MultiChoice cautions against commercial piracy

In an effort to curb the rising level of commercial piracy of Pay TV signals, MultiChoice, Nigeria’s leading provider of premium pay entertainment, has urged individuals or entities that use DStv services for public use without a commercial licence to get a commercial licence to enable them broadcast DStv content without litigation.

According to Caroline Oghuma, PR manager, DStv, MultiChoice gave commercial pirates the opportunity to convert to legal commercial broadcast in 2013. “We want these subscribers to stay on the right side of the law, and those who are yet to convert are infringing on the copy right laws of Nigeria and will face appropriate penalties,” she says.

Oghuma, who explains that MultiChoice is working in association with the Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) to stem the rising trend in commercial piracy, states that early this year, officials of the NCC Lagos zonal office issued a 14-day deadline for hotels to obtain the appropriate commercial licences for the broadcast of DStv channels in their hotels. “We are happy that some hotel owners have complied by legalising their subscriptions. However, we urge those who have not complied to do so,” she reiterates.

The Commission last year launched an Amnesty Campaign to create awareness on broadcast piracy. Oghuma highlights that the campaign will move to the second phase, which will involve the copyright audit of outlets using DStv in public and sanctioning of infringing users.

MultiChoice Nigeria in conjunction with the NCC is currently battling four types of piracy. These include; Cable Piracy, Re-broadcasting Piracy, Commercial Piracy and Circumvention Piracy.