Pay-TV firm gives viewers reason to cheer

NAIROBI — Tony Timase was relaxing in his tastefully furnished living room as chilly weather enveloped the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on the evening of Dec 10 in readiness for the eagerly awaited duel between Morocco and Portugal.

The ex-journalist and public relations consultant stared at his giant television screen with apprehension as the two combatants prepared for a duel at the tail end of the World Cup quarterfinals.

Timase had switched on the state broadcaster Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, whose partnership with China's pay television firm, StarTimes, has enabled local soccer enthusiasts to watch the World Cup matches for free.

As an ardent soccer fan since childhood, he lauded StarTimes for enabling him to watch the tournaments uninterrupted as he rooted for Morocco's victory.

By leveraging StarTimes digital platforms, KBC will air 28 World Cup matches free of charge, providing relief to millions of soccer fans in the East African nation.

Despite his middle-income status, Timase felt that watching the international soccer jamboree through a free-to-air channel was a benevolent gesture from StarTimes that has established a solid footprint in Kenya's sporting scene.

Timase notes that courtesy of StarTimes, local soccer fans have savored the beauty, thrills and surprises of the 2022 edition of the World Cup underway in the gulf nation of Qatar.

He adds that the implementation of the "Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages" program in Kenya by StarTimes has made it easier for communities in remote outposts to view the World Cup matches in a seamless and cost-free manner.

"To me, it is amazing how this project has ensured that communities in the remotest parts of this country are connected to what is happening in Qatar. They are watching the matches and enjoying every spectacle," Timase says. His house is located at a middle-income suburb in southwestern Nairobi.

Kenyan soccer fans are following World Cup matches with renewed zeal, thanks to the cost-free, quality, and seamless airing of the international sporting event guaranteed by StarTimes through the partnership with KBC, says Hanson Wang, the chief executive officer of StarTimes' Kenya office.

He adds that the pay television company has rallied behind the development of sporting talents in Kenya through support for local tournaments, and rewards for best-performing coaches, soccer clubs and athletes.

Wang says through the partnership with the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya, StarTimes has been rewarding the best coach in the country monthly.

As for Gerald Lepariyo, a Nairobi-based climate change and geopolitical analyst, watching the spectacle in Qatar courtesy of StarTimes' free-to-air platform has strengthened his love for the beautiful game.

Relaxing in his cozy living room, Lepariyo commends the Chinese pay television firm for ensuring local soccer fans watch the matches in Qatar uninhibited.

"Let me reiterate that this great partnership between StarTimes and KBC has made tremendous efforts to ensure even communities in far-flung regions follow live football matches from Qatar," says Lepariyo.

The urbane scholar believes that by becoming the first African soccer team to reach the World Cup semifinals, Morocco shattered the glass ceiling and inspired emerging talents in the continent's football scene.

Xinhua