OpenView HD operator Platco Digital, a sister company to E-tv, has hit back at claims by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), that it does not have permission to include SABC 1, 2, and 3 in its bouquet of channels.

Platco contends that the SABC cannot prevent it from broadcasting it’s channels, and follows an announcement on Wednesday by Platco of 16 channels on its free satellite TV platform, including the three SABC channels.

The SABC said that it has no agreement with Platco regarding its channels, and appealed to Platco to “withdraw its statements and pronouncements immediately”.

Platco however, retaliated by saying that the SABC as the public broadcaster has various obligations and any attempts to prevent Platco from carrying the SABC channels would be unlawful.

Platco reaffirmed that OpenView HD will be broadcasting SABC 1, 2, and 3 when it launches.

“Platco is surprised by the statement issued by the SABC. Platco will be carrying SABC 1, 2 and 3 from the launch date. The SABC as the public broadcaster has various obligations and any attempts by the SABC to prevent Platco from carrying the SABC channels would be unlawful,” the free-to-air operator said in a statement.

Source: BusinessTech – Mybroadband