Samuel Nwite examines how MultiChoice and Netflix companies are battling for Africa.
Two years after Netflix was launched in Africa, in 2016, it gained around 400,000 users, mostly in South Africa, MultiChoice’s country of origin. And to instill more fear in MultiChoice, Netflix announced a budget of $8 billion for original contents targeting the African region among other places. Showmax Pro will hopefully keep MultiChoice subscribers within its ecosystem by inserting sports in the digital product.
“Provided that happens, a double play of holding off Netflix online while giving DStv set boxes room to grow offline may materialize. Provided MultiChoice controls live sports, Africans may not have no choice, and that means subscribing to both Netflix and Showmax Pro/DStv at the same time, as the products are not clear substitutes to each other.
My prediction is this: Netflix will bid for live sports rights for its African operations when that opportunity becomes available. The streaming business in Africa will be won with live sports and since it has a $8 billion content budget, dropping say $300 million for Africa operations seems balanced. That is the biggest threat ahead for MultiChoice. If it loses control of live sports, in Africa, it would fade in relevance.
With Naspers out of the picture, DStv faces the biggest threat in years as Netflix can decide to inflict wounds by going to Europe with a bigger purse for football TV rights. (MultiChoice, now outside Naspers – Africa’s largest firm by market cap-, does not have the enormous capital to battle for TV rights as before.) Also, do not count Amazon Prime out. Amazon already streams live sports in its ecosystems, and can create a product for Africa. If DStv does not have European football, it is game over for MultiChoice.
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It’s very easy for those with deep pockets to spend big doing owambe street by street, while those with no guarantee of next meal keep watching in amazement, while befuddled at the same time.
We wait to see how the dance will end.
I am happy multichoice is being kicked out of the market.
I love this if they decided to stay relevant then they should do the needful.
My sports channels have been removed I only have ss 9 and 10 upon my access subscription.
They should get out of this market sooner pls
For me Multichoice is expensive and I ask myself why because I watch petition of programmes.
BMM
I am tired of wasting my money with multichoice, almost a thousand rand for a premium of repeats bouquet. Enough is enough, let them get competition so that we can easily jump ship
I want to be able to choose my own package. Been premium subscriber for more then 10years now access for 3 months already no problem. Take away the monopoly from multichoice and I’ll be back if there is a choose your own package deal. Period.
Zuma gave them carte blanche in this respect thats why with no competition they can charge anything for rubbish programmes and costly packages competition breeds fairness
We could become actors at this stage, we know the words and happenings it every film, series and live shows showen on DSTV
I really hope this happens. DSTV has 80 channels of which you only watch 10, bit still have to pay for 80. The sooner they get real competition the sooner they can close their doors. It is a real disgrace the way DSTV screw us over.
Allowing multi choice in Nigeria is an act of extortion,they should be kicked out,their sub is so outrageous and not welcome anymore
DSTV wants to control everything we can see and watch in Africa and I’m tired of it. They show only one series shows as they are cheap and the bigger budget ones we are two seasons behind on most. They block Netflix from showing some shows with the hope that they will show it once it is old and cheaper to purchase same with Amazon Prime. We cannot watch the latest series of the block Australia, Apprentice UK or Jack Ryan legally in South Africa because they are showing the block Australia that is 3 years old as a new series. Will probably try to do the same with Jack Ryan. Guess what DSTV we know how to use the internet and VPN’s that does not show your SA IP address and we can watch it all at a 3rd of the price. You are just as corrupt as ESKOM and I hope you sink faster than the titanic.
Most of the shows on DSTV have to be downloaded give us data with our subscription services.