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STREAMING: AFRICA

What to expect from streaming in Africa for 2021 The entertainment industry has undergone a seismic shift over the last year and with streaming now at the forefront of its future, the African streaming market is set to grow five-fold in the next five years, reports YOLISA PHAHLE.

RATHER THAN CHANGING WHAT PEOPLE WERE WATCHING, LOCKDOWNS CHANGED HOW PEOPLE WATCHED

Yolisa Phahle

Looking back at 2020, there’s no need to reiterate just how much has changed on a global level as we’ve had to adapt to a radical new lifestyle involving lockdowns, mask-wearing and social distancing.

The impact on the entertainment industry, particularly the streaming sector, has been extraordinary. With millions of people around the world stuck at home, unable to go to church, weddings, funerals, the shops, the cinema or even to meet up with friends and family, the adoption of streaming services has accelerated rapidly.

In 2020 globally, we saw the launch of

AT&T’s HBO Max and NBCUniversal’s

Peacock. Disney+ grew from 20 million to 73 million subscribers between

February and October. Netfl ix crossed the 200 million subscriber mark. Apple TV+ launched heavy-hitting new titles, and the billion-dollar short-format mobile gamble Quibi folded in December.

Additionally, the line between traditional and over-the-top (OTT) platforms became increasingly blurry, with Warner Bros. opting to release its biggest titles on HBO

Max as well as in theatres, a move that could threaten the survival of cinemas.

One just has to take a look at the number of streaming titles nominated for Golden Globes to see how much the power dynamic has shifted from traditional Hollywood to the big streaming players.

ON THE CONTINENT

When it comes to Africa, we are seeing similar trends. The reality is that doing business in Africa is challenging, something that MultiChoice has learned over the last 30 years. Infrastructural issues aside, the complexities of multiple languages, cultures, currencies, banking systems and regulatory frameworks make it a complex continent in which to thrive. This is our home, however, and we continue to thrive and learn how best to navigate the challenges that are inherent to the opportunities.

External analysts at Digital TV Research predict that the African streaming market is set to grow five times larger by 2025, maturing to 12.96 million subscribers, up from 2.75 million in 2019. These numbers point to a great opportunity before us, and we remain bullish.

Bringing global trends closer to home, in South Africa the impact of 2020’s Covid-related lockdowns on Showmax was dramatic. There was a 50% spike in active users and a doubling in play events on the platform in South Africa during the strictest lockdown period across all categories – international series and movies as well as local movies, series and kids’ content.

Rather than changing what people were watching, lockdowns changed how people watched. For those individuals who may have been curious about streaming before, lockdown saw them take the plunge and sign up to see what streaming on-demand was really all about.

EXTERNAL ANALYSTS AT DIGITAL TV RESEARCH PREDICT THE AFRICAN STREAMING MARKET IS SET TO GROW FIVE TIMES LARGER BY 2025

ONE JUST HAS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF STREAMING TITLES NOMINATED FOR GOLDEN GLOBES TO SEE HOW MUCH THE POWER DYNAMIC HAS SHIFTED FROM TRADITIONAL HOLLYWOOD TO THE BIG STREAMING PLAYERS

INNOVATION STATION

What all of this has meant for us as a fundamentally African streaming business – operating in 46 African countries and a number of diaspora markets – is that we’ve had to change the way we work. We’ve had to become more agile, more strategic and have had to push the boundaries of innovation.

It remains essential that we address consumer needs, create excellent content that Africans love, and deliver it to our customers in the way they want to watch it, with best-in-class technology and a compelling, personalised streaming experience.

Last year, a big focus was launching Showmax Pro, which adds live sports streaming from SuperSport as well as live music channels and news to the existing entertainment offering. We are seeing positive uptake in South Africa as well as key markets including Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.

Showmax also became the first streaming service to make mobile downloads possible for offline viewing and to launch a mobile-only plan, a move that has since been followed by the other key players.

The MultiChoice group has also had to innovate, with 2020 seeing the release of the DStv Explorer Ultra and the announcement of the DStv Streama. Both devices allow users to add streaming apps like Showmax, Netflix and Amazon Prime in addition to DStv.

