According to industry reports, eMedia Holdings, the parent company of e.tv and Openview, plans to take legal action against MultiChoice for attempting to remove four eMedia channels from DStv.
The four channels in question are eExtra, eMovies Extra, eMovies, and eToonz. These channels are crucial to eMedia and rank highly in a satellite television channel analysis.
DStv initially removed these channels in May 2022, prompting eMedia to obtain an interdict from the competition appeal court to reinstate the channels pending an investigation by the Competition Commission. Despite the Commission’s conclusion that eMedia suffered no harm and that DStv’s actions were not anti-competitive, eMedia CEO Khalik Sherrif stated that eMedia is challenging these findings through all available legal avenues.
eMedia faces potential losses in advertising revenue if DStv removes the four channels, and the company is determined to fight for these channels to remain on the DStv platform. Additionally, eMedia has ongoing legal battles with MultiChoice and the SABC over various issues related to sports sublicensing and market dominance.
The litigious relationship between eMedia and MultiChoice extends beyond the channel dispute. eMedia has taken legal action against the public broadcaster and SuperSport, another MultiChoice subsidiary, over sports sublicensing agreements. While these legal battles continue, eMedia remains committed to exploring alternative strategies, demonstrating its adaptability and innovation to mitigate potential losses in advertising revenue.
The situation highlights the complex and evolving nature of the broadcasting landscape, with traditional TV broadcasters having to navigate challenges from internet-based streaming services. As eMedia and DStv operate in distinct market segments, changes in the broadcasting landscape may lead to both companies competing for similar audiences in the future.
