South Africa's broadcasting regulator warns that StarSat which failed to renew its pay-TV licence in time is operating illegally and should have shut down 18 September.

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's broadcasting regulator is warning StarSat subscribers and the country's TV industry that the pay-TV service is supposed to have shut down by 18 September for its failure to renew its pay-TV licence in time.

TVwithThinus reached out to Debbie Wu, On Digital Media CEO, on Friday and comment will be added here when received. 

Various TV channel distributors with channels available on Starsat were also asked on Friday if they have, or are removing their TV channels from StarSat and comment from them will be added here when received.

On Friday TVwithThinus asked The Walt Disney Company, the SABC, e.tv, AMC Networks, Warner Bros. Discovery and ZEE whether they have pulled their TV channel sets, are planning to do so, or aren't doing anything.

In June, after Icasa told StarSat that its licence was not renewed, Debbie Wu denied that StarSat would be shutting downand told me in response to a media query "We can assure you and the public that ODM/StarSat will not be closing its operations anytime".

Earlier this year an insider told TVwithThinus that South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has not renewed On Digital Media's broadcast licence for StarSat, with the pay-TV operator that has been given until 18 September to tell subscribers, agents, the industry, stakeholders and to then shut down.

The 14-year-old pay-TV service headquartered in Midrand, Johannesburg started out as TopTV and is run by On Digital Media. 

On Digital Media is 20%-owned by the Chinese pay-TV service StarTimes – the maximum allowed for a foreign company of a South African media business – following a business rescue process a decade ago, after Top TV came to the verge of collapse following controversy and public outry over its eventually abandoned plans to carry a bouquet of pornographic TV channels.

Run under the StarTimes brand in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa and as StarSat in South Africa, the company competes with MultiChoice's DStv in the traditional pay-TV space. 

It however has far fewer subscribers in South Africa than MultiChoice's DStv where it offers a Special, Super and Global package with a lot of Chinese TV channels.

According to the insider, StarSat workers have been kept in the dark about the company's pay-TV service going dark. Now 18 September came and went with StarSat still broadcasting and in breach of Icasa's regulations - and with subscribers who have not been warned.

Icasa now says it is notifying the industry and the public about StarSat's "imminent exit from the subscription television market in South Africa".

"In the interest of On Digital Media (Pty) Ltd (ODM) / StarSat subscribers, members of the public and all relevant stakeholders, Icasa wishes to provide clarity regarding StarSat’s imminent exit from the subscription television market in South Africa," the regulator says.

According to Icasa, ODM's 15-year licence expired on 8 July 2023.

"ODM failed to submit a licence renewal application within the required timeframe set by the Electronic Communications Act (ECA) and related regulations," Icasa says.

"The legislation requires a licensee that holds an Individual Broadcasting Service licence to submit its renewal application to the Authority no earlier than twelve 12 months and no later than 6 months prior to the expiry of the licence."

"Despite numerous reminders, ODM submitted its licence renewal application after the expiry date on 10 November 2023."

Icasa says it sent several letters to ODM, requesting it to provide a plan on how and when it will inform StarSat subscribers about the winding up of its services. Icasa says ODM failed to provide any answers.

"On 18 March 2024 Icasa decided that ODM should wind up its affairs and cease providing broadcasting services by 18 September 2024, and further inform its subscribers."

ALSO READ: StarSat denies it will be shutting down in September after South Africa's broadcasting regulator Icasa revokes On Digital Media's pay-TV licence.

StarSat denies it will be shutting down in September after South Africa's broadcasting regulator Icasa revokes On Digital Media's pay-TV licence.

by Thinus Ferreira

StarSat says it will not be shutting down – this despite South Africa's broadcasting regulator that has not renewed the Chinese-run pay-TV service's licence.

The 14-year-old pay-TV service headquartered in Midrand, Johannesburg started out as TopTV and is run by On Digital Media. 

On Digital Media is 20%-owned by the Chinese pay-TV service StarTimes – the maximum allowed for a foreign company of a South African media business – following a business rescue process a decade ago, after Top TV came to the verge of collapse following controversy and public outry over its eventually abandoned plans to carry a bouquet of pornographic TV channels.

Run under the StarTimes brand in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa and as StarSat in South Africa, the company competes with MultiChoice's DStv in the traditional pay-TV space. 

