's Kwese TV, Vodacom, MTV, Liquid Telecom, the Association of Community TV in South Africa (ACT-SA), Cape Town TV (CTV), Deukom, Cell C, Telkom, as well as a joint submission by the Support Public Broadcasting (SOS Coalition) and Media Monitoring Africa (MMA).
Several of these current and wannabe broadcasting sphere players as well as organisations are also be making oral presentations throughout this week.
CTV written submission - deliberately or unintentionally - rips the veil off of the extremely precarious position that community TV in South Africa finds itself in.
The submission paints a picture of just how horrifically bad and tenuous the existence of community TV channels are and who are to a large (and unhealthy) degree dependent on not just money from MultiChoice, but also infrastructure help and to lift ratings and increase audience reach through channel carriage.
Community TV in SA no longer able to survive without DStv
CTV that began broadcasting in September 2008 and has been carried on DStv since 2012, says in its submission that "all of the licensed community TV channels in South Africa are carried on MultiChoice's DStv platform and rely on this carriage to sustain their audience numbers".
"Carriage on national pay-TV platforms is essential to the survival of the community TV channels in the current broadcasting environment and consequently there must be a 'must carry, must pay' obligation on MultiChoice to carry community channels."
The irony is this: While community TV stations are supposed to broadcast to their communities in cities and provinces, because of their channels' carriage on MultiChoice, the majority audience share of community TV stations is on DStv.
It means that people watch community TV channels not through terrestrial TV means but as a channel through and on DStv.
"Unfortunately DStv has been allowed to become so dominant in South Africa today, that it is simply not possible for free-to-air broadcasters to survive on free-to-air distribution alone," says CTV.
Community TV channels being on DStv 'essential to their survival'
In shocking viewership figures, CTV's submission includes ratings data from January 2017, showing just how many DStv subscribers are watching community TV channels not on a free-to-air basis, but on DStv.
January 2017
Channel BayTV Cape Town TV Soweto TV Tshwane TV 1KZN TV
National (all platforms) 2 836 029 2 723 684 6 587 924 2 902 519 3 832 200
DStv 2 696 806 2 188 519 4 168 855 2 520 315 3 489 094
Free-to-air 139 223 535 165 2 419 069 382 204 343 106
Percentage DStv 95.5% 80.35% 63.28% 86.83% 91.05%
It clearly shows that all community TV stations in South Africa gained the majority of their viewership from their presence on MultiChoice's DStv. Some channels have over 90% of their audience solely on, and coming from, DStv.
"It is important to note that in this context, the presence of community channels on the national platform provided by DStv is essential to their survival," says CTV in its submission.
MultiChoice's infrastructure help
CTV says "MultiChoice has been spending large amounts of money on building infrastructure for the community channels, although this spend has been uneven and some channels have benefited more than others".
CTV reveals in its submission that MultiChoice's spending spree on community TV channels kicked off in 2014 when Naspers' pay-TV operator gave R5 million for the construction of a Final Control Centre for Bay TV in Port Elizabeth when that channel was still licensed as a free-to-air community channel.
"Bay TV subsequently lost its terrestrial broadcast licence and is now carried only on DStv," says CTV.
"MultiChoice has also invested heavily in Zallywood's Tshwane TV and 1KZN TV; we do not know the extent of its involvement with Soweto TV."
"MultiChoice has also donated equipment and is funding the development of studio and broadcasting infrastructure at Cape Town TV; and MultiChoice pays for the fibre link which carries Cape Town TV's broadcast signal to Johannesburg for ingest and broadcast on the DStv platform."
MultiChoice has also given its Diski Challenge soccer matches to community broadcasters unders its corporate social investment (CSI) banner with community TV channels that are allowed to broadcast these matches if they want, at their own discretion.
MultiChoice's carriage contract for CTV has limiting stipulations
CTV reveals in its submission to Icasa that from 2012 to 2017 the contract between MultiChoice and Cape Town TV carried a clause which prevented CTV from being carried on any other pay-TV platform, like for instance StarSat as a community TV station.
CTV says it "was forced to accede to this provision because it would not be viable for it to lose its DStv audience while the other pay-TV providers occupied such a miniscule segment of the market".
Cape Town TV says that it is in the process of negotiating a new contract with MultiChoice, with MultiChoice that has "offered terms" such as "deletion of the exclusivity clause which prevented carriage of Cape Town TV on other pay-TV platforms".