Ultimately, people want to be entertained with stories that reflect their lives, languages, hopes and fears, so it’s not just in our technology that our business has had to adapt to a growing streaming African market. Showmax has put a lot of energy into growing and curating our South African and African catalogues, and have seen steady growth in local content viewership across the continent over the last 12 months as a result.

Hyper-local content remains a strategic differentiator for the MultiChoice Group, with close to 2 000 hours produced in the first half of the current financial year, bringing the group’s total local content library to around 60 000 hours.

As streaming continues to accelerate, we’re in the exciting position of leading the way with an Africa-first OTT offering that is designed for local markets.

WE’VE HAD TO BECOME MORE AGILE, MORE STRATEGIC AND HAVE HAD TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF INNOVATION

Yolisa Phahle is CEO of General Entertainment for MultiChoice Group Africa. She oversees entertainment strategy for MultiChoice, including channel acquisition, channel production, sales and distribution, and local production. With roots in South Africa, but born in the UK, Phahle was a successful musician before returning to South Africa in 2005, taking on M-Net’s Channel O and turning it into Africa’s leading music channel.

Openview’s set-top box brings wi-fi The satellite TV connectivity home provider’s partnership with Vodacom is bearing fruit for its customers.

Openview, the free satellite television service and part of the eMedia Investments group, is pleased to announce the launch of its very own wi-fi enabler (dongle), Openview Connect, in partnership with Vodacom as the prepaid mobile data provider.

Through the Openview set-top box, Openview Connect will enable wi-fi connectivity in homes that remain unserved by fibre networks. It is poised to provide first access with a simple, practical solution that brings immediate benefits to any Openview household not yet connected through fibre or other means. Target homes can also benefit from wi-fi connectivity on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The Openview Connect data dongle will drive increased connectivity for families across South Africa and act as a plug-and-play hotspot for Openviewenabled homes that wish to Get Connected and Stay Connected. For a once-off fee of R599, Openview customers can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously with operating data rates of up to 150Mbps speed on 4G LTE – lightning-fast compared to most home fibre connectivity options.

CONNECTING PEOPLE

The tangible benefits this connectivity can bring to communities across South Africa are multifold and life-changing. On a social level, Openview Connect can help households stay in touch with friends and family. Besides providing instant access to news and information, e-learning platforms like Vodacom e-School, free-to-browse career websites for job seekers and even parenting advice are all available free of data charges.

Openview executive Mmatshipi Matebane explains further: “Introducing the product into the market bears testament to how we always strive to provide our customers with the best TV and information solutions. With our business projections channelling us towards three million home activations in the near future, we believe that Openview Connect will upscale our product offering to both new and existing customers. We welcome Vodacom on board and look forward to a fruitful partnership of two healthy properties.”

DEMOCRATISING TECHNOLOGY

Rashid Tar-Mahomed, managing executive for unbranded channels at Vodacom, says, “Vodacom has connected millions of South Africans for over two decades, and we are fully committed to forging ahead with our mission to democratise access to technology. Our vision is to be a leading techno business that connects everyone to critical information and resources for a better future.

“With our core pillar of ‘Inclusion for all’, we always make sure to partner with likeminded brands that share our values around technology’s opportunity to enable innovation and inclusivity,” Tar-Mahomed adds. “We are excited to partner with Openview to help bridge the digital divide in this country and transform the lives of all South Africans.”

Openview customers can RICA their Vodacom prepaid SIMs by downloading the My Vodacom App and clicking on the ‘RICA a Friend’ tab. They also have the option to RICA in person at any participating Vodacom outlet.

The partnership with Vodacom will allow Openview customers to benefit from Vodacom’s ConnectU platform, which gives all customers on South Africa’s leading network access to specific zero-rated sites such as jobs, education, health and social portals, at no cost. This is in line with Vodacom’s vision of connecting people to participate equally in a digital society.

Currently enjoyed by over two million households nationwide, Openview has been a go-to family brand that ticks the boxes for obligation-free world-class entertainment and continues to deliver on the promise with Openview Connect.

The brand extension wi-fi connector will be available at leading retailers in South Africa.

Visit http://connectu.vodacom.co.za/

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