It however has far fewer subscribers in South Africa than MultiChoice's DStv where it offers a Special, Super and Max package with a lot of Chinese TV channels.

An insider told TVwithThinus that South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has not renewed On Digital Media's broadcast licence for StarSat, with the pay-TV operator that has apparently been given until 18 September to close down.

"There's been no notice to staff and StarTimes is still selling StarSat decoders to new customers," the person said.

Icasa, in a letter in mid-March about the non-renewal of its individual broadcasting service licence which was sent to On Digital Media's CEO Debbie Wu as well as Ronald Reddy, ODM's general manager for legal, risk and compliance, the regulator states that it "does not have the legislative or regulatory mandate to consider a transfer application and/or renewal application an expired licence".

In the letter that TVwithThinus has seen, the regulator says "Take note that Icasa may publish a notice on its website and/or in the Government Gazette advising affected subscribers, content providers and stakeholders about the winding up of ODM's broadcasting services."

Icasa asked ODM to provide it with a plan on how and when it will tell StarSat subscribers, content providers and stakeholders on the winding up of its broadcasting services.

Three weeks ago TVwithThinus reached out to Icasa about On Digital Media broadcasting licence situation in a media query, asking for clarity from the regulator, whether StarSat indeed has to cease broadcasting on 18 September and several other specific questions around the case.

Two weeks ago, when asked again in a follow-up, Milly Matlou, Icasa spokesperson, said "the response is still being prepared and due to internal processes, there's a delay." 

Following multiple further attempts over multiple days to source comment from Icasa on the case, Matlou on Tuesday last week suddenly said "Thank you for your query, we think ODM is best placed to assist with your query" with no responses to any of the questions posed.

Debbie Wu, ODM CEO, told TVwithThinus last week in response to a media query about the non-renewal of its broadcasting licence that "ODM/StarSat is currently engaging with the regulator and cannot provide any public comments in that regard". 

 "Our engagements are such that we are exploring all the regulatory and legal issues regarding our obligations and licensing."We can assure you and the public that ODM/StarSat will not be closing its operations anytime."

"Should such an event materialise, which we doubt will happen, we will respect our obligation in terms of the law to notify all interested parties."Please note that ODM/StarSat will not be able to provide any further comments until this matter has been finalised."

StarTimes Media SA continues to create new jobs with dubbing of global telenovelas into South African languages on StarSat, says diverse slate of Zulu-dubbed series from several countries planned.

by Thinus Ferreira

StarTimes Media SA says it continues to create new jobs in South Africa's film and TV industry through the use of its Midrand-based dubbing studios to create new voiceover soundtracks in Zulu and other South African languages for global telenovelas on its StarSat satellite pay-TV service - and that several more Zulu-dubbed series are in the works.

eMedia was first to start dubbing international telenovelas for its set of e.tv-packaged TV channels in South Africa into Afrikaans, along with ZEE Africa also doing dubbing work into English and other languages.

This was followed by StarTimes Media SA which started to dub international telenovelas into Zulu. Lately MultiChoice is also using its Dolby Atmos equipped studio in Randburg to now dub Turkish telenovelas into Afrikaans for M-Net's Afrikaans-run kykNET channels on DStv.

"In 2021 StarSat launched its state-of-the-art dubbing studios in Midrand, South Africa. The main objective of its new initiative is to adapt its best-performing telenovelas to Zulu and other indigenous South African languages," says Debbie Wu, On Digital Media (ODM) CEO.

"We are very excited about the possibility of ensuring the widest accessibility of South African audiences to award-winning telenovelas dubbed into main indigenous languages."

"Our dubbing initiative continues to create many new jobs along the value chain. Since the launch of our dubbing studios, we have recruited and trained numerous South African youth as voice actors, directors, translators, editors, and sound engineers."

StarSat says that based on the recent success of the Zulu-dubbed version of the Philippine novella The Blood Sisters, StarSat has since launched a Zulu version of the popular Zee TV novella Waaris: Indlalifa.

StarSat says a diverse slate of more Zulu-dubbed telenovelas from Mexico, South Korea, Spain and India are in the works to be broadcast on StarSat's StarTimes RISE (StarSat 120) channel.

"Running parallel to our novella content adaption strategy is our focus on delivering the best English novellas to more South Africans," says Debbie Wu.

