By Mustapha Sesay
Transnational Sierra Leone (TSL), distributors of DStv services in the country, has announced the movement of the most watched channel Super Sports Five from its Compaq Plus category to Premium.
The move has angered subscribers, many of whom may find it difficult, if not impossible, to watch the popular English league from the comfort of their homes.
Super Sport Five is the channel that shows premier league matches, which means the move will come as a shock to majority of Transnational Sierra Leone`s over 6000 subscribers. Subscription for the premium category attracts about $100 (Le500, 000), compared to US$70 (Le363, 000) for Compaq Plus monthly.
Dinah Scot, Sales and Marketing Manager of Transnational Sierra Leone, told press men on Monday that the change had nothing to do with the local agent and that the decision was entirely that of the South Africa-based DStv. She said the hike in fees to access the game by the parent body was the root cause for the change.
Scot explained that Barclays Premier League, which controls the TV rights over the league, increases its fees for the TV rights every year and that this year`s was exceptional.
The change, which came into effect at the beginning of the premier league season early this month, has, as expected, not been welcomed by some DStv subscribers. The local agent said it has in fact received negative feedbacks from its customers which prompted it to convene the press conference for clarification.
“We did not receive any prior notice before the change,” which could have prepared the minds of the subscribers before the start of the league, observed Ms Scot.
Sufian Abdulah Sesay, a subscriber based at Regent Road in the centre of Freetown, criticized the failure to warn subscribers beforehand.
“DSTv never informed us about the change until two hours to the opening game between Manchester United and Tottenham on Saturday. Can you image! They did not treat us as regular costumers and not everybody will afford premium,” Sesay told Politico in a disappointed mood.
He said they`d used Compaq plus to watch games at home because the price was low. Sesay said they paid Le 363,000 as monthly subscription and at the time of the change they had just subscribed for the month of August.
But Sesay and other Compaq subscribers have been given a grace period of 15 days (14 to 28 August) during which they would have to migrate to Premium if they want to continue watching the premier league in the comfort of the rooms.
Cinema owners constitute many of Transnational`s costumers. And in anticipation of the consequences of this development, some of them are thinking of reciprocal reaction.
Hassan Sankoh, a cinema operator at Kroo Bay, said with these changes they would find it difficult to make profit.
“It is difficult to make profit compared to the other years that we were using the Compaq plus service and we will definitely increase the price to Le 2000 per game and it is the masses that will suffer,” he told Politico.
Transnational says all other services and programmes on other channels remain the same.
Cecil Coker, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Sierra Leone, said the ultimate goal for their customers was to get the premium service of DStv in order to stay connected with the games.
Earlier this year, Dstv was on the spotlight over allegation that it increases its fees without proper or enough notification. Customers also decried delay in reconnection even after standing in long queues to recharge.
Also, the digital satellite TV broadcaster`s services are said to be only enjoyable during the dry season as the rainy season is characterized by constant disappointment due to weak signal or scrambling.
Dstv has also faced accusations of monopolizing the sector, but the company denies all these allegations, saying the market is free for other players. It also denies the charges that it increases subscription fees on a monthly basis.
(C) Politico 14/08/15
