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This issue does bring back memories of the KCA amendment act and
missing the point. <br>
<br>
I do like bloggers, here's Wanjiku's take.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/2011/07/digital-signal-distribution-who-missed-the-point/">http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/2011/07/digital-signal-distribution-who-missed-the-point/</a><br>
<h1 class="entry-title">"Digital Signal Distribution; who missed the
point?</h1>
<div class="entry-meta"> <span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">Posted
on</span> <a
href="http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/2011/07/digital-signal-distribution-who-missed-the-point/"
title="11:04" rel="bookmark"><span class="entry-date">26/07/2011</span></a>
<span class="meta-sep">by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a
class="url fn n" href="http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/author/admin/"
title="View all posts by admin">admin</a></span> </div>
<div class="entry-content">
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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 <img
src="cid:part1.02020308.06080209@apc.org" alt=":)"
class="wp-smiley"> </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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 <img src="cid:part1.02020308.06080209@apc.org"
alt=":)" class="wp-smiley"> and the media did not have a clue,
they thought it was in the amendment Act.</p>
<p>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?</p>
<p>Maybe am jumping the gun and will soon start digressing <img
src="cid:part1.02020308.06080209@apc.org" alt=":)"
class="wp-smiley">" </p>
<p><br>
</p>
</div>
<br>
<br>
On 7/26/11 12:28 PM, Harry Delano wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:20110726090933.E86D324886C@sbserver.vegpro-group.com"
type="cite">
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<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Am certain we have
media represented on this list, pse respond and set the
record straight. Especially, "Were you </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">invited to take up
ownership in Signet, then you declined?" I suppose we run </font></span><span
class="515431809-26072011"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"
size="2">the risk of upcoming news items being </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">treated with a pinch
of salt unless fully substantiated, to avoid </font></span><span
class="515431809-26072011"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"
size="2">whipping up emotions unnecessarily.</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Maybe as suggested, a
townhall "forum" would be a welcome idea.</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Robert, pse send the
recipe for roasting grasshoppers..</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="515431809-26072011"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Harry</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" class="OutlookMessageHeader" align="left"
lang="en-us">
<hr tabindex="-1">
<font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke">mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>robert yawe<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 25, 2011 10:12 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] Digital TV signal Distribution
row-@Kenya IGF<br>
</font><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new york',times,serif;
font-size: 12pt;">
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Daktari,</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">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.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">After we
have created out youtube <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.youtube.com/robertyawe">http://www.youtube.com/robertyawe</a> (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. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">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.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br>
</div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif" size="3">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 </font><font
class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new
york', times, serif">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.</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif">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. </font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif">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.</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif">Twende Kazi</font></div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </div>
<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new
york', times, serif" size="3">Robert Yawe</font><br>
<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new
york', times, serif" size="3">KAY System Technologies Ltd</font><br>
<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new
york', times, serif" size="3">Phoenix House, 6th Floor</font><br>
<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new
york', times, serif" size="3">P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200</font><br>
<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new
york', times, serif" size="3">Kenya</font><br>
<br>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new
york',times,serif; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Tel:
+254722511225, +254202010696
<div><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;
font-size: 12pt;"><br>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;
font-size: 13px;"><font face="Tahoma" size="2">
<hr size="1">
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke">"bitange@jambo.co.ke"</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke"><bitange@jambo.co.ke></a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk">robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b>
KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke"><kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke></a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b>
Sun, 24 July, 2011 19:49:29<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b>
Re: [kictanet] Digital TV signal Distribution row-@Kenya
IGF<br>
</font><br>
Listers,<br>
Please step out of the box and understand this issue.
There are about 30<br>
companies with license to distribute Internet Protocol
(IP) signinal. Of<br>
these just a handful are controlled by Kenyans. The
licenses issued to<br>
Signet and PANG (Chinese)to distribute Broadcasting signal
is actually the<br>
same given to other IP signal distributors. In essence
any telco would<br>
have easily distributed the signal. This is because
broadcast and<br>
telecommunications have converged.<br>
<br>
One would ask why we did not just give the existing IP
signal distributors<br>
to roll out digital broadcast. Indeed we considered this
and we knew<br>
broadcasters would resist the power that telcos would
wield (read Banks). <br>
We then decided to create a special Broadcast IP signal
license knowing<br>
very well that the development of Web TV is advancing
fast. Indeed the<br>
technologies like DVBT, ISDBT etc would be eliminated once
web tv takes<br>
over in another 5 years. This would mean that even CCK
will not issue<br>
such IP licenses but only content license.<br>
<br>
We are simply in a development stage and check my words.
