The Real Reason Why StarTimes is Not Showing Free-To-Air Local Channels

Last September, the Ministry of Information and the Communication Commission of Kenya defended the pay-tv service providers for not offering the free-to-air content for free. The two digital pay-tv providers, StarTimes and GOtv have been criticised by consumers for including the local broadcast channels, supposed to be free, in the paid-for packages.

However, there is more than what meets the eye because ideally, all consumers with set-top-boxes should be able to watch free-to-air channels even when their subscription has expired but this has not been the case.

Commenting about the situation, Dennis Itumbi revealed the truth about the situation. Here’s what he said;

Yes StarTimes is not showing free to air local channels and not only them even on Signet (KBC) the channels are withdrawn – Now listen carefully to this background, there is a global deadline to switch from analogue to digital TV by 2015, Kenya wants to be on digital platform by end of year, a deadline that is being pushed for the third time now. Towards that end it was advertised and KBC created Signet and won the first Digital signal through their subsidiary Signet, then Pan African TV through their subsidiary Star Times won the second signal, according to regulator CCK the two were sufficient to supply the digital needs but Media owners using their muscle wanted a third one without competition allocated to them, that has not happened their reaction withdraw their stations from the bouquet supplied by SIGNET and STAR times – only K24 and KBC have remained, the move has affected all free to air decoders including Microvile, Gospel, Rockdale etc. are lacking the 3 channels too. StarTimes thru CCK has reported this to the government because it looks like sabotage by the said MOA for digital migration scheduled to take place in September this year – so good people on Star Times and Signet there you have it, THE FACTS.