WorldSpace plans to relaunch its services in South Africa if a bid by former chairman Noah Samara to buy the company is approved. WorldSpace filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008 after repeated failures to meet debt obligations. Its satellite radio broadcasts were available in the US, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Hamza Farooqui, MD of WorldSpace Southern Africa, said last week that if the sale to Mr Samara’s Yazmi USA was approved, the company would relaunch in South Africa, but would first apply for a licence from the industry regulator. Mr Farooqui could not elaborate on the company’s plans until the sale is finalised.
WorldSpace had 42 radio stations on its local platform, including Kagiso Media’s East Coast Radio and international stations such as Voice of America. WorldSpace opened its offices in South Africa five years ago and received permission to operate while the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa finalised the licensing process for subscription broadcasters.
But WorldSpace pulled out of the process in 2007 because it contravened the Electronic Communications Act, which caps foreign ownership on local broadcasting companies at 20%. There was also confusion as to whether WorldSpace was a broadcaster or an infrastructure provider and whether it would require a services licence, a network licence or both. Last year, before it closed shop, the company was planning to sell 30% in its local entity to black investors to boost its chances of receiving a network licence rather than a broadcast services licence.
Avhasei Mukoma, a broadcasting and telecommunications lawyer at Mukoma Attorneys, said yesterday that WorldSpace would probably need both a network and a services licence, and either way it would have to abide by the black empowerment rules.
Mr Mukoma said the radio landscape had changed and there were now multiple platforms to receive services. “If they are going to position themselves as a niche provider and also bring something unique to the market, it might work,” he said.
Mr Samara said that WorldSpace had been working in 2006 with car manufacturers to install satellite receivers in their vehicles. Analysts have previously said the key to growth in satellite radio was for the technology to be mobile, otherwise satellite radio would struggle. In the US, satellite radio has taken off because two big operators, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius, are available on some cars.
(Source: Business Day)
on Jun 14th, 2010 at 11:37
None of the stations in South Africa need to be on Worldspace. What is the commercial business model? The worldspace satellite is too low in the horizon in South Africa for the system to work in built-up areas, exactly the area where there might be listeners with the budget to afford the very expensive radios. South Africa is not the US, look at the number of languages spoken. Worldspace didn\’t work in India, so why would it work in South Africa? And haven\’t they repositioned the satellite to cover Southern Europe. In short, its still a mess.
on Jun 14th, 2010 at 20:51
I was and still is an avid listener of worldSpace. International news and music formats like Country, Classical and Jazz are not available widely or at all, even in South Africa, on local radio, and non-existent elsewhere in Africa. This is a system that can provide such services. I am willing to pay a subscription for provision of said services.
on Jun 17th, 2010 at 15:49
I’m sure a few individuals may well be prepared to pay for a radio service via subscription. But I think the financial model for that in SA using this satellite will be virtually non existent. Even in europe I doubt this model is really financially viable. It needed receivers to be cheap, for the man in the street and then it’s content to be freely available to all listeners with a receiver. Paying for radio content in the way that has been tried by Worldspace before is a non starter financially. I think that’s already been proved by the finacial collapse of the company previously. I cannot see there being a big queue of investors to support a reborn Worldspace. If Noah Samara is really going to try then good luck to him or is it simply that the company has assetts that can be sold off once he has paid for the company from bankruptcy, but to purchase it he needs to maybe ’show’ his intentions.
on Sep 4th, 2010 at 07:51
Is there a contact number to be updated on progress? I have a worldspace satelite radio and am desperate to reconnect. I’m more than willing to pay a subscription for the service.
on Feb 27th, 2011 at 20:23
Today, 27 February 2011, BBC World fell silent on my satellite radio, which I receive on Afrisat in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. As a journalist I value this service. Is this a temporary break in transmission? How can I reconnect?
on Feb 27th, 2011 at 21:39
Alwyn. Do you have a broadband connection? Worldspace has already announced it is going away for good. Was scheduled to cease at the end of January. http://www.mydigitallife.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1051998:worldspace-south-africa-to-shut-down
on Feb 27th, 2011 at 21:47
Wonder if the creditors bothered to contact subscribers as they said in last month’s letter?
on Feb 28th, 2011 at 22:34
Hi, how can i get intuch with Worl Space in europe???
on Feb 28th, 2011 at 22:54
I am pleased to report that BBC is back on the air on satellite, as are the regular transmissions from National Public Radio, World Radio Network and a few others. These are free services, but I would be happy to subscribe to a expanded service.
on Apr 1st, 2011 at 05:22
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE WORLDSPACE BACK IT WAS THE JOY OF MY LIFE. I WOULD SUBSRIBE ANY DAY. (PIETERMARITZBURG SOUTH AFRICA..)
on Jul 8th, 2011 at 10:53
Nevertheless, the owner of WorldSpace, Mr. Namara is still broadcasting free to air in Europe. In Europe and North West Africa it is possible to listen to WorldSpace using the same old WorldSpace radios. At the moment (8th July 2011), it is possible to listen for free in Europe the following radio broadcasters:
NPR International,
BBC World Service,
RFI (Radio France International,
WRN1 English,
WRN2 (Franch/German) and
Esperance (French Catholic).
on Jul 8th, 2011 at 13:48
I presume Namara is the shortened version of his full name, Noah Samara
on Jul 8th, 2011 at 14:59
Hello, anyone able to tell me how to get contact with World Space office in Europe??