This two-sided sword however, comes with another downside.
CTV says MultiChoice would then as (b) prohibit CTV from "from advertising that it is carried on other pay-TV or any digital, online platform, should it be so carried, on the DStv platform; (c) that MultiChoice will pay Cape Town TV an annual fee of R1 million for its carriage on the DStv platform; and (d) MultiChoice will also pay for the fibre link that carries the Cape Town TV signal from Cape Town to Johannesburg".
CTV told Icasa that "Cape Town TV believes that point (b) will have negative consequences for its ability to trade in the online space and is consequently arguing that this clause be altered to allow for cross-channel advertising."
CTV: MultiChoice must pay community TV - and it should be enforced
CTV says that "in addition to the above negotiations around contractual arrangements between MultiChoice and Cape Town TV, MultiChoice has indicated that it intends to standardise its contributions to community television channels".
"We assume that this means that MultiChoice will spend equal amounts on all of the community channels that it carries."
"The above-mentioned interactions indicate that MultiChoice is both carrying SA's community channels on its DStv platform and paying and/or supporting them through financial and other contributions."
"We believe this is overall a positive feature of the broadcast environment; however this support is purely at the discretion of MultiChoice and we believe that regulatory enforcement of this situation by ICASA will secure the sustainability of the community channels going forward."
CTV says "with regard to monetary contributions from MultiChoice to the community channels, we believe this should be independently regulated by Icasa and not left to the discretion of MultiChoice".
"Icasa should arrive at a formula for calculating the amount which DStv pays to community channels in exchange for their carriage on the platform, their concomitant appeal to audiences on this platform and their promotion of the DStv platform on the community channels, together with MultiChoice's CSI obligations."
Concerns over possible pay-community TV
CTV tells Icasa that it is worried over the Association of Community TV South Africa (ACT-SA) that supports the possible introduction of pay-community TV stations in South Africa and that such a thing would "commercialise" the community TV sector even more.
"It's concerning that ACT-SA called for the licensing of subscription community television services which would be 'provided through satellite, cable or any other technology'. We believe that this aspect of the ACT-SA submission is aimed not only at further commercialising the sector, but that it refers to the initiation of commercial local channels on DStv which compete directly in this same space with the free-to-air community channels."
"This is occurring through the channel authorisation procedure whereby Icasa is called upon to authorise new channels on the pay-TV platforms."
"A case in point is that of Gau-TV, a channel owned by the Zallywood company that runs Tshwane TV, and which competes directly with Soweto TV," says CTV.
CTV says "ICASA must pay more attention to its channel authorisation process with a view to minimizing unfair competition between local channels on DStv".
ALSO READ: e.tv warns South Africa's broadcasting regulator, Icasa, that the free-to-air broadcasting sector in the country is under threat and needs urgent protection as a new inquiry into SA's pay-TV market kicks off.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Cape Town Television (CTV) looking for a new station manager to start from 1 September.
Karen Thorne is apparently out of the position, and Cape Town TV (CTV) is now looking for a new station manager.
CTV can be seen on terrestrial television in and around Cape Town and is also available on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on channel 263.
The community TV stations is now looking for a new station manager to start at the TV channel from 1 September.
CTV says it is looking "for a passionate, committed individual to lead the organisation in the next phase of its development". The new CTV station manager should have a minimum of 10 years industry related experience and a post-graduate qualification.
CTV is looking to appoint a new station manager on a contract position of one year, of which four months will be a "probation" period.
People living in and around Cape Town will be given preference but all appropriate applications received by CTV will be considered. The closing date to apply is 13 July.
CTV can be seen on terrestrial television in and around Cape Town and is also available on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on channel 263.
The community TV stations is now looking for a new station manager to start at the TV channel from 1 September.
CTV says it is looking "for a passionate, committed individual to lead the organisation in the next phase of its development". The new CTV station manager should have a minimum of 10 years industry related experience and a post-graduate qualification.
CTV is looking to appoint a new station manager on a contract position of one year, of which four months will be a "probation" period.
People living in and around Cape Town will be given preference but all appropriate applications received by CTV will be considered. The closing date to apply is 13 July.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
M-Net paying to switch M-Net analogue subscribers' TV signals to a new frequency after CTV takes over the M-Net's channel frequency.
