- The number of devices confiscated by the competent authorities in the last few weeks exceeded 8,000 devices in a number of violating outlets
- Intensive and periodic campaigns revealed some new violations that were seized and the formal procedures have been implemented against offenders
JEDDAH: Authorities in Saudi Arabia have continued to crack down on the sale and use of broadcasting devices used to bootleg sports channels, ahead of the start of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament later this month.
More than 8,000 such devices have been confiscated from retailers in the Kingdom “in the last few weeks,” according to authorities, which have launched formal procedures against the offending distributors.
Such moves confirm authorities’ “serious efforts to reject any attempts to override and sell bootlegging devices,” a statement said.
The confiscated devices were destroyed in the presence of representatives from the government agencies involved in the campaign. Saudi Arabia is expected to continue its oversight work on all outlets that may have such violations.
Authorities confiscated about 5,000 other devices in earlier operations, while intensive and periodic campaigns revealed new violations by outlets. Devices were seized and formal procedures were implemented against retailers.
The scope of TV piracy in Saudi Arabia and the wider region is difficult to assess; research analysts IDC in 2015 estimated that illegal content distribution across the Middle East and Africa cost the industry more than $750 million per year.
Fellow research analysts Digital TV Research in January estimated that average revenue per user for pay-TV providers would fall in 2018, due in part to rampant piracy in the region.
The MENA Broadcast Satellite Anti-Piracy Coalition — which includes regional satellite operators, distribution companies and international studios such as Paramount and Sony Pictures — said in April that 22 pirate television channels had been shut down during the previous year.
The coalition estimated that there had been 2.7 billion downloads of pirated content during the previous year.
“Content piracy in the Middle East takes money away from the legitimate producers and broadcasters and transfers it to organized criminals,” said Sam Barnett, the CEO of MBC Group, in a statement in April.
“This is hugely destructive to our sector and a constraint on growth. We believe much more can be done to stop this blight with cooperation across all ... players and regulators.”