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Africa’s Pay-TV Market to Hit $6Bn

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Africa’s pay-TV revenue for the year 2016 stood at $4.4 billion and is forecast to reach $6 billion by 2021.

This is according to market research firm Dataxis, which notes that for the year ending 2016, Africa’s pay-TV subscribers stood at approximately 18.7 million, which represents an increase of approximately two million subscribers compared to the previous year.

Dataxis’ research team has rolled out a new TV tracker product for Sub-Saharan Africa. The service provides quarterly reporting of the pay and distribution statistics for all TV channels active in the region. More than 1 000 channels were analysed and 25% of the channels are generalists, 19% are movies and fiction, and 9% represent sport channels.

Out of the 18.7 million subscribers, the market research firm says 14 million are direct-to-home (DTH) subscribers and the remaining represent mostly pay digital terrestrial television (DTT) with limited cable and IPTV deployments.

The key players for the Sub-Saharan African region are Naspers (approximately 56%), Canal+ (approximately15%) and StarTimes (9%).

“The satellite operator MultiChoice, owned by Naspers, has been the key player in the Anglophone Africa pay-TV market since its launch. However, the new entrant of the year, Econet Media/Kwesé, along with in particular further deployments by StarTimes, will change this configuration,” says Pascal Orhan, chief analyst at Dataxis.

Regarding the DTT migration process, the full transition is still far from completed, says Dataxis. One of the main issues is distribution of millions of DTT set-top boxes (STBs) to low income households, with associated industrial policies that are leading to further delays, it notes.

Dataxis predicts the DTT process should be completed in Sub-Saharan African by 2021. After missing the 2015 digital migration deadline for countries to migrate from analogue to DTT, SA subsequently began the registration process for STBs required to transmit digital signals.

The South African government has promised to subsidise five million TV-owning households with free STBs.

“Pay-TV operators like Naspers, Canal+ and StarTimes play an important role in the channel edition, as 18% of all the channels belong to one of them. They focus mainly on movies and fiction and sports, as the two genres account for almost three-quarter of all the channels they edit,” adds Orhan.

Meanwhile, video-on-demand (VOD) services are also gaining traction in Africa, with players like Naspers-owned ShowMax and US-based Netflix making inroads.

Last year, ShowMax said that less than a year after launch, its subscription VOD service had passed the 10 million views milestone.

Analysts believe content will determine if Netflix can gain a big market share in Africa.

Although Netflix is popular, it is not at the level of ShowMax for three reasons: ShowMax has more local content, Netflix does not allow subscription to its US service through IP-masking services, and ShowMax is heavily marketed in SA, says World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck.

Africa Analysis’ Richard Hurst says although Netflix will certainly shake up the market, the most serious challenge facing the company in Africa will be the ability to deliver a consistent quality service with an appropriate depth of content.


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How to Beat DStv Price Increase with ‘Price Lock’ Feature

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In today’s fast-paced world, where every penny counts, finding ways to save on essential services is more important than ever. And as part of its commitment to customer satisfaction, DStv has reiterated its “Price Lock” feature.

DStv Price lock

This is in response to the upcoming tariff increase, which the company understands may impose some financial strain on its valued customers.

What exactly does the “Price Lock” feature entail? The “Price Lock” feature offers customers the opportunity to retain their subscriptions at the current rate for 12 months.

To use the “Price Lock” feature, customers simply need to renew their subscriptions before the due date each month, ensuring uninterrupted access to their favourite DStv content at the current rate for the next 12 months.

But here’s the catch: only customers with an active subscription by the 30th of April qualify for this offer, when the tariff adjustment comes into effect.

Make sure you don’t miss the price lock offer! Simply download the MyDStv or MyGOtv app or dial *288# to subscribe, upgrade, or set up Auto-Renewal.


