Campaign puts the case for defeating TV pirates’ Dh1.8bn scam

DUBAI // A campaign to warn the public about the “menace” of television programme piracy has been launched.

The Department of Economic Development is collaborating with broadcaster OSN to highlight the harm that unlicensed set-top boxes and illegal downloading of programmes from the internet does to the television industry.

The campaign message will be spread by 1,200 television broadcasts on more than 20 channels, seen on millions of websites and aired 225 times on radio stations.

David Butorac, chief executive of OSN, said: “The joint awareness campaign will significantly scale up the industry’s efforts and highlight the commitment of Dubai to provide businesses the right environment for growth.

“DED’s support will lend further impetus in eradicating the menace, which according to reports, costs the industry more than US$500 million (Dh1.8bn) every year.”

Mr Butorac said: “New techniques are being adapted by illegal operators. It is important to understand the various forms of piracy to uphold the rights of the legal providers who invest in technology, infrastructure and content.”

He said several individuals were being prosecuted for television piracy after raids in the UAE and other Gulf countries.

Mohammed Lootah, an executive director at the DED, said the campaign is the largest to date and that broadcast companies incur financial losses when their exclusive rights are violated, which harms the national economy.

“Our focus is on promoting transparency and on the relationship between the merchant and the consumer through campaigns that target different segments of the society living in the UAE and particularly Dubai,” said Mr Lootah.

newsdesk@thenational.ae