TopTV outlines planned porn channels

Cape Town - TopTV has applied to Icasa for a licence to launch three pornographic channels in a new bouquet offered by the struggling pay-TV operator, namely Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice.

This is On Digital Media's second attempt to introduce pornographic TV channels in South Africa exactly a year after broadcasting regulator Icasa denied TopTV's first application.

TopTV is currently under business rescue according to the Companies Act and seems to now believe that porn will save it.

Porn to give TopTV fighting chance of survival

In its application letter, TopTV told Icasa that "we firmly believe that our ability to offer certain of our subscribers the channels that form part of this application would greatly help in our attempts to take the business to a sustainable future".

TopTV said it wants Icasa to licence the porn channels as quickly as possible to "give ODM a fighting chance of survival".

TopTV describes Playboy TV as "a 24-hour erotic entertainment service starring the world's most beautiful women".

TopTV describes Desire TV as "a brand-new, bespoke 24-hour adult service designed to appeal to men, women and couples. The service will showcase sensitive, erotic, and sensual driven sex scenes." TopTV says this channel will "only contain content that celebrates women, the human form and the act of lovemaking".

According to the pay-TV operator, Private Spice is "a 24-hour adult service" which will feature "beautiful women and stunning locations" and the channel reportedly "sets the standard of adult entertainment".

The channels are provided to TopTV by Playboy TV UK/Benelux Limited in England and uplinked through SES Platform Services in Munich, Germany to South Africa.

TopTV again plans to use a PIN code to block the separate bouquet from minors but this time wants to introduce a double PIN blocking mechanism.

Previous attempt

TopTV's porn plans in 2011 were met with huge public resistance. Scores of outraged TopTV subscribers cancelled their contracts and TopTV investors threatened to disinvest from the company.

All of it dented TopTV's public image and damaged its brand.

Read more about TopTV's second application for porn channels here.