StarSat finally launches its first PVR capable decoder in South Africa; here's all the details about StarSat's new Combo 3 decoder.

Pay-TV operator StarSat has finally launched its first personal video recorder (PVR) capable decoder in South Africa, making it possible for subscribers to digitally record programmes available on StarSat's TV channels for the first time.

The new StarSat decoder called the StarSat Combo 3 decoder, costs R399 and includes a satellite dish and free installation.

The black with orange trim decoder is similar to the black and lime green trim Combo HD decoder that StarSat's Chinese parent company StarTimes introduced elsewhere in Africa in late-2016, with only a different outer shell and the exact same remote control.

The StarSat Combo 3 decoder is so-called since it incorporates 3 abilities. Besides the ability to be used as a PVR if a subscriber attaches an external hard drive or big enough USB, it combines the features of digital terrestrial television (DTT) and digital satellite direct-to-home (DTH) technologies on the same decoder.

This enables StarSat subscribers to get access to subscription pay-TV channels like the various bouquets offered by StarSat, but also the free-to-air digital TV channel signals that might be available.

While South Africa is lagging far behind with the switch to DTT, a process known as digital migration, and with almost no DTT channels available, StarSat subscribers with the new decoder can now for instance pick up the SABC News (DStv 404) channel as well that so far has only been available to DStv satellite viewers.

While the SABC News channel is available exclusively to MultiChoice's DStv subscribers as part of a SABC channels deal, SABC News is already being broadcast as a digital terrestrial channel as well, with people who can receive it with a proper DTT set-top box (STB) able to decode the signal like the new StarSat decoder.

The RF In and RF Out feature also allows StarSat subscribers to connect more than one TV set to the Combo 3 decoder.

The new StarSat Combo 3 decoder has "only" 21 buttons, with users who can also customise menu transparency and has options to change the interface colour.

The new StarSat Combo 3 decoder is the third decoder for the company in South Africa. StarSat, formerly known as TopTV, launched in May 2010 and quickly promised the introduction of a PVR.

After initial promises that didn't come to fruition, TopTV multiple times over the past years promised the introduction of a PVR decoder to the market but it never materialised.

After the struggling On Digital Media (ODM) that entered business rescue got a cash bailout rescue from the Chinese pay-TV operator StarTimes and renamed TopTV to StarSat, StarTimes Media South Africa introduced a new white decoder in November 2013.

Use of this second, white decoder that was R599 but also without digital recording capability, became compulsory in 2016 for StarSat subscribers.

The new third decoder, the StarSat Combo 3, offers "a vastly improved viewing experience to our customers in high definition (HD)," says John Yan, StarSat CEO.

Asked why StarSat is now introducing a new decoder with a PVR ability, the pay-TV operator says it is "constantly striving to improve its service and commitment to the customer experience, with emphasis on providing the highest possible quality digital signal".

"The Combo 3 is capable of providing a full HD 1080p signal, thus ensuring that StarSat is able to deliver on this commitment to its customers".

Asked about the recording capacity and how many hours the StarSat Combo 3 decoder can record, the company says the decoder's recording functionality "is facilitated through any external USB storage device by the customer, either a flash drive or external hard drive, thus not limiting the customer to a set number of hours on an internal hard drive".

Asked what will happen to StarSat subscribers using the white decoder they were forced to upgrade to a year ago or lose their signal, the company says "the white decoder is still an active device and supported by StarSat."

StarSat gives subscribers the opportunity to upgrade. "Any customer wishing to upgrade to the Combo 3 decoder will be able to do so, at a cost of R299, through a StarSat customer experience centre in Gauteng, Durban or Cape Town, or directly through the StarSat customer service centre who will courier a decoder to the customer."

"Customers will also be able to upgrade their older decoders to the Combo 3 through the retail distribution channel in due course".

StarSat subscribers often complain that its electronic programme guide (EPG) is often wrong, out-of-sync with days and time, and some channels EPG grid empty. The EPG is however needed and used to enable PVR recordings.

StarSat was asked if EPG improvement is something it's looking at doing, and if so, what kind of improvements are being made.

"The software innovations in the Combo 3 decoder have facilitated a more responsive, easy-to-use, interactive remote control, as well as improving the accuracy of the EPG, thus facilitating the recording functionality in a simple or uncomplicated manner," says StarSat.

StarSat was asked how many new Combo 3 decoders have been manufactured so far and how much stock is being placed in South Africa in the first batch to market. "Stock of the Combo 3 is en-route to all StarSat retail partners, with sufficient quantities of decoders available to satisfy customers or market place demand," the company says.

