:oTHE ongoing raid on viewing centres, hotels that have not migrated to the Commercial Bouquet by Pay TV Company, HiTV, led to the arrest of managers of five these business concerns last week.

Done in conjunction with the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, and HiTV’s Anti-Piracy Unit, the raid party was led by the Head of Enforcement of the commission, intellectual property lawyer, Mr. Akeem Aponmade and HiTV’s Head, Legal, Regulatory and Anti-Piracy, Mr. Charles Ebuebu.

The affected hotels are; Ambassadors Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, Blue Sea Hotel, Excellence Hotel, AY Hotel equipments taken and a manager arrested (lady).
2. Blue Sea Hotel and Habitat Hotel, Ajao Estate. The infringing equipment as well some of the hotels’ managers and accountants were arrested by the mobile policemen that accompanied the HiTV and NCC officials.

Aponmade in a statement reiterated the resolve of the commission to wipe out all pirates of Pay TV content. He said the raids would be an ongoing thing until all affected persons comply with the regulation and migrate to the Commercial Bouquet. “Using what you did not pay for is stealing and the Nigerian Copyright Commission; the nation’s regulatory body will not condone such infringement. We promise a dark Christmas for anybody that has not migrated to the Commercial Bouquet. By now, the affected people may have realised that it is not business as usual for them. We intend to keep it so,” the NCC Head of Enforcement revealed the arrested suspects will be charged to court soon.

Ebuebu on his part said the Yuletide period will afford HiTV the opportunity of clamping down on defaulters of the regulation. “There are so many high profile matches and other excitement programmes lined up this December on the HiTV platform, so it is going to be easy for the Anti-Piracy Unit to go after people that have not complied. So, the wisest thing to do is regularise your activity in line with the dictates of the Copyright Laws of Nigeria,” he submitted.

HiTV in July introduced its Commercial Bouquet for hotels, viewing centres, cafes and club houses and embarked on a prolonged enlightenment campaign to make the affected class of people see reasons and pay the monthly subscription of N20, 000 which was later reviewed downward to N15, 000. Some did.

The Pay TV Company has consistently defended its position on the introduction of commercial bouquets. Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Olumide Amure, had revealed that HiTV was going ahead with the imposition of the levy of N15, 000 on all operators of viewing centres across the country. Amure had given reasons why it became necessary to communicate the addition of this new bouquet to HiTV subscribers so they can make better informed choices in their subscription plans.

He said though the pay TV business is primarily for private viewership, the company has made provisions for customers who desire to use it for strictly commercial purposes or who intend to bundle it with their own services to the public.