Startimes to shut down three key local channels
What you need to know:
- Star Media Tanzania Ltd (Startimes) has said is intending to remove some local channels that are reluctant to comply with the transmission requirements including signing the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
- They include ITV, Star Tv and EATV that seems not ready to enter into agreement that will see the owners pay transmission fee.
Dar es Salaam. Viewers of local TV channels including Star TV, EATV and ITV who are subscribers of Startimes may not be able to access them, after the latter announced that it would remove them from its list.
The removal follows their reluctance to comply with the requirements including signing the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Startimes announced that intended to remove some television stations that were free to air including three implicated, despite of not having contract, are still aired in the decoder.
Speaking to The Citizen on Saturday, October 27, Startimes spokesperson Juma Suluhu said the decisions comes after the content service providers (CPS) delayed in holding talks with Startimes that would see the signing of contracts between the two sides.
“In order to be responsible for our customers, we are still trying to communicate with CSPS such as ITV, EATV who have not signed SLA,” said Mr Suluhu.
He added that the company was on the way to stop airing the channels if they were not to respond in time that in-turn will be a major problem to some Tanzanians that are subscribers to the services.
“Otherwise the people in Tanzania will suffer the ultimate benefit, which is not we hope to see. At the same time Star Media reserves the right to stop transmit channels without signing up SLA or paying transmission fee at any time,” he noted.
In August, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) intended to suspend Startimes after failing to comply with the requirements of their broadcasting licence issued on June 2010 including charging local channels.