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OJI Demands Ban on Netflix, TikTok, Others over Same-Sex Content

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Civil Society Organisation (CSO) under the auspices of Open Justice Initiative (OJI), has threatened to drag the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to court if it fails to ban Netflix, TikTok, and others over the alleged broadcast of offensive same-sex content on Nigeria’s airwaves.

OJI Demands Ban on Netflix, TikTok, Others over Same-Sex Content

The CSO, also urged NBC to ban other social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, etc with regard to the subject matter.

Donald Ayibiowu, lawyer and programme officer of OJI, gave the warning in a letter addressed to Mr. Charles Ebuebu, director-general of the NBC.

The certified true copy of the letter titled: “Need to ban and bar the continuous broadcast of offensive same-sex contents on Nigeria’s airwaves by Netflix and other specialised broadcast outlets”, made available to newsmen in Abuja, was received by the Commission on April 23, 2024.

The letter said, “We write to draw the esteem attention of your commission to some obnoxious and repugnant same-sex contents being aired or transmitted by some broadcast outfits operating within the Nigeria broadcast space, which platforms includes Netflix and some social media entities.

“These abhorrent contents being campaigned about borders on the promotion of amorous relationships between persons of same sex on the said platforms.

“We received complaints on this topic from well-meaning Nigerians and religious organisations and further discovered that the broadcast contents/materials on these platforms are laced with embedded scenes/episodes where same-sex relationships are practically being propagated.

“We also conducted research on some social media platforms like TikTok, Twitter (X), Facebook (Meta), etc with regards to this subject, and found same hazardous and illegal same-sex content being promoted and transmitted.

“It is clear that there is an agenda to surreptitiously lure the unsuspecting young population of this country to this satanic habit/lifestyle of same-sex practice in Nigeria by subtly introducing same through entertainment and showbiz industry, albeit through the airwaves.

“It is now commonplace to see some of these illegal contents being conveyed on social media and specialised platforms in Nigeria.

“We wish to point out that these contents are clearly being aired or transmitted in contravention of our extant laws such as Sections 4(2) and 5(2} of the Same-Sex Mariage (Prohibition) Act, 2013,” he said.

The lawyer said the act being subtly propagated and promoted via the mediums was targeted at destroying the moral fibre and rectitude, erode, dislodging and polluting the society with unacceptable inhuman values.

He said it was also to erode the age-long cultural practices and sacred religious belief system of male and female gender only as created by God Almighty.

Ayibiowu said, that if the commission failed to block, restrict or scrap the same-sex promotional material/contents from Nigeria airwaves, “we shall proceed to seek further redress in pursuit of our goal of saner Nigeria airwaves”.

 

 


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FCCPC to Review Multichoice’s Tariff Hike

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Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has promised to review recent price increases in MultiChoice cable subscriptions to ensure subscribers in Nigeria get value for their money.

FCCPC to Review Multichoice’s Tariff Hike

Recall that the leading pay TV operator, recently announced increase in the subscriptions for its DStv and GOtv packages by at least 25 per cent.

Multichoice announced the increase in tarrifs in a message sent to subscribers on Wednesday and said that the new regime will be effective May 1.

The company stated this in the statement signed by John Ugbe, chief executive officer was titled, ‘Price Adjustment on DStv and GOtv Packages.’

The pay-TV firm cited the rise in the cost of business operations as the rationale behind the price increase.

The company said, “We understand the impact this change may have on you – our valued customer, but the rise in the cost of business operations, has led us to make this difficult decision.

“It remains our mission to provide the best entertainment and viewing experience to you and are committed to continue to deliver high-quality content and unparalleled service. So, from Wednesday, 1 May 2024, the price adjustment will take effect.”

But Adamu Abdullahi, acting chief executive officer, FCCPC, in a chat with Channels Television on its Dateline Abuja programme on Thursday, provided an update on the summons issued to the owner of a Chinese store in Abuja accused of discriminatory and sharp practices.

He also commented on the adherence to the order given to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, stating that sanctions are imminent for all verified infractions identified by the agency.

 


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