Liberia’s state TV director, Eugene Fahngon, is calling for the shutdown of MultiChoice Liberia, a private pay-TV company, due to a dispute over including state-run LNTV channels on DStv Liberia’s service.
The disagreement arose when MultiChoice Liberia refused to carry LNTV for free on their platform.
Eugene Fahngon, the director-general of the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), held a press conference demanding the shutdown of MultiChoice Liberia after they declined to add LNTV channels to DStv without payment. MultiChoice Liberia, run by LIBMAX Consolidated Group Incorporated, stated that they couldn’t broadcast LNTV for free due to the associated costs.
Mary Williams, CGI’s general manager for content at MultiChoice Liberia, accused Eugene Fahngon of attempting to dismantle DStv Liberia and alleged political motivations behind his demands for the free inclusion of LNTV channels.
Eugene Fahngon, the director of Liberia’s state TV, argues that LBS should not have to pay for including their national broadcaster on DStv, citing regulatory control over pay-TV services in Liberia. On the other hand, Mary Williams, CGI’s general manager for content at MultiChoice Liberia, criticizes Fahngon’s demands as unreasonable and politically driven, highlighting the complexities involved in adding LNTV to the DStv platform.
The dispute escalated when Eugene Fahngon expressed LBS’s intention to launch its subscription-based pay-TV service, which directly competes with DStv Liberia.
Mary Williams criticized Eugene Fahngon’s demands as unreasonable and politically driven, highlighting the complexities of adding LNTV to the DStv platform.
The situation remains tense, with MultiChoice Liberia’s legal team prepared to take action if necessary. The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for the broadcasting industry in Liberia.
