By Catherine Sasman
WINDHOEK
A new pay television station, GTV, has applied for a broadcast licence with the Namibia Communications Commission (NCC), and the licence is being evaluated, the commission confirmed.
GTV is rolling out a purportedly more affordable pay-TV service across Africa, with plans to launch in Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The direct-to-home satellite-based service will deliver digital reception, and through an advanced delivery platform, stated GTV, it will substantially reduce the cost and ease of set-up for customers.
If the licence is granted, GTV will deliver across Gateway Communications’ satellite infrastructure, provided by subsidiary company, Gateway Broadcast Services (GBS).
GTV’s bouquet of channels will reportedly include G-Prime, BBC World, Sky News, Al-Jazeera, MTVBase, Kiss, Nickeelodeon, E!, Fashion TV, Star Plus, God Channel, and G-Africa, and thus some channels already on offer by DStv.
In a press statement the GTV Commercial Director, Rhys Torrington, said the station has invested heavily to “crash through the monopoly” that has existed before a “better, more accessible choice”.
“In addition to that, the GTV team has the vision, courage and resolve required to achieve the fastest ever rollout of a new service,” said Torrington.
“With a balanced and exciting choice of premium content, GTV is redefining pay-TV in Africa by offering it at a price point accessible to the mainstream,” the company promises. “It is committed to supporting local content as well as offering major international programming ideal for the whole family.”