Public angry over GTV’s inability to show World Cup matches

There is a growing public anger over the inability of the country’s major television stations, particularly GTV, to show the matches in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia.

According to football enthusiasts and some other members of the public, they were being denied part of the global football fiesta, unlike in the past when they had the opportunity to watch all the matches live.

Whereas some people have taken to social media, especially Facebook and Twitter, to register their displeasure, others told the Daily Graphic that they were disappointed in what some TV stations were doing.

However, the Director of GTV, Mr Johnnie Aryeetey, told the Daily Graphic that GTV advertised that it would show only 32 matches and not all the 64 matches.

He was unable to list the matches that would be shown by the station.

Background

GTV, in partnership with Metro TV and Kwesé TV, announced that it had secured the terrestrial rights (free to air) for the 2018 World Cup, which began on June 14 and will end on July 15, this year.

“With this right, no other TV station in Ghana can broadcast the World Cup using the terrestrial platform, except these three television stations named above,” Mr Aryeetey said.

However, since the tournament began, the public had only enjoyed about five out of the 13 matches so far played as of June 18, 2018.

That has angered the public, who have described the situation as frustrating, considering the fact that they do not even know the matches that will be shown on the local channels.

Social media outburst

On Facebook and Instagram, many people have expressed their pain, saying that GTV and Metro TV should not have gone public to advertise that the matches will be shown.

“I was going to buy a StarTimes decoder, but when I heard that GTV and Metro TV will be showing the matches, I stopped and now look at what is happening — we only get to watch selected matches which I don’t even like,” Mr Kwame Phobia, a resident of Osu, wrote on his Facebook wall.

A student, Richard Aful, wrote:, “Tweaaa!! GTV! You are not showing the matches u claim u have the right of. Konongo kaya! Why not leave it to those who can show! Ghana koraa ad3n? We are still struggling to watch World Cup in this era; ad3n?”

Ms Kuukua Iva also took to Facebook and wrote: “It’s such a shame the kind of nation we live in. Others could have done this with a lot of ease but will never be given the opportunity...its such a big shame.”

Interview

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, some members of the public said they would not allow GTV or any other local station to deprive them of the World Cup fiesta.

“For me, immediately I realised that they were not showing the Portugal and Spain match, I quickly went to buy a StarTimes decoder to avoid any further denial,” Mr Eric Grant, a bar attendant at Kasoa, said.

Mr Theophilus Gyamfi, who owns a shop at Adabraka, said he never trusted the advertisement made by GTV, although it was also carried in the newspapers.

“My DSTv subscription had expired and my wife told me not to renew it because GTV would show the matches, but I went ahead to do so because I didn’t trust GTV. Now my wife calls me a prophet,” he said.

Why GTV cannot show matches

There are two types of broadcasting rights for the World Cup — pay TV and free-to-air rights (FTA).

In Ghana, the pay TV broadcasting right is held by three cable networks, namely, Kwesé TV, StarTimes and DSTv, which have the broadcasting right to show all the 64 matches being played in Russia.

The FTA right is for TV networks such as GTV and Metro TV. Those stations have the right to show only 32 matches.

In order to broadcast all the 64 matches, GTV or any other local TV station would have to cough out a substantial fee.