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Cape Town – On Digital Media (ODM) plans to introduce a double PIN as a security measure to prevent access to under-aged viewers for its proposed porn bouquet on its TopTV pay-TV service.
ODM said the erotic sex channels it hopes to broadcast will feature programming that will carry a restriction of "at least R18".
During TopTV's previous application a year ago, which was eventually denied by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), TopTV proposed only a single PIN for TopTV subscribers to access the pornographic content.
Icasa initially denied TopTV's application partly because TopTV failed to appear at the public hearing to answer any of Icasa's questions regarding how the security and PIN system would work and be implemented.
'Sufficient to protect children'
The struggling TopTV, currently under business rescue under the Companies Act, has launched a second attempt to introduce a trio of titillating channels as a separate bouquet which the pay-TV operator believes will bring in the money.
TopTV wants to launch the three TV channels, namely Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice as soon as possible.
"All the material will be blocked with a double layered PIN," said TopTV in its new application.
TopTV wants to run the porn channels for 24 hours a day in South Africa, although broadcasting regulations don't currently permit that.
TopTV argues that to only run them "between 20:00 and 05:00 will not be suitable and/or appealing to the majority of the audience interested in the content".
"It will not be practical to only schedule some of the material outside of the watershed period as all material will be of an adult nature," said TopTV.
According to the broadcaster, all programmes on the erotic channels will carry a restriction of "at least R18" and the programmes will only be viewable "once the subscriber has inserted the double PIN mechanism."
Public feedback
"We believe that the creation of a double PIN block with an automatic block on all content will be sufficient to protect children against exposure to material suitable to adult audiences.
"ODM can only go so far in its endeavours to protect the rights of children and to ensure that no unwanted influences are made available to them in the critical developmental stages," said TopTV.
The South African public and all interested parties can comment on TopTV's porn channel plans with correspondence to be posted to:
Ndondo Dube
Broadcasting Licencing Unit
Licencing and Compliance Division
Block D, Pinmill Farm
164 Katherine Street
Sandton
2196
Alternatively,
Private Bag X10002
Sandton
2146
Via e-mail: pndube@icasa.org.za
Or fax 011 566 3200
ODM said the erotic sex channels it hopes to broadcast will feature programming that will carry a restriction of "at least R18".
During TopTV's previous application a year ago, which was eventually denied by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), TopTV proposed only a single PIN for TopTV subscribers to access the pornographic content.
Icasa initially denied TopTV's application partly because TopTV failed to appear at the public hearing to answer any of Icasa's questions regarding how the security and PIN system would work and be implemented.
'Sufficient to protect children'
The struggling TopTV, currently under business rescue under the Companies Act, has launched a second attempt to introduce a trio of titillating channels as a separate bouquet which the pay-TV operator believes will bring in the money.
TopTV wants to launch the three TV channels, namely Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice as soon as possible.
"All the material will be blocked with a double layered PIN," said TopTV in its new application.
TopTV wants to run the porn channels for 24 hours a day in South Africa, although broadcasting regulations don't currently permit that.
TopTV argues that to only run them "between 20:00 and 05:00 will not be suitable and/or appealing to the majority of the audience interested in the content".
"It will not be practical to only schedule some of the material outside of the watershed period as all material will be of an adult nature," said TopTV.
According to the broadcaster, all programmes on the erotic channels will carry a restriction of "at least R18" and the programmes will only be viewable "once the subscriber has inserted the double PIN mechanism."
Public feedback
"We believe that the creation of a double PIN block with an automatic block on all content will be sufficient to protect children against exposure to material suitable to adult audiences.
"ODM can only go so far in its endeavours to protect the rights of children and to ensure that no unwanted influences are made available to them in the critical developmental stages," said TopTV.
The South African public and all interested parties can comment on TopTV's porn channel plans with correspondence to be posted to:
Ndondo Dube
Broadcasting Licencing Unit
Licencing and Compliance Division
Block D, Pinmill Farm
164 Katherine Street
Sandton
2196
Alternatively,
Private Bag X10002
Sandton
2146
Via e-mail: pndube@icasa.org.za
Or fax 011 566 3200
