DSTV in Trouble as Senate Moves to Break its WingsThe Senate, worried by the perceived spate of impunity surrounding the operations of Multi-choice Nigeria, a subsidiary of South African-based Multichoice Africa, owners of Digital Satellite Television (DSTV), today mandated its Joint Committee on Information, Trade and Investment to commence probe of the TV firm.
The committees were also asked to unravel the rationale behind DSTV's unchallenged dominance in the Nigerian satellite television market which they believed was the underlying factor behind its sharp and unhealthy practices in the country. The move was spurred by a motion by Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central).
It has equally also summoned the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to explain why the firm has the free hand to act with such a degree of inpunity.
To get to the root of the matter, the upper chamber also directed the joint committee to organise a public hearing involving stakeholders and civil society organisations with a view to ensuring that the menace of Multi-choice is brought to an end.
Leading debate on the motion, Misau recalled how Multi-choice's unchecked sharp practices had forced some Nigerians to engage it in legal battles in the last five years over a myriad of issues such as arbitrary increase in subscription charges; its refusal to adopt pay as you use model; unilaterally moving major games from low subscription bouquets (COMPACT) to high ones (PREMIUM), poor service delivery, among others.
He added that its menace had pitted it against CPC which he said frequently received a load of complaints from subscribers over alleged consumer rights' violations and consumer abuse.
In his contribution, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, regretted that whereas a number of companies had been exploiting Nigerians over the years, the CPC had failed in its responsibility to defend them.
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