M-Net is paying to help M-Net analogue subscribers of the pay-TV broadcaster switch their signals in Cape Town on their decoders to a new frequency after the community TV station Cape Town Television (CTV) started broadcasting on M-Net's frequency from this week.
CTV has moved its transmission to the same channel as M-Net, which means that M-Net has to shift to a new frequency for its analogue broadcast signal, after a change mandated by South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) in preparation for the move from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) in South Africa.
The regulator allocated M-Net's channel frequency to CTV, which meant that M-Net had to comply by switching to another channel. The change only affects M-Net's analogue subscriber base in Cape Town and not DStv subscribers who receive M-Net as a digital TV channel.
M-Net is paying for installers to go to M-Net analogue viewers' homes to change the settings on M-Net decoders to another channel to prevent CTV interference on M-Net/CSN or even losing the M-Net service entirely.
"We are paying for the change because a frequency within the M-Net analogue decoder has to be re-tuned from the factory default to another frequency," the pay-TV company tells TV with Thinus.
The company has been in touch with affected customers since July and support teams in Cape Town have been working the past few weeks to set up appointments with M-Net analogue subscribers in Cape Town with accredited installers.
CTV has moved its transmission to the same channel as M-Net, which means that M-Net has to shift to a new frequency for its analogue broadcast signal, after a change mandated by South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) in preparation for the move from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) in South Africa.
The regulator allocated M-Net's channel frequency to CTV, which meant that M-Net had to comply by switching to another channel. The change only affects M-Net's analogue subscriber base in Cape Town and not DStv subscribers who receive M-Net as a digital TV channel.
Channel 32 is the factory default on M-Net analogue decoders and that is why M-Net terrestrial customers using RF
cable on their TV in the Tygerberg and surrounding areas will experience
interference since CTV switched to channel 32.
M-Net is paying for installers to go to M-Net analogue viewers' homes to change the settings on M-Net decoders to another channel to prevent CTV interference on M-Net/CSN or even losing the M-Net service entirely.
"We are paying for the change because a frequency within the M-Net analogue decoder has to be re-tuned from the factory default to another frequency," the pay-TV company tells TV with Thinus.
The company has been in touch with affected customers since July and support teams in Cape Town have been working the past few weeks to set up appointments with M-Net analogue subscribers in Cape Town with accredited installers.
Only M-Net terrestrial customers using RF cable to
their TV in the Tygerberg and surrounding areas are affected by the signal switch; other M-Net terrestrial
customers in other areas and DStv customers are not affected at all.
"M-Net values all its customers, including the M-Net
terrestrial customers. That is why we doing the best to ensure they don't
experience any interference."
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Tuesday, July 2, 2013
BREAKING. MultiChoice adds Tshwane TV to DStv; Cape Town Television (CTV) will be added to DStv from September.
Tshwane TV will be added to DStv from Tuesday 9 July on channel 262 and CTV will be added to DStv from September on channel 263, giving both these South African television stations a national, and much wider footprint.
The addition of the two further local community TV channels form part of MultiChoice's programming strategy to provide more local South African television content for the DStv pay-TV platform.
DStv already provides South African viewers with three community television stations, Soweto TV (DStv 251), Bay TV (DStv 260) from Port Elizabeth, and 1 KZN (DStv 261).
All three are all producing and broadcasting local content and regional news for several hours per day and which are slowly but surely strengthening the firmament which is South Africa's local television production industry.
"Our goal has been to establish an independent and sustainable community television station," says Ruth Phume, Tshwane TV station manager. "One of our initial objectives was to increase our geographical reach and viewership through a partnership with existing broadcasters. We are delighted that we have achieved this through our agreement with DStv."
"We are delighted to launch Tshwane TV on DStv. The addition of this channel strengthens our local content offering on DStv," says Robyn Smith, MultiChoice's content manager.
Tshwane TV has 6 hours of primetime viewing daily from 18:00 to midnight; a mix of locally-produced and international programmes in 7 different languages, English, Afrikaans, Setswana, Sepedi, Venda, Tsonga and Zulu.
"September is a fitting date for Cape Town Television's broadcast expansion because it will be exactly five years old when it launches on the second frequency and on DStv," says Karen Thorne, CTV station manager.
