Multichoice marketing manager for the Central and Northern regions, Macronnix Kaulembe, has disputed the claims that Multichoice influenced the removal of channels like Sabc, Nollywood, EWTN and BTV on free to air decoders.
Said Kaulembe: “The free to air decoders receive any signal and whatever happens does not involve Multichoice. Decisions to put channels on the Multichoice decoders are made at our headquarters in South Africa and whatever happens there we are just told by our senior managers. To say that we influenced the removal of some channels is not true.”
In a snap survey conducted in Lilongwe’s Old Town for the past week, findings show that sales of the free to air decoders have gone down.
A Nigerian shop owner Cleo, who sells along Devil Street said they are no longer selling the free to air decorders like they did two months ago.
“I used to sell seven or eight decoders in a day but now if I sell one decoder I count myself lucky,” said Cleo.
A shop assistant in an Asian shop who asked for anonymity said they were selling between 20 to 25 decoders in a day but now they sell only three.
“Since channels like SABC, BTV and Nollywood were removed from the free to air decorders, sales have gone down. We suspect that Multichoice want to incorporate them on their programmes so that customers must pay to watch them,” said the assistant.
Another shop owner in Malangalanga said once the SABC channels were removed he reduced the prices of the decoders.
“I knew that most of my customers who were purchasing the decoders watch channels like SABC, BTV and Nollywood would not continue. These channels were popular because there were programmes like Isidingo, Generations and during weekend football games were shown. It was a foregone conclusion that once these channels were removed not many people would be eager to purchase the decoders,” said the owner.
People who could not afford to pay subscription fees to Multichoice found the free to air decoders.
Prices of the decoders range between K 15 000 (about $37.50) and K20 000 (about $50).
