Television viewers want free channels

THE Deputy Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Engineer Atashasta Nditiye, has urged the TCRA Consumer Consultative Council (TCRA-CCC) to work on customer complaints concerning the suspension of free-to-air channels on pay TV services.

He made the call yesterday in Dar es Salaam during his familiarisation tour at TCRA-CCC and ICT Commission (ICTC) which are under the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.

“Since 2012 when Tanzania switched to the digital television signal, it was offering five free-to-air channels but in recent years all operators opted for TBC and Channel Ten,” he said.

Consumers have raised concern as to why the highly expected free-to view channels demanded subscription,” he noted. Eng Nditiye said if there was a change of policy, it was crucial for TCRA-CCC to inform the public about such change.

It is high time you made a follow-up on the matter and settle it. Initially, pay TV service providers offered Independent Television (ITV), Star TV, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), Clouds TV and Channel 10 freely under special government arrangements.

The Deputy Minister also reminded the council on importance of using mass media to provide education to community members on how to file complaints related to communication.

TCRA-CCC Executive Secretary, Mary Shao, said they have already reported the matter to the TCRA content committee for them to work on.

They believe that if appropriate measures were taken the situation would return to normal.

Earlier, the Acting Director General of ICTC, Eng Samson Mwela, said the drafting of a framework for registration and accreditation of professionals in the industry was progressing well. The registration aims at recognising their expertise and respective categories as it is in other careers.

“Apart from being a production line itself, the digital industry has a vital role in the industrial economy being championed by the Fifth Phase Government to attain middle-income economy by 2025. “Even the modern factories being set up are highly reliant on ICT,” he noted.

Expounding further, he said that accreditation was taking place in many countries in the world including South Africa and Australia. ICT experts are responsible for creating computer software and handling of sensitive information and hence they have to be certified.

Eng Mwela said according to a National Bureau Statistics (NBS) report for 2016, the sector has grown by 13 per cent and contributed two per cent in the GDP