By Abbelene Boer, MultiChoice Namibia Marketing Manager
Windhoek, Aug 14 — In Namibia, as in many other parts of the world, football is a passion that brings people together. All it takes is a game from the Premier League, the Champions League or the Namibian national team to see packed rooms, lively discussions and raw emotion. However, while this passion is being fueled, a threat to this ecosystem is quietly growing – content piracy via streaming.
A considerable number of individuals provide justifications for the use of illicit means to access football programming, citing financial constraints, the prevalence of such practices among others, and the absence of explicit legislation prohibiting piracy. The issue of piracy is a universal problem, but in Africa, inclusive of Namibia, it is particularly rife.
This is due to a combination of factors, including the absence of robust legislation, limited enforcement of these laws, affordable equipment, and a significant demand for free content. However, it is imperative to comprehend that piracy encompasses far more than merely viewing a game without remitting payment. It is about feeding a criminal system that steals jobs, destroys the creative industry and drives away investment.
MultiChoice invests millions in purchasing sports broadcasting rights and producing local content. A large proportion of its revenue is used to ensure digital security and pay the salaries of presenters, journalists, studio technicians, operators, producers and other professionals. When someone chooses to watch via a pirated link, they are effectively devaluing all this hard work.
Furthermore, such illicit transmissions are frequently accompanied by malicious software, computer viruses and digital security risks. Nevertheless, thousands of people continue to take this risk in the name of supposed ‘savings’, unaware that this practice ultimately erodes the quality and sustainability of the content they love.
Is it just football? No. Piracy affects not only football, but also soap operas, series, cartoons, local news, movies, and much more. Every click on an illegal link is a stab in the back of the cultural and creative industry—an industry that, if strengthened, can employ thousands of people and project our identity to the world. Let’s fight piracy together.
