The public’s growing dissatisfaction with the existing pricing and the Ghanaian cedi’s remarkable appreciation have led to calls for Multichoice Ghana to reduce DSTV membership fees by 30% by Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations.
In a meeting with a DSTV team today, which was presided over by Group Executive for Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Dr. Keabetswe Modimoeng, the Minister said that the government’s role is to address the concerns of Ghanaians who have expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s excessive prices and outdated content selection.
The Minister pointed out that DSTV prices have not kept pace with the good economic change, even if the cedi’s value has improved by 30% in the last five months.
In order to keep up with the cedi’s appreciation and give customers financial advantages, he is requesting a 30% price decrease. Although Multichoice has launched promotional packages, he emphasized that members would rather have a straight price reduction than transient deals.
According to Hon. Nartey George, comments from public gatherings revealed that a large number of viewers were unhappy with DSTV’s programming, calling it out of date outside of Premier League football, and felt that the present price was excessive.
He stated that Multichoice Ghana has till July 21 to formally reply to the government’s request in order to allay the worries. By this date, the Minister anticipates a firm proposal, which will allow for more participation before the end of July.
Speaking about the rising problem of cross-border piracy, particularly the use of illegal DSTV boxes from other nations, the Minister touched on the topics of piracy and regulatory compliance. He pointed out that such actions hurt government revenue and local service providers.
The Minister also promoted the local content component at the meeting, claiming it would boost income for Ghanaian film producers and generate jobs.
He said that the government was drafting a new broadcasting bill that would progressively raise the standards for local content across all media. The Minister emphasized how crucial it is to employ these measures to help local production companies and job growth.
Dr. Modimoeng conveyed gratitude for the chance to speak and acknowledged the government’s concerns.
The team emphasized the necessity to strike a balance between the public interest and economic sustainability in their affirmative response to the Hon. Minister’s request and committed to provide feedback by the deadline of July 21.
Additionally, he reaffirmed Multichoice’s commitment to stepping up measures to stop piracy and to regularly update the public on its success.
The government’s dedication to consumer protection, regulatory rigor, and the advancement of local content in Ghana’s broadcasting industry was emphasized throughout the discussion.
Source: newsthemegh.com