StarSat was asked how long StarTimes has been working on the new StarSat Combo 3 decoder, where it's manufactured and what influenced the design and colour.

"The StarTimes headquarters is located in Beijing, China, and this is also the prime location of the group's R&D and manufacturing facilities," says StarSat that recently moved its South African headquarters from Woodmead to Midrand in Johannesburg.

"As a recognised technology provider, continually working on innovative products and services, StarTimes was motivated to deliver a decoder that was sleek and streamlined in design, with a touch of class, and believe that the Combo 3 delivers well on this brief".

HEIN? In its latest mistake, StarSat's Discovery Science channel from Discovery Networks International has switched to French.

The Discovery Science channel on StarSat in South Africa has switched to French for over a month now and counting - with no word from On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa running StarSat to the media as to why this is, if the mistake is going to be corrected, or what is going on.

The Discovery Science (StarSat 222) channel that suddenly switched from English to French over amonth ago without any warning or explanation to StarSat subscribers or the press, is the latest ongoing on-air mistake on StarSat's struggling pay-TV platform that has StarSat subscribers - pardon the French - fuming.

StarSat is constantly plagued by erratic interruptions of channels and StarSat subscribers complaining about the video and audio quality of channels, the ongoing abrupt removal of TV channels, channels "freezing" up, "going black" and the inaccurate, wrong and sometimes empty electronic programme guide (EPG).

Besides the odd language switch without warning, Discovery Science's StarSat electronic programme guide (EPG) has also been way out of sync and completely incorrect for weeks now, making it impossible for StarSat subscribers to know what is actually being shown and coming up on the channel.

Discovery Science's language switch to French is just the latest in a long list of StarSat channels abruptly changing languages the past two years - although it is definitely the longest period, touching on almost two months now, for a single channel.

It's been happening with several StarSat channels, from kids channels to movie and general entertainment channels, but usually would last a few hours to a few days.

There's been no notification or explanation so far from StarSat to the media.

Discovery Networks International that supplies Discovery Science to StarSat, also supplies several Channels from Discovery Channel and Discovery Family, Animal Planet, TLC Entertainment and others to rival MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform,but none of these channels on DStv in South Africa have ever switched from English to other languages.

On Friday, 3 February, StarSat that also again removed more TV channels recently - this time AMC, Odisseia, Trace Sport Stars, Kerrang and the Extreme Sports Channel - told irate StarSat subscribers that its "aware of all issues and matters affecting your viewing".

"Our technicians are working tirelessly to ensure that all issues are resolved so that you receive the best viewing entertainment pay-TV can offer".

"We also aware of the dissatisfaction of matters concerning channels and content displayed. Please rest assured that all your comments and queries are taken very seriously and are taken up with the relevant departments for review and assessment to ensure that you receive the best customer service and the best entertainment in pay-TV".

TVwithThinus reached out to both StarSat and Discovery Networks International on Wednesday. So far there's been no response from StarSat.

Dilek Doyran, the vice president of commercial development and country manager of Africa and the Mediterranean for Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) told TVwithThinus on Wednesday that "we provide StarTimes with Discovery Science in both English and French language."

"StarTimes is currently working on a solution to fix the issue for its English-speaking subscribers".

StarSat subscribers loses another 2 TV channels; Spark and Qyou both dumped and not immediately replaced over 'poor performance'.

StarSat subscribers are losing another 2 TV channels with Spark (StarSat 225) and Qyou (StarSat 165) that's suddenly getting dumped and not replaced on 30 June.

That's in addition to StarSat losing the NBA channels that's going dark as well tomorrow on its platform.

Once again, On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media South Africa couldn't bother to tell the media about changes to its channels and channel line-up.

Spark and Qyou will fold over "poor performance".

ODM replaced its floundering self-compiled Top Explore channel with Spark in July 2013, but now its going dark after just three years with no new factual entertainment channel replacement for StarSat subscribers.

StarSat added the internet video, linear TV channel Qyou from October 2014 and it is gone after a year and 9 months.

In response to a media enquiry, StarSat says "StarSat can confirm that as of 30 June Spark and Qyou channels will no longer be available on its platform. The decision to close Spark and Qyou was taken due to poor performance of both channels."

"StarSat would like to reassure its valued subscribers that while these two channels will no longer be available on its platform, it does create an opportunity for the company to acquire other high quality and entertaining channels for its valued subscribers".

BREAKING. StarTimes South Africa running StarSat set to retrench staff; must take 'drastic measures' due to financial 'predicament' the pay-TV operator is facing.

StarTimes South Africa and On Digital Media (ODM) is set to retrench staff as part of "drastic measures" to help with the financial "predicament" of the beleaguered Woodmead based pay-TV company which runs the StarSat satellite pay-TV service in South Africa.