The Cape Town community television station in September will have a stronger terrestrial channel signal when it adds a second terrestrial frequency after approval from South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
Besides channel 67, CTV is also getting channel 32 lower in the available spectrum which means that more Capetonians will be able to pick up Cape Town Television's free-to-air signal easier with an aerial.
Regarding the addition to MultiChoice's DStv, CTV which is refreshing its look with new on-air branding says its wider availability to viewers will "be a breath of fresh air in the media landscape, which is dominated by conventional and commercially-dominated TV channels" in South Africa.
"CTV's programming promotes debate and creates a rare space for authentic voices to come through in a sea of media mediocrity."
"This is a great step forward for Cape Town Television as the channel will be reaching many more viewers and it will be accessible both nationally and in neighbouring states," says Karen Thorne. "We see this as a great opportunity to showcase the city and all it has to offer to the country and the region."
CTV says the channel is working hard to produce and source more content, especially locally produced videos and thought-provoking documentaries.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BREAKING. Community television station Cape Town Television (CTV) upgrades its broadcast signal for a clearer picture.
You're reading it here first.
The community television channel Cape Town TV (CTV) has upgraded it transmission fascilities which means a clearer video image as well as better sound quality for the TV channel.
''The microwave link between CTV's broadcast centre in Observatory and the transmission tower at Tygerberg has been upgraded with faster bandwidth. This means that the annoying audio distortion and video signal disturbances that viewers were experiencing are now a thing of the past,'' says Mike Alridge, CTV's broadcast manager. ''Viewers will get a much better quality signal and their viewing experience will be more enjoyable as a result.''
The upgrade was done by Sentech and the link now transmits CTV's signal to Sentech's Tygerberg tower at more than double its previous capacity. Bandwidth has increased from 1.9Mbps to 4Mbps.
''The equipment that Sentech has installed for the upgrade demonstrates the new-found confidence that stakeholders have in the channel now that CTV has been awarded a seven-year broadcast license by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa),'' says Karen Thorne, CTV station manager.
CTV has paid off its previous outstanding debt owed to Sentech for signal distribution, but warns that the community TV station still faces hurdles to overcome. ''The frequency on which CTV is broadcasting will change once the migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting begins,'' says Mike Alridge. ''The current CTV frequency has been earmarked for use in the digital transition and Icasa has had to find an alternative frequency on which to accommodate CTV.''
''We will have to embark on a publicity campaign to educate our viewers about the frequency change,'' he says. ''Viewers will eventually have to re-tune their TV sets in order to pick up the channel on the new frequency.'' CTV can currently be found on the UHF frequency range.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
BREAKING. ''Turning point'' for Cape Town Television (CTV) as the TV station gets a 7 year broadcasting license from ICASA.
You're reading it here first.
The struggling community television station Cape Town TV (CTV) has been granted a 7 year class license by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) after broadcasting for 2 years with 2 temporary one year licenses since September 2008.
''Getting this license represents a turning point for CTV,'' says Karen Thorne, CTV station director in a press statement. ''Now that we have achieved regulatory certainty, we know that we are going to be around for the next seven years. This means that we can plan ahead and build financial sustainability.''
''The first two years of CTV's existence were very challenging but the station has now firmly established its broadcast and production operations as well as stabilized its finances. Next year promises to be a significant growth period for the channel as it prioritizes increased local content, particularly in the areas of Afrikaans and isiXhosa language programming and local news,'' Karen Thorne says.
''The license gives CTV a legitimacy,'' she says, ''that will encourage the building of long term partnerships that will ensure the sustainability and growth of the channel. Donors and advertisers are now assured that their investments in the channel will have long-term benefits for the people of Cape Town.''
Icasa initially refused to consisder CTV's 7 year license application but eventually did so after public pressure mounted on the regulator. ''It [the 7 year license] gives us and the Cape Town community more security with the TV channel,'' says Martin Jansen, CTV board chairperson.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
BREAKING. CTV, broadcasting without a licence could go dark at any moment; owes Sentech thousands in outstanding transmission costs.
The Cape Town community television station CTV (CTV) currently broadcasting without any licence could be going dark any second when Sentech cuts its signal due to thousands of rands in outstanding transmission costs.
The two year old CTV is currently broadcasting without a licence after the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) refused to consider its new licence application because of a moratorium on issuing new community television licences. However, the moratorium is not supposed to impact existing community television broadcasters and station who already received licences in the past.
