It has all along been known that Nation Media Group, Standard Group and Royal Media Services are the reason why we are still on analogue TV. The transition to digital was supposed to happen more than a year ago, but due to the media houses’ selfish demands, that has not happened.
Through their flagship stations NTV, QTV, KTN and Citizen TV, the three media houses have used the courts to stall the process, with demands that they be awarded a licence for digital transmission.
The court granted them that, but they are still not satisfied.
For the past few days, they have been running an advert warning Kenyans not to purchase GOtv or Startimes decoders. They actually mention the two pay TV companies by name.
Watch the clip.
They promise to start selling their own free to air decoders soon.
By virtue of being the biggest TV stations in the country, perhaps they feel somewhat invincible, but from the reaction they’ve been getting on social media, maybe they should rethink that.
Most of those commenting have made it clear that the reason they are actually buying the GOtv and Startimes decoders is to escape from the four stations in the first place.
For instance, Citizen TV gets a lot of viewers from Afrosinema and the soaps. Why wouldn’t these viewers choose GOtv which has Africa Magic and Telemundo – 24 hour stations dedicated to Nigerian movies and Mexican soaps respectively?
Their strength has always been the News, but with more stations and more news sources eg. Twitter, they may find themselves retaining very few loyal customers.
As with anyone else, they have a right to launch their own set top box, but tarnishing the name of their rivals is hitting below the belt. If it were up to me, I would have preferred the company leading the Digital migration to be Kenyan owned, unlike GOtv and Startimes, but since those with the money spent it on Paul Muite trying to fight the foreigners instead of establishing their own company and competing honestly within the provided time frame, then I say what the hell.
Radio Africa has even beaten them with their own Bamba TV.
As you can see from the comments below, the message from Kenyans is ‘Give us a break’.