Following its commercial launch in May 2010, after a string of bad decisions, technical mistakes, poor customer service and subscriber uptake, the TopTV brand flamed out and was relaunched under the StarSat brand.

Meanwhile ODM, still mired in a business rescue process since April 2013, got a lifeline in the form of China's StarTimes operating elsewhere on the African continent since 2007, that took a 20% equity stake in ODM but gets 65% of the profits.

While the latest research shows that the pay-TV market on the African continent is set for a boom time, StarTimes South Africa is struggling and now retrenchments are looming. Rounds of retrenchments and a process of voluntary severance packages happened at ODM before.

Now CIO reports that StarTimes South Africa is telling workers that the company is facing a predicament due to increased pressure on the financial position of the company.

In an internal letter send to StarTimes South Africa staff on 10 September, StarTimes South Africa CEO Mike Dearham says that "difficult economic circumstances being experienced in the broadcasting industry have had an adverse effect on the operations of StarTimes".

"This has resulted I some increased pressure on the financial position of the company. Most of the employees are already aware of the situation," according to Mike Dearham.

"This situation has led to a decision being taken by the Board of the company to investigate possible solutions to the predicament the company is facing. Unfortunately, StarTimes cannot carry on indefinitely in this manner and in order to stabilize the financial position of the company, certain measures will have to be taken as soon as possible".

"Various methods to increase revenue and to cut costs have already been considered, but the stage has now been reached where other, more drastic measures have to be considered and which will mean that some positions may be affected."

StarTimes South Africa is going to have a meeting with workers to discuss how many workers in what departments could be retrenched and the timetable and what the severance pay will be.

It's not clear how many StarTimes South Africa workers are affected by the news of possible looming retrenchments.

Times have been tough for sectors of the South African broadcasting and telecommunications industry this year.

Sabido's TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403) for instance gutted and shuttered its entire African news division this year which saw an exodus of on-air talent and executive leave for rivals broadcasters, while several current affairs programmes continue to be cancelled.

Altron is shutting down its disastrous Altech Node video-on-demand (VOD) service at the end of October after a year, and Telkom is shedding thousands of jobs.

StarSat introducing new StarSat Sport Plus add-on package for R99 per month; will contain StarTimes World Football and StarTimes Sport Premium channels.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media SA is introducing its new StarSat Sport Plus add-on package on Thursday 10 September for R99 with two sports channels.

The sports channels are part of new sports rights StarTimes acquired for Africa.

The StarSat Sport Plus package will cost an additional R99 per month and existing subscribers will then get 2 channels - StarTimes World Football and StarTimes Sport Premium - as standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) channels depending on their version of decoder.

The older StarSat decoder (TopTV branded black decoder) will only have StarTimes Football SD on channel 244 and StarTimes Sport Premium SD on channel 242; the newer white and HD capable StarSat decoder will have these two channels as well as a HD version of StarTimes World Football on channel 245 and StarTimes Sport Premium HD on channel 246.

To subscribe to the StarSat Sport add-on package, someone needs to already be a subscriber of the StarSat Super, StarSat Indian (in which case you also have to take StarSat Special), or the StarSat Chinese packages.

The StarTimes Sport Premium and StarTimes World Football channels will exclusively show the Bundesliga and Series A soccer.

StarSat porn appeal bid denied by High Court; broadcasting regulator must relook decision to allow StarSat to broadcast sex channels.

StarSat's porn appeal has been denied by the Western Cape High Court today, with On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes SA again ordered to shut down the hardcore pornographic channels it started broadcasting immediately, and South Africa's broadcasting regulator ordered to review the decision to allow StarSat's to broadcast these channels.

ODM and China's StarTimes Media SA has been broadcasting a sex package of TV channels for R159 per month since November 2013, following two highly controversial applications at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), the first of which was denied and the second of which was approved in April 2013.

According to reports StarSat's subscriber base has plunged from around 400 000 to between 80 000 and 85 000. Asked what StarSat's subscriber number is, the company on Wednesday told TV with Thinus "StarSat does not publicise its subscriber numbers".

According to court documents ODM and StarTimes Media SA has around 400 subscribers for the sex channels.

ODM, currently in business rescue, denies that it's planning on porn to save the company, saying that "research conducted by ODM shows that there is majority support and demand for adult-based channels". 

ODM which at launch in May 2010 promised it wouldn't broadcast pornographic channels, says that "providing subscribers with more choice allows ODM to be a competitor in an environment filled with opportunities".

