CAIRO: Seventy-five percent of pay-TV viewers use illegal connections to get the service at a low cost, resulting in more than 43.2 percent of Egyptian households having access to pay-TV, revealed Egypt Media Survey 2008, which was carried out by Arab Advisors Group.
The high level of viewers getting access to pay-TV through illegal means is indicative of several factors existing in Egypt.
First of all, it indicates that there is an absence of a copyright protection in the country.
“We need a lot more awareness in this regard. People don t think of the wasla [connection] as wrong, especially if they are actually ‘paying’ for it, even if it s five or 10 pounds that they pay to somebody. To them, they have paid for it, and therefore it s legally theirs, said Rasha Abdallah, professor of journalism and mass communication at the American University in Cairo. Arab Radio and Television Network launched an awareness campaign around two years ago warning viewers that getting an illegal connection is prohibited by Islam and they used verses from the Quran to support their points.
The second factor contributing to the rise in the use of illegal connection for pay TV is the relatively high subscription fees for these channels.
“The rates at which pay-TV is available to Egyptian citizens is very expensive compared to their incomes. Since local television doesn t really satisfy their needs, people will look for alternatives, and if they can t afford it at full price, they will look for alternatives to that as well, said Abdallah.
Another factor motivating Egyptians to get the illegal connection is the fact that some pay-TV stations buy exclusive rights to popular football games, especially the World Cup and the African games in which Egyptian teams participate.
“That s a major enticement for those who can t afford legal access to use the wasla, says Abdallah.
One such illegal user and football fan is Ahmed Osman, a driver. “I can’t just not watch the football matches, and at the same time I can’t pay the subscription fees they are asking for – so this connection is my only resort, he said.
Getting illegal pay-TV connections is not only prevalent among lower economic classes but also among the upper classes since the introduction of the Dream Box, a decoder connected to the internet, which gives users access to all existing channels that require subscription, and all for LE 10 per month.
“I have the Dream Box and I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong as I’m paying for it, said Mohamed Essam, who works in advertising. “These companies and the government know that such means exist and if they want to stop it they would’ve done so, he added. “Unless the problems of copyright awareness, expensive pay-TV, very low incomes, less-than-satisfactory local television, and exclusive football games are taken care of, the wasla connection is only likely to gain more ‘subscribers,’ said Abdallah.
