Mid-East TV piracy – in Nigeria

[sofien72tu]

Mid-East TV piracy – in Nigeria
Chris Forrester
01-11-2009



Broadcasting satellite-delivered wide-beam signals can have unexpected consequences. Orbit-Showtime, the recently “merged” pay-TV broadcasters over the Middle East, is involved in litigation taking place in far-off Nigeria, where cable companies are alleged to have pirated Showtime signals.

A detailed report in Nigeria’s ‘Vanguard’ newspaper of Oct 31, says a Lagos High Court sitting last week heard that satellite/cable company Hi Media Group also known as HiTV had dragged a cable outfit, CTL to court over alleged piracy of its content. HiTV maintains that CTL had continuously infringed on its rights by re-broadcasting its content - especially its premium sports content.

Orbit Showtime, based in Dubai had written a letter to Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Communication, Prof Dora Akunyuli, alleging that some cable outfits have been pirating its content in Nigeria. Dated September 1, and signed by Gordon Finlayson, Director of Legal, Orbit Showtime, the letter was titled ‘The Illegal Use Of Showtime Decoders And Smartcards For Piracy Of The Barclays English Premier League Matches In Nigeria’, and complained bitterly about the alleged infringement on its content.

The letter, in part, stated “Orbit Showtime is the exclusive licensee in [the Middle East] for the Barclays Premier League for the 2009/2010 season. We understand that a number of cable operators (as specified below) and distributors located in various parts of Nigeria have obtained our smartcards to use for the unauthorised broadcast of the Premier League matches in Nigeria – a territory that Orbit Showtime is not licensed to operate in and has no rights to broadcast Premier League matches.”

The court adjourned the matter to November 16, 2009

[sofien72tu]

Orbit-Showtime tackles illegal African broadcasts
by John Parnell on Nov 1, 2009

Orbit-Showtime has asked the Nigerian government to investigate the illegal use of its smartcards to access it signals in the African country.

According to reports in the Nigerian newspaper Vanguard, Minister of Information and Communication, Prof Dora Akunyuli, received a letter from Orbit-Showtime accusing cable operators in the country of illegally distributing its content.

“We understand that a number of cable operators (as specified below) and distributors located in various parts of Nigeria have obtained our smartcards to use for the unauthorised broadcast of the Premier League matches in Nigeria – a territory that Orbit-Showtime is not licensed to operate in and has no rights to broadcast Premier League matches,” read the letter signed by Gordon Finlayson, director of legal, Orbit-Showtime.

“We understand that some television companies are currently engaging in activities to distribute unauthorised Premier League matches from Orbit-Showtime subscriptions,” continued the letter.

“I would request that you immediately investigate such unauthorised retransmission or access of Orbit-Showtime’s Premier League matches with a view to ceasing any such activities in Nigeria.”

Reports in Vanguard quote a ministry source claiming that an investigation has since been launched.

Middle East pay TV operators face a number of forms of piracy from cable-based signal redistribution, hacked smartcards, illegal use of platforms from neighbouring rights territories and the use of its own broadcasts outside the MENA region.

Orbit-Showtime confirmed to DPME.com that the reported contents of the letter are accurate.