At the beginning of November Judge Lee Bozalek in the Western Cape High Court ordered StarSat to stop broadcasting its hardcore pornography TV channels in South Africa after the the non-profit organisations Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa), Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life took Icasa and StarSat to court for allowing and broadcasting pornography on television in South Africa.

Icasa admitted to court that the regulator had failed to appoint experts to consider StarSat's porn plan.

The struggling On Digital Media also failed to register with the Film and Publications Board (FPB) as a porn purveyor.

The Woodmead-based satellite pay-TV operator appealed the High Court ruling, and today the High Court rejected ODM's appeal, again finding that the broadcasting regulator has to relook the process and decision which gave StarSat (formerly TopTV) permission to broadcast the hardcore pornography in the form of Brazzers, Desire TV and Playboy TV channels.

The ruling also stands that ODM and Icasa pay the court case cost.

"These are matters which quintessentially lie in the province and expertise of Icasa," said Judge Lee Bozalek.

In a statement issued after today's ruling, ODM says that the company "is currently consulting with its attorneys tod iscuss the next steps and despite this setback ODM will continue to ensure that citizens in South Africa have the freedom to view the programmes they wish to".

StarSat adds two self-compiled music TV channels, StarTimes SA Music and StarTimes Soul to its channel line-up.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa's StarSat is adding two self-compiled music TV channels, StarTimes SA Music and StarTimes Soul, to the South African satellite pay-TV operator's channel line-up.

According to reports StarSat, in business rescue and fighting a court battle to keep broadcasting hardcore pornographic TV channels, has seen its subscriber base erode from 400 000 subscribers to currently around between 80 000 and 85 000.

StarTimes SA Music becomes available from today on StarSat channel 321 and StarTimes Soul on StarSat channel 322 with both channels enabled for subscribers on the StarSat's Smart package.

StarTimes SA Music will broadcast kwaito, house, hip-hop, jazz and gospel music videos as well as classic South African music videos.

StarTimes Soul will broadcast a mix of international and local soul music of performers like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Luther Vandross, The Temptations, as well as new soul, slow jams and soul lounge music.

"Our two new channels definitely won't disappoint. They offer an excellent choice of music catering to our subscribers' diverse taste in music," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat. "This is definitely one of StarSat's best offerings yet".

"StarTimes SA Music gives us the opportunity to showcase some of South Africa's very talented artists in the music industry all on one channel".

StarSat opens 8 TV channels to lower-tiered subscribers for a 'week'; increases subsidisation of StarSat decoders and installation.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa's StarSat satellite pay-TV platform has opened and unencoded 8 TV channels for a week for StarSat Special and StarSat Smart subscribers while the Woodmead-based satellite pay-TV provider is upping its subsidisation of StarSat decoders and installation for consumers.

Until Friday StarSat subscribers get unrestricted access to FOX Movies (StarSat 110), PoP (StarSat 302), StarTimes Movies 1 (StarSat 100), StarTimes Sport 2 (StarSat 241), Qyou (StarSat 165), Trace Sport Stars (StarSat 250), Nat Geo Gold (StarSat 220) and the StarTimes Series E1 (StarSat 125) channels.

The StarSat channels were opened to subscribers on Saturday already although StarSat's PR company Burston-Marsteller Africa only managed to inform the media and press by Monday after 17:08, more than two days after the promotion started, yet still saying subscribers will have a "week" of open viewing until Friday 21 November.

A PR spokesperson didn't bother to respond to a media enquiry asking when the unencoded channels' promotion started.

StarSat is also upping its subsidisation of StarSat decoders and installation hoping to drive subscriber growth, with new subscribers who can now get a StarSat decoder and full installation for R399 until 10 January 2015.

"This open view week of the stars allows subscribers the opportunity to experience more of our channels, and we encourage them to watch some of the channels they may not normally have access to on their current StarSat package," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat.

BREAKING. StarSat silent over adding 3 new channels from today, POP, Da Vinci Learning and Hausa channel, StarTimes Dadin Kowa.

You're reading it here first.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa is launching three new TV channels today at 12:00 on the StarSat satellite pay-TV platform, POP (StarSat 302), Da Vinci Learning (StarSat 308) and StarTimes Dadin Kowa (StarSat 404).

Neither StarSat's PR and marketing departments nor StarSat's PR company Burson-Marsteller Africa, has communicated a single word about any of it to the press or that the new TV channels would be launching.

Despite a promise in response to a media enquiry earlier this week to do so when information becomes available when asked about POP, Burson-Marsteller Africa has remained silent.

Despite StarSat's ongoing failure to properly communicate and lack of timeous programming information and notification to the media, some StarSat subscribers noticed the blocked channels being tested, signaling its addition to the Woodmead-based satellite pay-TV operator's platform which will apparently happen from today.

