[kictanet] Digital TV signal Distribution row- at Kenya IGF
Alice Munyua
alice at apc.org
Tue Jul 26 15:59:38 EAT 2011
This issue does bring back memories of the KCA amendment act and
missing the point.
I do like bloggers, here's Wanjiku's take.
http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/2011/07/digital-signal-distribution-who-missed-the-point/
"Digital Signal Distribution; who missed the point?
Posted on 26/07/2011
<http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/2011/07/digital-signal-distribution-who-missed-the-point/>
by admin <http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/author/admin/>
Last week, there was a huge debate over digital signal distribution
contract given to a Chinese firm- Pan African Network Group. The main
dispute came to the fore after Nation Media Group and Royal Media
Services lost a procurement appeal.
I remember the tender and the whole digital broadcasting debate, but
when I saw S.K macharia and Linus Gitahi being interviewed, I knew the
big guns were blazing. Terms like media freedom were being fronted
around and how it could be interfered with during next year's elections.
One conspicuous issue was that no one from government was interviewed to
counter the accusations, so to the public, it seemed like the government
had ignored local consortium in favor of a Chinese company, that did not
have existing infrastructure. There is no contest that those are the two
biggest media in Kenya and you have to agree, they had a point, at that
time.
Because there was no much info as to why the Communications Commission
of Kenya awarded the contract, it always pays to wait and hear the other
side; and the rejoinder from CCK came, and their first point was to
raise an issue of how the media ignored the principle of fair doctrine-
I think there is no contest about that, it was thrown out of the door :)
From the rejoinder, it emerged that the investments made by the media
houses do not count as much because they will have to build new
infrastructure as per the CCK guidelines submitted to the International
Telecommunications Union. The only usable investment is land, and even
then, that land will have to be in the areas designated for digital
broadcasting.
Hmmmm..... so now, the extensive infrastructure card is out. And I
didn't hear them say that they has shs. 4 billion ready for investment,
maybe they will get a loan, just like the Chinese probably will.
Besides, being Kenyan doesn't mean you are the best, what happened to
competition.
From the arguments, not many people could tell that the license was for
commercial digital distribution, KBC has the government funded one, so
if you don't like the commercial one, I think KBC gives another alternative.
As it has now been explained, one of the reasons for the tender is to
separate signal and content distribution. I think this is the point
where the unified licensing regime will start making sense. All license
holders will have to be licensed afresh under content or signal
distribution. Right now, TV stations do both. I wonder if it would be
better if the policy says if you are in signal distribution, then you
have to buy content from content providers and can not do both, like it
happens in South Africa.
This is also going to be a sticky point because media houses will have
to pay more to content providers if the 30 percent local content quota
is enforced, which will mean better business to content providers.
There is no doubt that the whole digital migration is going to have far
more greater implications that we probably think. Investors will have to
fine new things to do with their extensive infrastructure now that the
content will be distributed through someone else's infrastructure. Maybe
companies will sell off the masts, towers, etc or they will start
selling internet capacity if its possible but innovation is needed
fast...forget media freedom, think what you will do with the
infrastructure once we switch from analogue to digital.
The two sides argued their cases but I think the real debate will come
out once CCK advertises for license application and gives guidelines. We
will probably see court cases that will explain all about those
broadcasting stakeholder forums that I see advertised in the papers and
am not sure if the bigwigs in the media houses attend.
Remember the debate about the ICT Act? The issue was also about media
freedom and it turned out the clause in question was a decade old :) and
the media did not have a clue, they thought it was in the amendment Act.
So, the debate may have just began, let us now discuss what happens with
the analogue spectrum that media owners will give back. Will it be
fairly redistributed, auctioned or will be allocated like the current
spectrum was? Will we see some set aside for rural Wi-fi projects?
Maybe am jumping the gun and will soon start digressing :)"
On 7/26/11 12:28 PM, Harry Delano wrote:
> Am certain we have media represented on this list, pse respond and set
> the record straight. Especially, "Were you
> invited to take up ownership in Signet, then you declined?" I suppose
> we run the risk of upcoming news items being
> treated with a pinch of salt unless fully substantiated, to avoid
> whipping up emotions unnecessarily.
> Maybe as suggested, a townhall "forum" would be a welcome idea.
> Robert, pse send the recipe for roasting grasshoppers..
> Harry
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke]
> *On Behalf Of *robert yawe
> *Sent:* Monday, July 25, 2011 10:12 AM
> *To:* harry at comtelsys.co.ke
> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Digital TV signal Distribution row- at Kenya IGF
>
> Daktari,
>
> I rarely agree with the governments stand on certain issues but on
> this one I say move forward with all guns blazing, I need an
> opportunity to broadcast my ideas but this will never happen with a
> few profit centred organisations owning the airwaves.
>
> After we have created out youtube
> http://www.youtube.com/robertyawe (this is a chance for many of you to
> put a face to the text) type content the next step will be how to
> broadcast the same to a larger audience.
>
> As with youtube, where I did not need to invest in the distribution
> network, the independence of the digital signal distributor will allow
> me to only invest in the content part of the business thus reducing my
> capital expenditure.
>
> However much we bury our heads in the sand, kill switches are a must
> have if you are to prevent mass murder as happened in Rwanda, Sierra
> Leone, Serbia, Germany and many others. Yesterday I realised that my
> searches on Google are being localised which means all traffic to and
> from a particular country will soon be easily identifiable which will
> therefore allow for remote disconnection.
