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Cape Town – StarSat is losing its FOX Movies channels within days with FOX International Channels (FIC) yanking these channels from the South African pay-TV operator on 5 July.
FOX Movies (StarSat 110) and the two-hour delayed FOX Movies+2 (StarSat 111) will go dark on 5 July after FIC decided they no longer want these channels on StarSat.
FOX Movies and FOX Movies+2 were added a year ago in June 2014 and which StarSat said was part of continuously improving content choices for StarSat subscribers.
StarSat confirmed to Channel24 that FOX Movies is being removed, and said the Woodmead-based pay-TV operator regrets the loss of the channel.
"StarSat has been informed that as from 6 July 2015, FOX Movies will no longer feature on the StarSat platform. The decision to close down the channel was made by the supplier."
"In the world of pay-TV, the adding and removing of channels is part of the industry," says Ian Woodrow, the head of content at StarSat.
"We regret the removal of FOX Movies, but we are constantly looking at new channels and programmes to add to our various packages."
"We remain committed to bringing high quality and affordable content to our valued subscribers," says Woodrow.
StarSat didn't announce any replacement channels.
'Multiple choices'
FOX International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) also confired to Channel24 that FOX Movies is removed from StarSat In a cryptic and non-sensical statement.
FIC Africa told Channel24 that the removal of FOX Movies from StarSat "is in keeping with the company's global strategy to have a strong reference brand – FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) – ready for a future with multiple choices".
In July 2013 FIC shuttered the FOX Retro channel on StarSat which showed classic American series.
FIC continues to provide several other channels such as FOX, FX, FOX Crime, FUEL TV, BabyTV, Setanta Africa, Setanta Action, FOX Sports, FOX News and Nat Geo Gold to StarSat.
StarSat subscribers continue to complain about the video and audio quality of the FOX Crime channel which has has gone dark and frozen up several times since 2014.