POP, aimed at children between 2 and 11, will launch today at 12:00 on StarSat in the StarSat Smart package and is the replacement channel for the discontinued KidsCo channel which was terminated at the beginning of the year.

Da Vinci Learning, an educational channel also available on other satellite offerings, will launch today on the StarSat Special package.

Then StarSat is adding StarTimes Dadin Kowa, a general entertainment TV channel aimed at Hausa viewers on the StarSat Special package. It's not clear how many of these Hausa speaking viewers there are in South Africa.

There's been no programming schedules, highlights, programming notes or any information regarding any of the new channels forthcoming from StarSat or its PR people.

BREAKING. StarSat wants to continue pumping the porn; pay-TV provider appeals high court decision over StarSat sex channels.

On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media South Africa wants to continue pumping hardcore pornography through television to South African viewers and is appealing the ruling from the Western Cape High Court which found the process flawed in which South Africa's broadcasting regulator approve the porn channels.

Last week Mike Dearham, the managing director of StarTimes Media Division said in a statement the pay-TV provider will "continue to enhance and enrich its content offering" and that its strategic intent is to be Africa's "pre-eminent provider of compelling and relevant African content" and that it wants to be "a "role model for the rest of the continent".

It's evident that the pay-TV provider sees pornographic TV channels as part of its plan, with ODM and StarTimes Media SA not willing to relinquish its hardcore sex channels which it has been broadcasting since November 2013 as a separate sex package for R159 per month.

According to court documents ODM and StarTimes Media SA has around 400 subscribers for the sex channels which Icasa approved after the company applied for a second time to broadcast porn following its first application which was denied.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has not yet decided whether it, like ODM and StarTimes Media SA, will be appealing the ruling.

At the beginning of the month the Western Cape High Court ordered StarSat to stop broadcasting its pornography TV channels in South Africa after the the non-profit organisations Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa), Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life took Icasa and StarSat to court for allowing and broadcasting pornography on television in South Africa.

Judge Lee Bozalek said the decision by Icasa was reviewed and set aside, but ODM has now appealed the high court ruling.

ODM, which is in business rescue, brought two applications to show pornography to Icasa - the first of which was rejected by the regulator, and the second a year later which was approved in April 2013 after which TopTV, rebranded as StarSat, activated the pornography channels.

Icasa admitted to court that the regulator had failed to appoint experts to consider StarSat's porn plan. On Digital Media also failed to register with the Film and Publications Board (FPB) as a porn purveyor.

ODM and StarTimes Media SA and its PR company Burson-Marsteller didn't respond to media enquiries earlier this month as to whether the Woodmead-based satellite pay-TV provider would be appealing the high court decision or stop broadcasting the channels.

On Monday respond to a media enquiry seeking comment after the company did decide to appeal the high court decision, ODM says "its lawyers have reviewed the judgement and do believe there is a very good case for appeal".

The company says it has "filed an Application for Leave to Appeal the judgement to a full bench of the Western Cape Division or the Supreme Court of Appeal".

"ODM has at all times ensured that it meets all the conditions of the licence by offering the adult content channels as a separate and verified subscription package, broadcast during the watershed period of 20:00 and 05:00, accessible only with a double-pin process. This made it extremely unlikely that children would be able to access the content."

BREAKING. Court orders ODM and StarTimes Media SA's StarSat to stop broadcasting its pornography TV channels.

The Western Cape High Court on Monday ordered StarSat to stop broadcasting its pornography TV channels in South Africa when the court found that South Africa's broadcasting regulator, Icasa, erred in providing a licence to StarSat to show hardcore pornography on television.

Judge Lee Bozalek said the decision by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to grant a licence to StarSat, run by On Digital Media (ODM) and China's StarTimes South Africa, to broadcast pornography on television was reviewed and set aside.

ODM brought two applications to show pornography to Icasa, the first of which was rejected by the regulator, and the second a year later which was approved in April 2013.

Icasa admitted to court that the regulator had failed to appoint experts to consider StarSat's porn plan. On Digital Media also failed to register with the Film and Publications Board (FPB) as a porn purveyor.

The struggling StarSat which is in business rescue, rebranded at the end of last year from TopTV, has been showing hardcore pornography channels in a separate bouquet and the Woodmead based satellite pay-TV operator has since quietly substituted the Private Spice sex channel for the Brazzers channel.

Around 400 StarSat subscribers has since signed up for the sex channels according to court papers, with Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa), Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life who took Icasa and StarSat to court for allowing and broadcasting pornography on television in South Africa.