>
> So before you start throwing stones at the Chinese, because of our
> inability to think even within the box, watch the global space and
> realise that big brother is increasing the reigns of control to the
> level of each individual world citizen.
>
> I ask again, if the phone of a Prime Minister can be hacked what about
> yours and mine, lets get the digital signal and broadcast cultural
> shows to those who want to watch. It is my expectation that by the
> end of 2012 I will have 100 channels to choose from ranging in content
> from recipes for roasting grasshoppers to brain surgery for dummies
> all from a single antennae irrespective of where I am in the country.
>
> Twende Kazi
> Robert Yawe
> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> Kenya
>
> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* "bitange at jambo.co.ke" <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> *To:* robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> *Sent:* Sun, 24 July, 2011 19:49:29
> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Digital TV signal Distribution row- at Kenya IGF
>
> Listers,
> Please step out of the box and understand this issue. There are about 30
> companies with license to distribute Internet Protocol (IP) signinal. Of
> these just a handful are controlled by Kenyans. The licenses issued to
> Signet and PANG (Chinese)to distribute Broadcasting signal is actually the
> same given to other IP signal distributors. In essence any telco would
> have easily distributed the signal. This is because broadcast and
> telecommunications have converged.
>
> One would ask why we did not just give the existing IP signal distributors
> to roll out digital broadcast. Indeed we considered this and we knew
> broadcasters would resist the power that telcos would wield (read Banks).
> We then decided to create a special Broadcast IP signal license knowing
> very well that the development of Web TV is advancing fast. Indeed the
> technologies like DVBT, ISDBT etc would be eliminated once web tv takes
> over in another 5 years. This would mean that even CCK will not issue
> such IP licenses but only content license.
>
> We are simply in a development stage and check my words. There is no
> Broadcast Signal licensee (if their intention is to only distribute
> broadcast signal) who will recover the Ksh. 4 billion investment before
> the broadcast technology shifts to web broadcasting. We are already into
> Youtube and the like. Sometines follow ITU discussions, it is just a
> matter of time before all of us become broadcasters from our websites.
> All research is now focused on moving from Standard Definition to High
> Defition to 3D on the web. Just check TV manufacturers to understand the
> direction we are going. Already there is Internet TV with 1,500 free to
> air channels from Samsung. The smart TV which incorpotates today and
> tomorrow video requirements.
>
> We have been boxed into a small corner with lies. Indeed I have called my
> counterparts in Rwanda and Uganda and there is nothing with cancellation
> of licenses as reported. You can call and check. Prior to advertizing
> the tender, the Migration Committee had offered shares in Signet or better
> the license to all broadcasters owing to their investments in the sector
> that will go to waste. Instead they started fighting among themselves and
> agreed to a competitive bid but they did not report this.
>
> Under affirmative action, we shall proceed to issue the third license to
> the compainants on condition they incorporate others who already have
> infrastructure but only time will tell. (Mtoto akililia wembe, mpatie).
> It is not a wise decision for them if their intent is to protect our
> sovreinity through local entrepreneurship. The war in future will be in
> content and so Intellectual Property is where we must focus our energies.
> The last time I checked Ngurario in the net, it was a product of Intel and
> Microsoft. I do not know what is more important, our heritage or channels
> to which we distribute our creations.
>
> We shall benefit from this interaction if we think mostly out of the box
> and understand what is important to our future. The Government is
> devolving power to the citizens as evidenced with the launch of open
> government. But if the citizens continue with the old politically correct
> statements that have no evidence then we have a problem. These are some
> of the people who will be told of a revolution that happened during their
> time but were not able to see it because they were blinded with the past.
>
>
> Regards
>
>
> Ndemo.
>
>
>
>
>
> > Allow me to add some comments on this thread. :-)
> >
> > Why is the ownership of the core signal distribution facilities of
> > national
> > importance ? I agree with Hon Eng Rege's assesment of potential sabotage
> > and
> > this alone is serious enough. Today we can openly discuss issues of such
> > importance, who knows what will be the situation in another 20
> years. All
> > global governments have been known to back track or fast track. In 20
> > years
> > time, we will have changed govt, policies to match back-tracking or
> > fast-tracking at least 5 different times but two local companies will
> > still
> > be in existence i.e NMG/Royal Media and operating the national signal
> > distribution without any effects whatsoever. We are also players in the
> > global world and there is also the problem of global policies that
> affects
> > us. If tomorrow China came under any sanctions internationally for
> > whatever
> > reason and that all developing nations have to follow the lead on
> showing
> > how they support these sanctions, will the govt then shutdown the
> licensed
> > facilities? Case of this is now Libya, which unfortunately developing
> > countries are also being sucked into and told to choose sides between
> > blocking assets and the rest . How would it work then? Anyone know
> what is
> > happening to Laico Regency and Oil-Libya in Kenya, please share some
> > details.
> >
> > The signal distribution network and facilities are as important as the
> > signals of DOD. Will we also pass these signals and controls to external
> > parties? I hope not. Nothing against China, as an investor it will be
> > unfortunately get caught up with issues that arise from developing
> > countries
> > fast tracking shortcuts versus almost zero internal initiatives on core
> > ownership development. In this case, I'd have to support the local media
> > groups that can finance, operate and rollout ownership of facilities
> > versus
> > the argument that market competion will drive a diverse solutions. It
> > seems
> > that there aren't that many media stations which would be able to
> use more
> > facilties even if they were available.
> >
> > My thoughts and corrections welcome.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
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