Meanwhile CTV could have it's signal cut at any moment. Last October CTV went dark for several weeks after signal distributor Sentech pulled the plug on CTV that owed it thousands in outstanding transmission cost. CTV - which has to pay Sentech commercial transmission cost rates because Icasa has not updated the broadcasting policy to allow for cheaper rates for community television stations - owes Sentech in the region of R700 000.
ALSO READ: CTV fighting Icasa for a permanent, seven year broadcasting licence.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
CTV marching to parliament on Wednesday in 'Free The Airwaves' march.
The struggling community television station Cape Town Television (CTV) is marching to parliament on Wednesday to demand cheaper signal distribution fees and protection during South African television's migration to digital broadcasts.
In what CTV calls a ''Free the Airwaves'' march - the struggling broadcaster wants to draw attention to its plight as it says CTV is ''now coming under THREAT due to government's lack of support for community TV''.
CTV has to cease broadcasting early in October due to a cash flow crisis since it couldn't pay it's broadcasting transmission costs to Sentech, and also held a telethon at the end of October to raise funds. The public is now asked to join CTV's public march to parliament tomorrow (Wednesday), starting at 10:00 at Keizersgracht Street in Cape Town (opposite the Castle).
CTV that started broadcasting just over a year ago, says that it's ''critical that everyone stand up for its right to communicate'' if community television like CTV is to be saved ''from commercialisation''.
CTV claims that ''Icasa plans to take CTV off air early next year to make way for cellphone TV because it has not allocated any frequencies for CTV use'' and that community TV stations like CTV ''are charged commercial rates for transmission costs'' making it virtually impossible for community TV stations to viable continue to operate.
CTV also says community television stations are not protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT).
CTV demands that the station is (1) ''not switched off next year but that a frequency is located for its use'', (2) the channel wants immediate government support for community broadcasters' signal distribution costs and that (3) Sentech lowers its transmission fee or scrap it for community television stations. CTV also (4) wants community television to be protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television.
In what CTV calls a ''Free the Airwaves'' march - the struggling broadcaster wants to draw attention to its plight as it says CTV is ''now coming under THREAT due to government's lack of support for community TV''.
CTV has to cease broadcasting early in October due to a cash flow crisis since it couldn't pay it's broadcasting transmission costs to Sentech, and also held a telethon at the end of October to raise funds. The public is now asked to join CTV's public march to parliament tomorrow (Wednesday), starting at 10:00 at Keizersgracht Street in Cape Town (opposite the Castle).
CTV that started broadcasting just over a year ago, says that it's ''critical that everyone stand up for its right to communicate'' if community television like CTV is to be saved ''from commercialisation''.
CTV claims that ''Icasa plans to take CTV off air early next year to make way for cellphone TV because it has not allocated any frequencies for CTV use'' and that community TV stations like CTV ''are charged commercial rates for transmission costs'' making it virtually impossible for community TV stations to viable continue to operate.
CTV also says community television stations are not protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT).
CTV demands that the station is (1) ''not switched off next year but that a frequency is located for its use'', (2) the channel wants immediate government support for community broadcasters' signal distribution costs and that (3) Sentech lowers its transmission fee or scrap it for community television stations. CTV also (4) wants community television to be protected during and after the migration to digital terrestrial television.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
CTV broadcasting again.
The Cape Town community TV station, Cape Town Television (CTV) is back on the air and broadcasting again after it had to shut down due to problems being able to pay its monthly Sentech transmission fees.
''We're delighted to be back on the air and we're going forward with renewed enthusiasm to bring Capetonians great programming that is relevant to their lives,'' says CTV station manager Karen Thorne.
CTV is planning an on-air telethon on Thursday 29th October, where viewers, businesses and government will be asked to pledge donations for the channel’s transmission funds.
BREAKING. CTV is off the air!
CTV needs lots of moolla to start broadcasting again.
''We're delighted to be back on the air and we're going forward with renewed enthusiasm to bring Capetonians great programming that is relevant to their lives,'' says CTV station manager Karen Thorne.
CTV is planning an on-air telethon on Thursday 29th October, where viewers, businesses and government will be asked to pledge donations for the channel’s transmission funds.
BREAKING. CTV is off the air!
CTV needs lots of moolla to start broadcasting again.
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