"The matter is remitted back to the second respondent [Icasa] for reconsideration," said judge Lee Bozalek on Monday. Icasa and StarSat also have to pay the legal cost of the court case.

Monday's judgment means that, because the decision by Icasa to allow pornography on television has been set aside, that ODM and StarTimes SA will have to halt to broadcasting of the sex channels, until a new review of the StarSat's porn application.

STARSAT PORN COURT CASE: South African broadcasting regulator Icasa admits notifying that StarSat wanting to show porn was not effective.

The South African broadcasting regulator admitted in the Western Cape High Court that the way in which the regulator notified the South African public and TV industry that On Digital Media (ODM) has applied and want to broadcast pornography on South African television was not effective in the context in which it was done.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator also failed to appoint experts to consider On Digital Media's application for sex TV channels.

The Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa), Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life are taking StarSat to court over the Woodmead-based satellite-TV operator's porn TV channels and want the decision by the regulator to be overturned.

The group argues that StarSat's (formerly TopTV) broadcasting of pornography on South African television contravenes section 19 of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act, which deals with the exposure to, or display of pornography to children, as well as the Films and Publications Act.

The group argued in court that ODM and StarTimes Media are contravening the Films and Publications Act by exposing children to X18 content on television.

Besides StarSat, the respondents in the porn TV case include the chairperson of South African's broadcasting regulator, Stephen Mncube of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa); Peter van der Steen who is StarSat's business rescue practitioner since the company is in business rescue; and the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi.

Icasa granted ODM a licence to broadcasting its bouquet of porn channels in April 2013 after StarSat brought a second application to show porn on TV to subscribers. Out of the 644 written application, over 90% opposed the granting of a porn TV licence to StarSat.

StarSat started showing Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice as a stand-alone sex bouquet which requires a separate subscription and PIN. StarSat quietly changed Private Spice to the hardcore pornographic Brazzers TV channel.

StarSat has previously declined to give subscription numbers for its porn bouquet but according to court papers has about 400 subscribers.

Icasa told the Western Cape High Court that the South African public and the TV industry were sufficiently advised that ODM had applied to broadcast sex channels on its satellite-TV platform.

Judge Lee Bozalek took issue with Icasa's argument, asking why the Government Gazette notice in December 2012 did not make any mention of what the applied for TV channels were going to broadcast, namely pornography.

"How can that ever be rational? What is the purpose of this notice? It is to bring to the attention of the public that a matter of potential controversy is the subject of this application?"

"If Joe Bloggs has very strong views about the broadcasting of adult material, how would he not know this is an application to put National Geographic on a channel?" asked judge Lee Bozalek.

Icasa admitted that the Government Gazette notice without context was not effective but said that it was not Icasa's responsibility to spell everything out.

"It is not for Icasa to point out to the public that you may be interested in this because it raises X, Y or Z," said Icasa.

"If someone is interested and concerned about what broadcasters broadcast, as indeed these parties are, they could and should keep their ears to the ground," said Icasa.

Judge Lee Bozalek said the process was inefficient by which Icasa made it possible for the public to access the application documents. People have to travel to Icasa's library in Johannesburg to access a physical copy of the full application StarSat made to start broadcasting pornography on television.

Judge Lee Bozalek compared Icasa's methods to those used in the 1970s, not in the digital era.

"This is a communications authority ironically. It deals with communications," said judge Lee Bozalek.

Icasa also failed to appoint experts to consider On Digital Media's application for sex TV channels.

"The committee felt there was no need for that. The matter was not so complex," argued Icasa.

"What would these experts in fact be doing? What were they needed for?" argued Icasa in the Western Cape High Court. "The failure to appoint experts did not render the procedure unlawful or unfair".

STARSAT PORN COURT CASE: Broadcasting regulator allowed struggling company to come into bedrooms, lounges of SA with pornography, court hears.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator, allowed the struggling South African satellite pay-TV operator On Digital Media (ODM) to broadcast pornography into the bedrooms, lounges and living rooms of South Africans to make money, argued the group in the Western Cape High Court who've brought an application for StarSat's sex TV channels licence to be set aside.

The Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa), Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life are taking StarSat to court over the Woodmead-based satellite-TV operator's porn TV channels.

The group argues that StarSat's (formerly TopTV) broadcasting of pornography on South African television contravenes section 19 of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act, which deals with the exposure to, or display of pornography to children, as well as the Films and Publications Act.

Besides StarSat, the respondents in the porn TV case include the chairperson of South African's broadcasting regulator, Stephen Mncube of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa); Peter van der Steen who is StarSat's business rescue practitioner since the company is in business rescue; and the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi.

