Philibao to be stopped?

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 9, 2010 00:00

 

Last year, SABC revealed that they will spend more than R1 billion to upgrade South Africa's transmissions to digital in readiness for the tournament implying that the Philibao users in Botswana might lose their free access to SABC channels that they had enjoyed for the past few years.

Speaking to Mmegi in an interview, the chairperson of the National Broadcasting Board (NBB), Masego Mpotokwane said that his office has not received any formal correspondence from SABC concerning the possible 'disconnection' of Philibao.

'All we hear are rumours that Philibao will be chopped off from accessing SABC channels but we have not been formally informed. In any case there is nothing much we can do as there is no act in Botswana concerning receiving equipment such as Philibao,' he said.

Mpotokwane pointed out that SABC have every right to stop Philibao from accessing their channels, as there is no formal agreement between the manufacturers of the decoders and SABC concerning the status quo.

He further said that Philibao was actually 'poaching' the channels adding that this could actually be investigated.An expert who spoke on condition of  anonymity said that it would be a great challenge for SABC to get rid of Philibao, as the manufacturers can be able to decode any new encryption that the broadcasting corporation might switch to.

She said that the way the manufacturers conduct their way of operation is that if a popular channel changes to a new encryption, they 'illegally' decode it making it a difficult and expensive task to counter.

At the time of going to press, the spokesperson for SABC, Kaizer Kganyago was not available for comment.In other related news, the Director of Broadcasting Services, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo told Mmegi in an earlier interview that FIFA has restricted Botswana Television (Btv) to beaming locally and this means that the local station will switch from satellite dishes to aerials.

The move has seen football fans across the country rushing to the shops to buy aerials, which had been shunned as the popularity of Philibao grew.