DStv short-changing its customers

I WAS cautiously optimistic when DStv launched its Curiosity channel (185) a while back, but my expectations faded rapidly under a barrage of substandard offerings, many of which earned the official John Gardener Frown of Disapproval.

Which was a pity, following hard on the heels of some pretty decent channels which were arbitrarily cancelled for no apparent reason.

The other day, however, I discovered a new series, Behind the Artist, in which each episode comprises a dramatisation of a particular artist’s life.

The first episode I watched was about Vincent van Gogh and it was truly excellent.

About five minutes before the end, however, there was an ad break and I waited anxiously for the final segment to show and bring the matter to an unhappy conclusion.

Only that final segment never appeared! Instead we were carried forward straight into the next show, about women in history in which, judging by appearances, the cosmetics must have been lavishly sponsored.

Thinking that the truncated episode on Van Gogh must be a one-off aberration, I settled down to watch the one devoted to Pablo Picasso only to discover that the last five minutes or so had also been amputated.

On the reasonable assumption that the scene has been set for the rest of the series, I immediately cancelled the series record I had activated and will not waste my time part-watching future episodes.

What really astonishes, however, is that DStv (or MultiChoice, or whatever it calls itself) has sanctioned and authorised this fraud on unsuspecting viewers and are doubtless being well paid for its efforts.

Van Gogh cut off his ear, and perhaps some suitably senior executive at DStv should give serious consideration to following suit.

Such a noble and romantic gesture might bring new meaning to the oft-repeated phrase “lobal warming”.

JOHN GARDENER | Howick