Monrovia — Consolidated Group Incorporated, an agent of DSTV Liberia headed by renowned Liberian Politician and businessman Simeon Freeman, is currently being muscled by the Government of Liberia through the Director General of the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) Eugene Faghon.
Director General Faghon has led a charge against the Consolidated Group before the 55th Liberian Legislature, particularly the House of Representatives, for failing to uplink LBS to the DSTV Satellite grid.
Addressing a press conference here over the weekend, Mary Williams, General Manager for Content at the Consolidated Group Incorporated, Agent of DSTV Liberia, said that the LBS Boss complained to the House Committee on Posts and Telecommunications based on a business conversation they had in July this year.
Disappointingly, she said that unknown to them, Mr. Faghon took their complaint to the House, which invited the general manager of DSTV Liberia to talk about challenges and progress in the sector.
But, at the meeting, she lamented that when they got there, they were ambushed and betrayed because what the letter outlined was completely different as Mr. Faghon took the stage and began to make demeaning remarks against DSTV on grounds that they have refused to put the State Radio on the DSTV uplink.
Later, she stated that the meeting ended, and they were extended another invitation, at which time the General Manager went alongside a lawyer, but the House Committee on Posts and Telecommunications told them they wanted to see Mr. Someone Freeman.
"We told them that the communication is addressed to our General Manager, and Mr. Freeman is not the general manager; rather, he is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Consolidated Group Incorporated, Agent of DSTV Liberia. Because he was not available, the legislature is now threatening a contempt charge against him for not coming", Madam Williams pointed out.
She said that as much as they respect the House of Representatives and its Committee on Posts and Telecommunications, they can't exclusively uplink LBS because there are processes and procedures to follow, adding that they are just agents of the Consolidated Group Incorporated.
However, she described the entire situation as a political ploy that is basically intended to muscle DSTV Liberia even though they have not refused to connect LBS. She asked that they follow all of the processes and procedures since they do not do the uplink here.
Given the background of what led to the entire charge Mr. Faghon is leading against the Company, Miss Mary Williams said that in July this year, they received a communication from the LBS Director General requesting an audience to have some business conversation.
She said they met with Mr. Faghon, and he told them that he wants LBS to be uplinked to DSTV Satellite to show local content.
Madam Williams further indicated that they embraced the idea but told Mr. Faghon that there are processes and procedures to be uplinked to DSTV, something she added they can't unilaterally do.
According to her, they informed Mr. Faghon to do a written communication expressing interest and clearly outlining the content they want to provide, the material, their financial capacity, and their length of existence.
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Unfortunately, she pointed out that Mr. Faghon got angry with the perception that they must be connected to the DSTV uplink-free, which she said is not within their reach.
"Mr. Faghon said that they are working on their own subscription base subscriber uplift that was going to cost about Five United States dollars (US$5.00). Because he mentioned that they are working on their subscription base, what we do here is also subscription where people pay for the service, and we connect them, so we don't go after Mr. Faghon", Madam Williams explained.