There is no<br>
Broadcast Signal licensee (if their intention is to only
distribute<br>
broadcast signal) who will recover the Ksh. 4 billion
investment before<br>
the broadcast technology shifts to web broadcasting. We
are already into<br>
Youtube and the like. Sometines follow ITU discussions, it
is just a<br>
matter of time before all of us become broadcasters from
our websites. <br>
All research is now focused on moving from Standard
Definition to High<br>
Defition to 3D on the web. Just check TV manufacturers to
understand the<br>
direction we are going. Already there is Internet TV with
1,500 free to<br>
air channels from Samsung. The smart TV which
incorpotates today and<br>
tomorrow video requirements.<br>
<br>
We have been boxed into a small corner with lies. Indeed
I have called my<br>
counterparts in Rwanda and Uganda and there is nothing
with cancellation<br>
of licenses as reported. You can call and check. Prior
to advertizing<br>
the tender, the Migration Committee had offered shares in
Signet or better<br>
the license to all broadcasters owing to their investments
in the sector<br>
that will go to waste. Instead they started fighting
among themselves and<br>
agreed to a competitive bid but they did not report this.<br>
<br>
Under affirmative action, we shall proceed to issue the
third license to<br>
the compainants on condition they incorporate others who
already have<br>
infrastructure but only time will tell. (Mtoto akililia
wembe, mpatie).<br>
It is not a wise decision for them if their intent is to
protect our<br>
sovreinity through local entrepreneurship. The war in
future will be in<br>
content and so Intellectual Property is where we must
focus our energies. <br>
The last time I checked Ngurario in the net, it was a
product of Intel and<br>
Microsoft. I do not know what is more important, our
heritage or channels<br>
to which we distribute our creations.<br>
<br>
We shall benefit from this interaction if we think mostly
out of the box<br>
and understand what is important to our future. The
Government is<br>
devolving power to the citizens as evidenced with the
launch of open<br>
government. But if the citizens continue with the old
politically correct<br>
statements that have no evidence then we have a problem.
These are some<br>
of the people who will be told of a revolution that
happened during their<br>
time but were not able to see it because they were blinded
with the past.<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
<br>
<br>
Ndemo.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
> Allow me to add some comments on this thread. :-)<br>
><br>
> Why is the ownership of the core signal distribution
facilities of<br>
> national<br>
> importance ? I agree with Hon Eng Rege's assesment of
potential sabotage<br>
> and<br>
> this alone is serious enough. Today we can openly
discuss issues of such<br>
> importance, who knows what will be the situation in
another 20 years. All<br>
> global governments have been known to back track or
fast track. In 20<br>
> years<br>
> time, we will have changed govt, policies to match
back-tracking or<br>
> fast-tracking at least 5 different times but two
local companies will<br>
> still<br>
> be in existence i.e NMG/Royal Media and operating the
national signal<br>
> distribution without any effects whatsoever. We are
also players in the<br>
> global world and there is also the problem of global
policies that affects<br>
> us. If tomorrow China came under any sanctions
internationally for<br>
> whatever<br>
> reason and that all developing nations have to follow
the lead on showing<br>
> how they support these sanctions, will the govt then
shutdown the licensed<br>
> facilities? Case of this is now Libya, which
unfortunately developing<br>
> countries are also being sucked into and told to
choose sides between<br>
> blocking assets and the rest . How would it work
then? Anyone know what is<br>
> happening to Laico Regency and Oil-Libya in Kenya,
please share some<br>
> details.<br>
><br>
> The signal distribution network and facilities are as
important as the<br>
> signals of DOD. Will we also pass these signals and
controls to external<br>
> parties? I hope not. Nothing against China, as an
investor it will be<br>
> unfortunately get caught up with issues that arise
from developing<br>
> countries<br>
> fast tracking shortcuts versus almost zero internal
initiatives on core<br>
> ownership development. In this case, I'd have to
support the local media<br>
> groups that can finance, operate and rollout
ownership of facilities<br>
> versus<br>
> the argument that market competion will drive a
diverse solutions. It<br>
> seems<br>
> that there aren't that many media stations which
would be able to use more<br>
> facilties even if they were available.<br>
><br>
> My thoughts and corrections welcome.<br>
><br>
> Thank you.<br>
><br>
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growth and development.<br>
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KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.</pre>
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