[kictanet] Is CCK's move to renege on a promise to award a 3rd digital signal distributor license justified?

Wed May 22 17:11:27 EAT 2013

Hussein:
Let me weigh in:
I don't believe the broadcast media (content providers) should control the distribution of the same (as the media owners are demanding). its selfish, monopolistic and potentially tyrannical. lets borrow from the petroleum sector — petroleum distribution is done by independents not the trading oil companies. and it works well. think of what will happen when the media owners meet and agree that they are going to charge their audiences any amount to access their products/content the way they collude to set the newspaper prices, every so often. or decide not to distribute some products of their competitors for whatever reasons — such as they dont like your content. the best scenario is for the media owners or investors that are interested to invest in shareholding in signet (which is for free to air channels), and the govt to reduce its stake to 51pc to protect the consumers and article 35 of the const. alternatively, an independent board (with public
 media /consumer representation) can be set up to manage signet so that the ineptitude of KBC does not afflict the whole information sector. the situation is already so so bad you cant access the signet digital signal in western kenya...
David

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________________________________
 From: Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke>
To: dmakali at yahoo.com 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Is CCK's move to renege on a promise to award a 3rd digital signal distributor license justified?

Robert

+1 :)

Seriously though is there a clause that ensures we are protected from Monopolistic tendencies? Is the Government ensuring that all broadcasters would have access without the 'owner' of the signal resorting to exorbitant or extortionist tendencies? Maybe this is what the broadcasters are fearing? 

The other contentious issue is whether it is fair for the 'owner' of the signal to also compete in distributing content? I'm not an expert in this area so mine is a layman's argument which may not hold any water.

Ali Hussein
CEO | 3mice interactive media Ltd
Principal | Telemedia Africa Ltd

+254 713 601113

"The future belongs to him who knows how to wait." - Russian Proverb
Sent from my iPad

On May 22, 2013, at 10:46 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

Hi,
>
>Yes, especially since 2 is already tooooooooo many, it is justified as the consumer (@COFEK) suffered for many years when forced to purchase a myriad of antennae to receive the various signals transmitted from different directions (Ngong, Limuru, CBD, Kariadudu).  
>
>In addition the signal foot print for Startimes is already larger than that of all the analogue stations combined, we have devolved the government it is foolhardy to want to devolve the airwaves.
>
>Signal transmission is not a competitive advantage but more a strategy by the incumbents to raise the barriers to entry (never knew I would ever use that statement) and stifle the growth of new entrants into the broadcast playing field.
>
>With a single  digital signal distributor you will be able to setup AliTV for as little as Kes.
 500,000/- per month for the signal distribution plus 5,000/- for a 2 MB local loop connection to the distributor.  The fear of the incumbents is that you might convince 10 of your friends to place adverts on your channel at 100,000/- per month instead of on the current channels at 100,000 for a 15 second slot, do the math.
>
>Cofek needs to get off the road so this truck can finally run over the stifling incumbents once and for all, who is with me?
>
>Regards
>
>PS.  Those who do not fear teargas can join me for the demonstration, the rest can fund the activity (please inbox me for details) and for the rest you can +1 this.
>
> 
>Robert Yawe
>KAY System Technologies Ltd
>Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>Kenya
>
>
>Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
>
>________________________________
> From: Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke>
>To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk 
>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
>Sent: Wednesday, 22 May 2013, 5:21
>Subject: [kictanet] Is CCK's move to renege on a promise to award a 3rd digital signal distributor license justified?
> 
>
>
>In a move that is likely to open up a new battlefront in the Digital TV migration saga in Kenya, CCK announces that it will not after all award a 3rd digital signal distributor license to Kenyan Broadcasters.
>
>Saying that the  international regulatory environment has since changed and that it would be difficult to go ahead with the plan, the DG asked broadcasters to either partner with Signet, a subsidiary of KBC or buy shares in Pan African Network, the other distributor of digital signals.
>
>
>http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/CCK-now-rules-out-third-digital-signal-distributor/-/1006/1858996/-/r5yo02/-/index.html
>
>
>The Media owners are definitely going to come out fighting.
>
>
>What's your take? 
>
>
>
>
>Ali Hussein
>CEO | 3mice interactive media Ltd
>Principal | Telemedia Africa Ltd
>
>
>+254 713 601113
>
>
>"The future belongs to him who knows how to wait." - Russian Proverb
>
>Sent from my iPad
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