TopTV’s adult channels face threat
November 12, 2013
By Chris Forrester
South Africa’s religious groups have long battled against plans for broadcasters to add so-called adult programming to their schedules. Despite this, struggling pay-TV operator TopTV has contracted with Playboy TV to supply a trio of channels in the hope that it would boost revenues.
However, a coalition of protestors has now filed a bid into South Africa’s court system to thwart TopTV’s porn broadcasts which are due to start in December.
The Justice Alliance of South Africa (JASA) says it filed papers against TopTV’s parent company On Digital Media and regulator Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), in the Western Cape High Court. The organisation says it hopes its court action will prohibit the planned launch of Playboy TV on December 1st, even though it has been approved by ICASA.
“As advised by Counsel, JASA believes that ICASA erred in law in failing to find that the constitutional rights of children were laws of general application, which should have trumped the rights of Top TV to freedom of expression,” says a statement.
JASA is also contending that an 8pm start time will be risky and tempt kids to watch.