"We are proud to announce the broadcast of the Philippine novella La Vida Lena on the StarTimes Novella E Plus channel. Another novella 'must-see' is Zee Novella's My Left Side – the story of a powerful woman whose riches-to-rags experience puts her in direct conflict and interest with a man who has lived in the lap of luxury his whole life."

La Vida Lena is shown daily on ST Novella E Plus (StarTimes 128) at 20:40. My Left Side is shown daily on ST Novella E (StarSat 127) at 19:00. Love by Chance is shown daily on StarLife (StarSat 550) at 18:00.

China's StarTimes and StarSat in South Africa adds the BRICS TV channel as a permanent addition just before the 2018 BRICS summit of the 5 emerging economy nations.

StarSat has added the BRICS TV channel to the pay-TV operator's line-up, with the channel that will be covering events, news and showcasing trade opportunities between the 5 emerging economies group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Besides StarTimes and On Digital Media's (ODM) StarSat, the BRICS channel, done by Moja Media, will also be carried by StarTimes in the rest of South Africa, StarSat's pan-African Chinese parent group.

The BRICS channel is a permanent addition to StarSat and StarTimes on channel 509, although its launch on Friday, 20 July at 13:00 comes just before the 2018 BRICS summit taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa, between 25 and 27 July that will surely be covered on this channel.

StarTimes says the BRICS channel will have various shows dedicated to "the vision of the BRICS countries" and is a "communication and advertising platform" for businesses and brands and for the latest business news from the various BRICS nations.

The channel will "strengthen peoples to peoples relations" and will showcase trade and industry and business opportunities, show bilateral agreement and conferences and events, have entertainment, culture and sport aspects related to BRICS, and highlight investment opportunities as well as what development funds there are from BRICS and the BRICS bank.

"ODM is a broadcaster dedicated to a developmental paradigm in the broadcasting space. We believe that access to information to the most ordinary and rural communities will ensure a better educated society," says Debbie Wu, ODM CEO.

"In order to bring such information and opportunities in reach to everyone, StarSat is delighted to work with Moja Media to deliver this important channel."

Laurence Mitchell, Moja Media business development executive, says "For years the people of Africa in general, and in South Africa in particular, raised concerns that BRICS is a concept only understood by government people".

"It is for this reason that Moja Media decided to initiate the first-ever BRICS channel on a TV-platform, so that we bring opportunities closer to the people and not only decision-makers of BRICS and its governments. This open the door for the creative arts and for filmmakers and producers to come forward to us with their concepts."

StarSat adds 2 of FilmBox's entertainment channels, FilmBox and FashionBox, distributed by SPI International, with brand-new action crime drama series, No Easy Days.

The StarSat satellite pay-TV platform run by StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media (ODM) has added the entertainment channels FilmBox Africa HD (StarSat 188) and FashionBox HD (StarSat 282) from FilmBox and SPI International.

Other SPI International channels already carried by other pay-TV platforms and operators across the African continent include FightBoxHD, DocuBox HD, Fast&FunBox HD, FilmBox Art House, 360TuneBox and GametoonBox.

GametoonBox (Cell C black 413), FightBox HD (Cell C black 419), Fast&FunBox HD (Cell C black 420), FashionBox (Cell C black 253) and 360TuneBox (Cell C black 606) are already carried as channels on Cell C's black subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in South Africa.

"StarTimes has gone to great lengths to enhance the quality and depth of its pay-TV entertainment offer in South Africa by providing new and exciting viewing experiences to our lyoal customers," says Debbie Wu, CEO of ODM.

"We are delighted to extend the multi-channel viewing experience by adding these 2 new channels. We recognise the demand in South Africa for truly dynamic content that is both culturally relevant and entertaining - which is what StarSat is all about. Our loyal customers should expect much more immersive storytelling experiences on our platform in the near future."

Amit Karni, the head of distribution for SPI in Africa says, "I'm honoured to cooperate with StarSat to launch FilmBox Africa HD and FashionBox HD on its direct-to-home (DTH) platform in South Africa and neighbouring countries, bringing fresh, new and exciting content to its audiences."

FilmBox carries Hollywood movies, classic films and TV series. FashionBox has inserts and programmes covering fashion trends, lifestyle and shopping, and goes behind-the-scenes at catwalks and fashion shows, as well as interviews with top designers.

