TopTV rebuked for adult channels

TopTV has been taken to task by South Africa's Film and Publication Board (FPB) and its civil society partners, following its application to provide a trio of channels featuring adult content.

The pay-television group's holding company, On Digital Media (ODM), revealed last week that it had submitted an application to the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) for three additional TopTV channels, designated for pornographic material. TopTV said it had “recently concluded an agreement with Playboy TV, whereby TopTV will provide carriage for three Playboy channels in the near future”.

According to TopTV, the channels, tabled for inception as a standalone package next year, will be encrypted and only accessible to those who explicitly subscribe to the service, whereby they will be issued with a unique pin.

This came to light just days after the pay-TV operator berated African Satellite Installations for implied association of TopTV with Psat TV (Porn Satellite Television), a 24-hour France-based “hard core adult entertainment” channel.

While TopTV has positioned itself as a “family values-oriented service provider”, it says it has to take a business stance and consider the greater context. TopTV's senior VP of sales and marketing Marius Liebenberg says the pay-TV provider has established a “niche market” for an adult entertainment service, and will ensure it is offered in a “responsible and secure environment”.

ICASA spokesperson Paseka Maleka says ODM's application for the authorisation of three additional channels has not yet been approved. “The closing date for submissions was 7 December, and the authority is currently considering those submissions.” He says the decision will only be made subsequent to a public consultation process, which will take place next week.

In the meantime, the FPB has set its face against TopTV's proposed pornography offering, and says it plans to oppose the channels via the public participation process with ICASA.

Based on the premise that pornographic material in the home would impinge on the safety of children, the FPB makes no bones about the fact that it will fight it ardently.

FPB spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase says the board plans to mobilise and engage its civil society partners, including Childline and the Family Policy Institute (FPI), among others, to combat TopTV's attempts to include adult content in its public offering.

“We will definitely participate in the public process, using our partners, social media and any other social platforms we have at our disposal.”

Ndamase says, due to the number of child-headed households and the incidence of inadequate parenting in SA, the board is “concerned” about how pornography in the home could affect children. “This is all about the protection of children.”

He adds that individuals who want to get their hands on pornographic material have other licensed and controlled avenues to go through to this end. “There is no need to bring it into the home via television.”

The FPI, an independent public policy think tank based on the Judeo-Christian worldview, says TopTV is “planning to destroy lives and steal human dignity”.

Last week, the group released two emotive public statements online, disparaging TopTV and its parent company ODM. It calls on the public to help the organisation “launch a campaign against TopTV” and boycott the pay channel en masse. The group implores concerned citizens to write to minister of communications Dina Pule, as well as to ICASA and TopTV CEO Vino Govender.

The statement reads: “It is clear that TopTV and ODM are involved in launching several 'hard core' porn channels in SA and are attempting to deceptively conceal their involvement. Pornography is proven to be destructive to men, women and children. You and I cannot ignore this threat. Tens of thousands of women and children are raped annually in SA! We must act now!” (sic)

TopTV says it is planning on engaging directly with the FPB, which in its view “has not fully understood [its] approach to the matter”.

Senior manager of regulatory affairs at TopTV Thato Mahapa says the board's objections and concerns will expectantly be addressed in the imminent engagement.

In terms of concerns raised around the protection of children, Mahapa says that, while there are measures TopTV can implement to prevent access to children, “measures to be implemented by any broadcaster have a limit”.

He says ultimately parenting remains the responsibility of parents. “Those parents who would not want their children to be exposed can ensure that they do not add the adult bouquet to their service offering. Others have the option of setting up a separate decoder for their private enjoyment. Our approach is based on protecting children and putting power in the hands of the parents to act responsibly.”

Mahapa concludes that the law envisages that pornographic material may be available on television, “if one considers sections 18 and 24 of the FPB”. He says TV is an alternative method of making content available, and “with the innovative way we have approached it, allows a safer and more controlled provision of access to the content. Subscription television is a safe and secure place where people who want adult content should be able to go to obtain such, while keeping out those without authorised access.”