| FATHER XMAS!
HITV gives out 100,000 free decoders to Nigerians
By SOLA FANAWOPO
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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Ndukwe
Pix: Sun News Publishing |
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HI-TV, Nigeria’s premier terrestrial pay TV operator,
is set to launch its satellite transmission from August 1,
HiTV with free 100,000 decoders to viewers across Nigerian
in its Hi-Gift promotion.
The promo which kicks off in August would see 100,000 prospective
subscribers gain access, without cost of decoder and installation,
to premium television programming and content across Nigeria
provided they can pay N48, 000 yearly subscriptions.
Those who get the decoder and dish in the promo will not pay
installation cost of N25, 000, instead they would only be
required to pay the monthly subscription of N4,000 only for
a year.
Subscribers can also make arrangements with their banks especially
Gtbank, GTB, for planned payment for access to HITV. To be
qualified, viewers can visit the HITV website to fill the
form provided on the site.
The company has also signed on three Nigerian broadcast channels
as part of offerings on its premium Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite
bouquet.
The broadcast outfits are Nigeria’s first all news station,
Channels Television, first 24-hour Yoruba language television,
Amuludun Television, owned by the Lagos State Broadcast Corporation,
LSBC and Port Harcourt based Multimesh Cable Television, MCTV.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HITV, Toyin
Subair, disclosed this recently in Lagos when the new pay
TV operator announced the next phase of its roll out plan
for the whole country.
According to Subair, Channels Television would provide 24
hour news channels different from the programming it does
on its terrestrial free-to-air station in Nigeria, while Amuludun
would be a 24 hour Yoruba language channel put together by
LSBC, owners of Lagos Television, Radio Lagos and Eko 89.75FM.
MCTV is a cable service provider based in Port Harcourt which
is working in collaboration with HITV to bring premium television
programming to five states within South-South zone of the
country.
Subair hinted that HITV will give some of its channels to
MCTV to add to its bouquet of 10 channels and transmit within
its area of operation, while it will take of MCTV channels
and put on its own DTH satellite and export to its global
audience.
Also, international celebrity magazine, Ovation, has been
in talks with HITV to create a television version of the magazine
which will be known as Hi-Ovation.
Publisher of the renowned magazine, Dele Momodu, who was present
at the press briefing which took place at Planet One in Maryland,
Lagos confirmed the plans to put Ovation on television for
Nigerians and the international audience to celebrate the
achievement of the black man.
Momodu explained that he had many offers to do this before
now but he declined, reiterating that the idea was novel and
achievable.
Confirming the partnership with HITV, spokesman for Channels
Television, Olayiwola Fadero, said it is an opportunity for
the first indigenous all-news station to do what it does best
and take its rating to the international arena.
Fadero said that as the most credible news source in Nigeria,
Channels is ready to take the challenge and tell the Nigerian
story the Nigerian way.
Representing LSBC on the occasion was the Director of News,
Mr. Ayo Agbesanwa, who stated that the venture of an all Yoruba
television channel is in tandem with the vision of the repackaged
Lagos Broadcasting organisation which it believes is worth
being involved in.
Responding for MCTV, Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer of the company, Sir Godfrey Nwabunwa, said he knows
the terrain and challenges that HITV is facing in its efforts
to make TV viewing cheaper for Nigerians and expressed happiness
that it would be used to create impact for Nigerian cartoons
and children’s shows.
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