The brand-new British-American drama series, No Easy Days started on FilmBox on 5 May.

The new 9-episode action crime drama series with Sean Brosnan, Simon Phillips and Michael Hogan and produced by Red Rock Entertainment, tells the story of the American president's daughter who is kidnapped and held ransom by a British mercenary.

A rebellious Navy Seal goes to try and rescue her.

If you're wondering why StarSat and information about its content and programming is nowhere it's because StarSat doesn't care and hasn't done any publicity since October 2016.

You as a TV viewer and StarSat subscriber don't and won't see information in the media (a situation going on for months now) about StarSat and what it is showing across its various channels.

It's not because the press and TV critics don't care, but because StarSat can't care a flying ferret about its paying subscribers or the press, or telling viewers through the media what it actually has, why people should subscribe, and what is is showing on its service that is worth tuning in to, on what channel.

For literally months now StarSat hasn't had a PR person or any publicist, and doesn't seem to care to get or have any.

The media liaison person is supposed to deal with media enquiries and be the contact point between the press and the company, and to issue daily, weekly and monthly channel schedules, highlights, images and publicity material for StarSat's StarTimes channels as well as the third-party channels on its platform.

None of that has been happening since at least October 2016.

While you will constantly see programming and announcements for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in the media, shockingly StarSat is nowhere and even doing a worse - essentially non-existent - programming publicity job than the very bad SABC.

StarSat's last publicist is gone (fired? left? who knows?) without a word and the PR agency Burson-Marsteller that helped out on the corporate side media enquiries (and even programming enquiries and highlights) was also let go months ago.

While content drives subscriber uptake, awareness, combat churn and lets both subscribers and non-subscribers (the public) know what is actually on and being shown, StarSat can't seem to care about any of it at all.

It has a pay-TV service although On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media South Africa can't be bothered in the slightest to actually communicate what that service is doing and even more crucially - showing.

Executives at the Woodmead based pay-TV operation have made it painfully clear what their priority(ies) is  - and isn't - and that they just don't care if StarSat programming and channel info appear in newspapers, magazines, listings and online: The very things that make people see it and maybe go: "ooh, may I should get StarSat", or "ooh, I want to watch that".

Several media enquiries to StarSat executives - both South Africa and Chinese - the past few months just go, unanswered, into a void.

That is also sort of where StarSat overall remains as existing subscribers continue to complain bitterly, daily about bad programming, repeats, the unresponsive call centre, not getting answers about why channels are being removed, the bad video and audio quality of some channels, and why their basic questions are not being answered.

StarSat has now literally been without any publicist or front-facing PR help for half a year. Half a year. Let that sink in.

That is completely unheard of for any modern-day company, let alone a service provider company like a pay-TV operator.

It's not that StarSat, ODM and StarTimes Media SA doesn't care about trying to get any so-called "good press" for its content or company - it's that it doesn't even care about getting "bad press" or no press.

A local South Africa show like Point of Order is being produced and broadcast but is basically dead in the water - nowhere because of zero publicity from StarSat.

Are StarTimes executives like Michael Dearham and Debbie Wu (apparently StarSat acting CEO but who even knows?) even aware about the ongoing damage StarSat is suffering by being without a person who deals with and interacts with the media? Do they even care?

When not even the media knows what is on StarSat and its channels, how can subscribers, or people thinking of signing up for the service?

It's also a massive disservice from StarSat to distributors and content providers giving channels to StarSat but whose content, line-ups and programming are not being marketed and publicised  - something that is StarSat's job.

From Viasat Life to StarTimes One and from Fine Living and Zee TV and MSNBC, none of any of the TV channel brands on StarSat exist because they're not given the programming publicity push sell-through they deserve.

It's trash-bad that StarTimes wants to hullabaloo that it has 8 million African subscribers and getting close to rivaling MultiChoice, yet can't seem to really bother, or be concerned about StarSat subscribers in South Africa getting a very bad service and the media getting no service at all.

As a journalist and a TV critic I've dealt with On Digital Media (ODM) ever since it launched TopTV in May 2011 and eventually rebranded as StarSat.

It always had at least one in-house publicist although none managed to last, used some PR companies and had someone who could at least point to where to find the door to knock on.

Sadly StarSat doesn't seem to even have a door anymore. At least not one even I anymore know where to find.