Staff Writer
MultiChoice Zimbabwe has noted with satisfaction a recent case in which a Harare businessman was fined by the courts for providing pirated access to DStv programming to non-subscribed viewers in the city.
“The authorities were able to stop the unlawful pirating of DStv content and bring to an end a platform for infringement of copyright, a welcome development in the ongoing battle to eliminate piracy involving illegal use of broadcast material,” said Gerald Ngonyamo, head of corporate affairs and public relations of MultiChoice Zimbabwe.
“This outcome clearly highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies and courts joining the fight against piracy and helping bring to an end a scourge that is having a major impact on the world of broadcasting.”
Mr Ngonyamo urged consumers to avoid making use of illegal sourcing of broadcast content as they, too, could be brought before the courts, along with the providers of the illegal access.
“This is not about retribution, but about respecting the laws of copyright that are there to protect the legitimate providers of content across the whole spectrum of the broadcast industry.”
The battle is not simply a Zimbabwean or Southern African one, either.
Said Mr Ngonyamo: “The multi-billion-dollar threat to the worldwide entertainment and communications industries is what is now very much in the spotlight and efforts are being redoubled to create awareness of both the problem and the major impact it has on people and organisations at all levels.
The threat is real, growing and has the potential to significantly disable the industries affected by pirates active in software, music, film and television, literature and other fields of endeavour.
“We were united in our shared concern that piracy is on the increase and that there is a need to take action now to prevent further loss of legitimate business, not just here in Zimbabwe but right across the world.”
MultiChoice across Africa has long supported anti-piracy lobbying and action, and has encouraged the public at large to become aware of the problem and its impact, while also encouraging all law enforcement agencies to bring the problem to an end through action and awareness.
“In the past few years we have heard that the piracy problem is causing the world’s legitimate businesses in areas like music, film, television and other field losses of more than US$100 billion a year in losses, with massive impact on businesses and livelihoods, as well as to contribution to GDP and national revenue streams,” he said.
“The problem is huge but not unbeatable and by working together, committed businesses and people could seriously undermine the pirates and their destructive agenda.
“We need every citizen to acknowledge the problem and the lack of morality contained in the very nature of piracy, which is theft, pure and simple.”
Mr Ngonyamo urged communities, sectors and the whole country to tackle the problem as a united front, which would render pirates incapable of their acts of theft and help sustain legitimate business.
“It is also morally correct and this cannot be underestimated as a driver for the elimination of piracy,” he said.
MultiChoice Zimbabwe supports the Partners Against Piracy movement, which campaigns internationally against the problem and works on finding solutions that turn the tide.
“The sectors involved and the people who work legitimately are united, and we need to bring the consumers behind us, eliminating both any apathy and support that ordinary consumers may have for piracy,” he said.
“MultiChoice Zimbabwe looks forward to ongoing advocacy, action and the eventual elimination of the problem and we will do our best to contribute to the awareness that must be created of the problem, its current effects and its potential effects it is allowed to continue and to grow, which could well be the destruction of the sectors affected.”
“We don’t want endless court cases. What we want is for consumers to stop acquiring illegal content and this will drive pirates out of action and probably get them into the legitimate fields of activity that would be more desirable from ethical and economic perspective.”
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