JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The Justice Alliance of South Africa (JASA) has requested that a court review the times Top TV intends to broadcast adult content.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) granted the premium channel permission in April to air three adult content channels: Playboy TV, Desire TV and Private Spice.
ICASA mandated that the channels could only broadcast adult content between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
“As advised by counsel, [we] believe that ICASA erred in law in failing to find that the constitutional rights of children were laws of general application which should have trumped the rights of Top TV to freedom of expression,” JASA director John Smyth QC said in a statement.
He continued, “[We] contend that fixing a watershed time of 8 p.m. flies in the face of common sense, bearing in mind that most teenage children finish their homework at about 8 p.m. and then watch TV for an hour or two until bedtime.”
Smyth suggested that broadcasting the material after 11 p.m. would be more reasonable.
JASA has asked that the court review ICASA’s previous decision and make amendments where necessary.
The group previously filed papers with the Western Cape High Court in an attempt to stop the channel from airing pornographic material, slated to begin this Dec.
The launch of Top TV’s adult content channels were previously delayed due to the parent company On Digital Media’s financial woes.
Chinese firm the StarTimes announced in July that it was currently involved in a business rescue joint venture to save the ailing company.