"They have allowed a company who is in financial straits to come into the bedrooms, lounges and living rooms of the nation," Reg Willis from Doctors for Life told the Western Cape High Court.

The group argued in court that ODM and StarTimes Media are contravening the Films and Publications Act by exposing children to X18 content on television.

Icasa granted ODM a licence to broadcasting its bouquet of porn channels in April 2013 after StarSat brought a second application to show porn on TV to subscribers. Out of the 644 written application, over 90% opposed the granting of a porn TV licence to StarSat.

StarSat started showing Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice as a stand-alone sex bouquet which requires a separate subscription and PIN. StarSat quietly changed Private Spice to the hardcore pornographic Brazzers TV channel.

StarSat has previously declined to give subscription numbers for its porn bouquet but according to court papers has about 400 subscribers.

Cause for Life's advocate Murray Bridgman argued that ODM and StarSat's pornography TV channels is to make money for the company rather than a form of artistic expression.

"It's a peripheral right to make money for ODM, to try and get ODM out of the dwang [difficulties]."

"I say that is not the sort of constitutional right that needs to be defended or upheld by any administrator," Murray Bridgman told the Western Cape High Court.

Murray Bridgman said that pornography is an issue that impacts on all South African communities as a whole and on the constitutional rights to dignity, equality and security.

STARSAT PORN COURT CASE: On Digital Media and StarTimes' porn TV channels on StarSat a criminal offense, promotes unsafe sex and infidelity, argues group.

The Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa) argued in the Western Cape High Court yesterday that the pornographic TV channels on On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa's StarSat satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa are promoting unsafe sex and infidelity and that South Africa's broadcasting regulator contravened laws when it granted StarSat a licence to start broadcasting the sex channels.

Jasa, Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life are taking StarSat to court over the satellite-TV operator's porn TV channels.

The group argues that StarSat's (formerly TopTV) broadcasting of pornography on South African television contravenes section 19 of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act, which deals with the exposure to, or display of pornography to children, as well as the Films and Publications Act.

Besides StarSat, the respondents in the porn TV case include the chairperson of South African's broadcasting regulator, Stephen Mncube of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) - which initially denied StarSat's first application; Peter van der Steen who is StarSat's business rescue practitioner since the company is in business rescue; and the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi.

The group argued in court that ODM and StarTimes Media are contravening the Films and Publications Act by exposing children to X18 content on television.

Icasa granted ODM a licence to broadcasting its bouquet of porn channels in April 2013 after StarSat brought a second application to show porn on TV to subscribers. Out of the 644 written application, over 90% opposed the granting of a porn TV licence to StarSat.

StarSat started showing Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice as a stand-alone sex bouquet which requires a separate subscription and PIN. StarSat quietly changed Private Spice to the Brazzers TV channel.

The sex TV channel shows pornographic material entitled "Young Harlots: Carnal Education", "Backdoor Bikini MILFs", "Girls Behaving Badly" and "The Secret Lives of Kept Wives".

StarSat has previously declined to give subscription numbers for its porn bouquet but according to court papers has about 400 subscribers.

"The true content of the material wasn't told to Icasa," says Darryl Cooke of Jasa. "These programmes are promoting infidelity, unsafe sex and not what was represented to Icasa and the public".

The group also argues that assurances given by On Digital Media regarding Playboy TV UK that it complied with laws are not the case and that ODM knew it.

"We have, over a period of six years, repeated breaches. They are a serial offender. We are told in these reports that they are reckless and that they are repeated breachers".

Darryl Cooke said Icasa still had the discretion to refuse to authorise porn on South African television and to balancing the rights to freedom of expression with the rights of children and the need to avoid harm.

The group's advocate Murray Bridgman argued that ODM and StarSat had admitted it was likely or may well happen that children would view their pornography.

Murray Bridgman said that pornography is an issue that impacts on all South Africancommunities as a whole and on the constitutional rights to dignity, equality and security.

"[There was] one public hearing, one city, one day. Not good enough. There should have been meetings in each of the nine provinces and there should have been a far greater level of engagement".

Murray Bridgman argued that Icasa's advert in the Government Gazette inviting public comment did not even mention that StarSat's sex channels were to broadcast porn. If the public wanted to view the application, they had to make a photocopy at Icasa’s library in Johannesburg.

"If this had been done right, there would have been 1 649 objections," He said that the public hearing in March 2013 gave inadequate time to objectors and denied the Film and Publication Board (FPB) the chance to make oral submissions over ODM's application for porn channels.

Icasa's special committee was criticised for not appointing experts and inspectors to investigate the content of StarSat's porn TV channels and to make sure it abided by certain criteria.

