North Africa fumes over limited WC coverage

[Analoguesat]

North Africa fumes over limited World Cup TV coverage
North African soccer fans are angry over stalled negotiations on costly access to television coverage, fearing they may miss out on a large chunk of World Cup action. Television executives from Morocco and Algeria have yet to clinch deals with Arab Radio and Television (ART), a Saudi company that has World Cup broadcast rights in the region, for the transmission of each match on their national state networks. In Tunisia, whose national team is participating, state television will be allowed to broadcast the opening ceremony, the matches involving Tunisia, plus the semi-final and the final. But nothing more.

Fans are up in arms. And the realisation that many of the region's normally expert satellite pirates are as yet unable to decode the World Cup signal has only deepened the dismay. Tarek Chlago, a journalist in Tunisia, said: "The Cup is based on the idea that the world is a village, but with the exclusive purchase of broadcast rights this notion no longer exists".

Failing an agreement, television services in Algeria and Morocco will be allowed to broadcast only a 20 minute-summary of each match. Those desperate to watch all the matches at home will have to scrape together anywhere from $125 to $165 for a special ART decoder - impossible sums for many in a region suffering serious unemployment and poverty.

In Algeria, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has intervened personally to find a solution, Sports and Youth Minister Yahia Guiddoum told state radio today. "The president of the republic mandated the prime minister and the government to find a solution. The negotiations are still underway," he said. "But in all the manners, the problem is dealt with by the government which will find solutions within the next 24 hours, God willing."

Hamraoui Habib Chawki, director of Algerian state television, is currently in Cairo for talks with ART. "Negotiations are very difficult. We are waiting for a response to our proposals," he told El Khabar daily. He said on Saturday that the Algerian public television had offered $6.5 million to ART, and was ready to pay more.

Piracy is common across the region, but this time Algerians have been unable to decode encryption systems after satellite networks boosted protection measures. "We are working hard! World Cup games are a real test for us," said Kamel Medir, a 37-year old technician familiar with decoding methods. In Morocco, likely beneficiaries will be cafes that have bought decoders. They will charge customers about 20 dirhams (about $2) to watch matches. Many Moroccans said they would tune into German TV channels which will be allowed to broadcast the games freely as Germany hosts the tournament, even though few understand German.

Source - Media Network weblog.

[BGonaSTICK]

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

In Algeria, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has intervened personally to find a solution

Not one to take the **** unnecessarily, but Mr Bottyflicker?!?! :? :roflmao:

[Analoguesat]

Algeria cuts cost of World Cup decoder cards
Algeria will subsidise the price of satellite TV decoder cards for World Cup soccer fans amid fears that state terrestrial television coverage will be restricted to excerpts, official media said today. Like other nations in the region, Algeria has yet to strike a deal with Arab Radio and Television (ART), a firm which holds transmission rights in the region, for broadcasting all of the tournament on its state network.

State radio and the government daily El Moujahid said the government would arrange for 360,000 special ART decoder cards to be sold at post offices from Thursday at the equivalent of $28, for a one-month subscription. The decoders normally go for $125, an impossible sum for many in a country suffering serious unemployment and poverty. State media said the move was on the orders of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

In the absence of an agreement with ART, Algerian state television will be allowed to broadcast only a 20 minute summary of each match. Algerian state television chief Hamraoui Habib Chawki, who has been in Cairo for talks with ART officials, was quoted by independent newspaper El Khabar on Thursday as saying that ART had "turned down all proposals to sell broadcast rights to Arab television channels." He said on Saturday the Algerian public television had proposed $6.5 million to ART, and was ready to pay more.

In Morocco, which finds itself in the same situation as Algeria, many are expected to watch the matches at cafes that have bought ART decoders. The cafes are expected to charge customers about 20 dirhams (about $2) to watch matches. Many Moroccans said they would also tune into German TV channels which will be allowed to broadcast the games freely as Germany hosts the tournament, even though few understand German.

In Tunisia, whose national team is participating, state television will be allowed by ART to broadcast the opening ceremony, the matches involving Tunisia, plus the semi-final and the final.

Media Network weblog