[kictanet] Fw: [isoc_ke] The battle for control of Kenyan Digital airspace - Way Forward

[Mwendwa Kivuva]

See my view inline

On 27 January 2015 at 18:25, Walubengo J via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Its a very complicated chess game going on.
>
> 1. SIGNET+PANG are the designated national digital distributors - but bila
> (without) content to distribute
> 2. The 3private Broadcasters have content - but bila (without)
> distribution rights or licenses.
>
> Regulatory Options:
> 1. Do you FORCE the 3 to surrender their content to SIGNET+PANG for
> distribution?
>
2. Do you give the 3private Broadcasters their own distribution network
> (BSD License?)
>

I like to view this from a mobile phone perspective. Each user is allowed
to buy whichever phone (s)he loves, and put whichever SIM card, Safaricom,
Zain, Orange. CA should take a bold move forward and require standard
digital boxes where users buy TV CARDS and load funds -- same ase SIM cards
to insert on the setboxes to view either Supersport, GoTV, Startimes,
BambaTV, ZUKu, e.t.c or whoever does not want to buy the card can view all
Free To Air channels. Do I make any sense.

Regards


>
>
Impact
> 1. Option 1 can be and will be frustrated (cry copyright, cry media
> freedom, cry all over to Supreme court +  now Paris :-)
> 2. Option 2 seems attractive and doable - HOWEVER, giving the 3private
> their own license has the following impact
> a) It leaves SIGNET+PANG high and dry with close "nothing" to distribute.
> Technically the close shop.
>

This will give PANG an avenue to innovate and offer competitive "carrier
charges" to independent content providers. Let PANG work hard to earn their
position. Remembers Standard and Nation has been on the scene since around
year 1901. Signet (read KBC) have always rode on taxpayers funding and have
nothing to prove. Taxpayers actually expect no surprise from them, but CA
must ensure Signet has more reach across the country through USFs.


> b) It leaves the 3broadcasters enjoying and sometimes exploiting their
> dominant position (think Safcom :-)
>

There is a "must carry" principle whereby all FTA channels should be
accessible from whichever network. I would love to see how CA enforces this.


> Way forward.
> Seek solutions together since a local solution must be existing.  Thorax
> and chest thumping by both government and broadcasters will not work and
> will simply leave Kenya's digital migration process critically damaged and
> perhaps beyond salvage.
>



______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya

"There are some men who lift the age they inhabit, till all men walk on
higher ground in that lifetime." - Maxwell Anderson
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