BREAKING. StarSat set to add StarSports and StarSports 2 as brand-new sports channels.

TV with Thinus can reveal that On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes South Africa running the StarSat satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa is set to add two new sports channels, StarSports and StarSports 2 to its channel line-up, possibly as soon as Friday 19 July.

The move will help to bolster StarSat's tepid sports offering to existing and potential StarSat subscribers.

StarSports 2 has already been tested on StarSat's channel 423.

The lack of sports content and quality sports content, and non-premium sports channels has hampered the attractiveness of ODM TopTV, relaunched as StarSat at the end of 2013, since TopTV launched in May 2010.

Then, ODM promised to launch TopSport as one of TopTV's channels as well as a 24-hour TV news channel, but ODM backtracked before the launch and said the news channel would no longer be happening, and the TopSport channel later.

The self-compiled sports channel never materialised and ODM never acquired sports rights for other channels like its Top One channel.

Although ODM added channels like Setanta Africa, FuelTV, Setanta Action, Extreme Sports, Euro Sport News and others to TopTV and later StarSat, it also lost channels like Manchester United's fan channel, MUTV, and remained unable the past four years to come up with a strong sports, or sports channel offering.

StarSports and StarSports 2 could now signal the start of the first real effort by ODM and its Chinese content and investment partner, StarTimes South Africa, to produce and funnel real sports content and coverage to StarSat subscribers in South Africa.

StarSat is apparently set to add StarSports and StarSports 2 as self compiled TV channels possibly as early as this Friday, 19 July. It's not clear which StarSat bouquets would get this channel or channels, or what the type of content would be.

StarSat, asked on Tuesday about StarSports and StarSports 2, what content would be carried, and whether the channels would be added by 19 July, declined to give answers to specific questions and said the pay-TV operator is not in a position to respond.

On Digital Media (ODM) busy reconnecting TopTV subscribers after a major failure in new billing system saw subscribers being blocked.

 

On Digital Media (ODM) is busy reconnecting a lot of incensed TopTV subscribers who were paid up but saw their signals blocked and got disconnected on Tuesday 1 October, the result of a major technical problem which occured with the introduction of a yet another new billing system by the struggling Woodmead based satellite pay-TV operator.

Shocked and livid TopTV subscribers were unable to get through to the TopTV call centre on Tuesday as they clamoured to get answers and tried to get their pay-TV subscription restored. The company fell silent on Tuesday over what the problem was and didn't respond to hundreds of enquiries from exasperated TopTV subscribers wondering what's going on.

"This Service is blocked (4)" is what appeared on a lot of TopTV subscribers TV screens on Tuesday, launching an avalanche of complaints which stemmed from the introduction of a new "real-time" payment reconciliation system which disconnects subscribers if no payment is reflected on their accounts.

In the past ODM gave TopTV subscribers a few days grace into the start of a new month to settle their new month's payment upfront. However, the new billing system had a serious glitch and where payments didn't reflect or were only made on the 1st of October, TopTV subscribers were instantly cut.

ODM introduced the new billing system in order to be able to reconcile subscribers' payments quicker, with account transactions which will show immediately in future.

"TopTV apologises to subscribers for the recent disconnections. This was due to a technical glitch in the new billing system. We are currently in the process of reactivating subscribers whose payments have reflected in the system," the company said.

This is the third major billing system problem TopTV experienced in three years leading to widespread TopTV customer anger and denting the pay-TV provider's reputation. In February 2011 TopTV erroneously ran a double debit order run on thousands of TopTV subscribers' bank accounts when it upgraded to a new billing system.

In April 2012 TopTV again had a billing system problem when incorrect debit order instructions saw 17 000 TopTV subscribers affected when the company ran a debit order too early, incorrectly and in some cases double.

ODM hopes to have all affected disconnected subscribers reconnected soon as ODM and StarTimes South Africa work on rolling out new "StarTV" and other third-party TV channels later this month in new bouquets.

TopTV has already done away with the "Top" logo which can no longer be found on any channel and which suffered huge reputational damage with South African consumers and subscribers the past three years since its commercial launch in May 2010.

It has now quietly been replaced by the StarTimes logo for test channels such as Star One or STV One, Star Movies 1 and Star Movies +2.

With StarTimes taking over and bailing out ODM, the pay-TV operator is looking ahead to attempt to start over and "resetting" its entire channel bouquet offering later in October.

Last week TopTV launched a new set of "Star" branded test channels. TopTV added Nigerian channels such as WAPTV, E-Star and Oh Africa, an African news channel TVC News and two music channels, Nigezie and STV music. Subscribers are however already complaining about the increase in Chinese entertainment and Chinese movies.