UPC Played a Role in the Dish Ban

2 April 2007

News

Satellite platform: UPC played a role in Rotterdam Dish Ban

The postponement announced by the Rotterdam housing association De Nieuwe Unie regarding the removal of more than 2,000 satellite dishes in Rotterdam is partly due to the intervention of the Satelliet Platform Foundation. They look for the cause of the problem in a deal between UPC and the housing association On Tuesday, the housing association stated that it had been surprised by the great media attention about the announcement of the removal of satellite dishes. From February, De Nieuwe Unie wanted to start removing the satellite dishes. The housing association has now postponed the announced action against satellite dishes for a period of 3 months. “This happened, among other things, as a result of the conversations that the Satellite Platform had with the NOS and the ANP,” said Dilek Yildiz, chairman of the Satellite Platform.

Role of UPC suspect

The Satellite Platform is an initiative of leading parties and consists of a national network of more than 150 certified installers and shops. The platform states that a complete ban on satellite dishes, as housing association De Nieuwe Unie wanted to implement, is not legally founded. “They should offer alternatives where people can still have access to all the channels.” What the New Union has done looks like an agreement with UPC. It is dubious that a housing association proposes a package from UPC and makes all other alternatives impossible, according to the Satellite Platform.

Drechtsteden

Incidentally, a similar project is already underway in Zwijndrecht, with UPC mainly approaching Turkish viewers and requesting the housing association to remove the dishes. And there is also a trial against dishes in Dordrecht. UPC recently also had research conducted into the wishes of immigrant viewers with the aim of then make a targeted offer. Research agency Ithaka conducted many interviews for this purpose. In many cases, UPC cannot yet offer a good alternative, if only because, for example, Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Serbian and Croatian TV are missing from their offering. They also do not transmit many popular Arabic channels.

Future

In the next three months of postponement, the Satellite Platform will not sit idle regarding this matter. The Satellite Platform has stated several times in the past year that it is looking for a good case in which a trial process could be started regarding the banning of satellite dishes. It seems that in this Rotterdam dish ban by De Nieuwe Unie, they have found a good case for legal support for the dish owner. “In any case, I am very happy that we now have a concrete example and can tackle this in the right way.” said the chairman of the Satellite Platform.

Lawsuits

The Legal Platform, part of the Satellite Platform, is currently developing a procedure to take collective action on behalf of all tenants of the Nieuwe Unie. All tenants will be informed about this in the very short term through various media channels. Housing association De Nieuwe Unie can therefore, if it is up to the Satellite Platform, expect much more media attention for the proposed decision to remove satellite dishes. Moreover, political parties SP and Groen Links have already expressed their support in the case. [Satellietnieuws.nl/JHV/Radio.NL]