The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MultiChoice

  • StarTimes & the battle for supremacy in Nigeria’s Pay Tv industry

    StarTimes & the battle for supremacy in Nigeria’s Pay Tv industry

    Until recently, the pay tv industry in Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country and arguably the largest economy has been dominated by two major players, South Africa’s MultiChoice and China’s StarTimes.

    Until about 8 years ago, Nigeria had only MultiChoice as the major pay tv service provider, but that changed quickly when StarTimes launched in 2010, targeting the mass market with a strategy that seemed to have propelled it to hold the largest subscriber base in Nigeria, thereby forcing MultiChoice to revisit its offerings, billing and overall strategy.

    The battle to reign supreme in Nigeria had always been between these 2 players until mid September, when a new kid on the block, Telcomsat Limited, owners of TSTV made a surprise entry into the market, promising free wifi with decoders, broadcast of EPL games and lots more, with a promise to launch on October 1st to coincide with Nigeria’s independence, in a campaign that was described as giving independence to Pay TV subscribers.

    This was overwhelmingly received by Nigerians, with many expressing their displeasure at MultiChoice, understandably because of the monopoly they enjoy on EPL and pricing which Nigerians describe as unfriendly. Unfortunately, the hype turned out to be a flash in the pan, as the anticipated launch on October 1 never saw the light of day, leaving the hopes of many Nigerians dashed.

    Justin Zhang. StarTimes CEO
    Justin Zhang. StarTimes CEO

    But in a dramatic twist, StarTimes Nigeria quickly announced on Thursday, October 19 via its official Twitter handle @startimes_ng that it was commencing Pay Per Day service.

    The company twitted thus:

    NIGERIA: What if we told you that you can now pay per day, per week & per month? #StarTimesPaybyday

    Nigeria: It gets better. You can now watch as much as 30 Channels with N60 ONLY.

    Nigeria: Entertainment just got subsidized. Enjoy over 40 TV channels with just N300 a week!

    Nigeria: Now you can pay only for the day bae is visiting. Enjoy all StarTimes channels for only N60 per day #StarTimesPaybyday

    Nigeria: Entertainment just got subsidized with #StarTimesPaybyday

    Nigeria: Enjoy unlimited access to quality entertainment on StarTimes. Now you can #Payper-day #payperview #payasyouwatch

    As expected, Nigerians on social media quickly jumped on this announcement, with the tweets gathering over 100 retweets within minutes.

    It was almost as if the much-anticipated messiah has come. There were many positive reactions and questions were raised, a lot of people wanted to know when the service would commence, how much the rates were, how long it would last for and more. Although details of the package are still sketchy as no official statement has been issued to the media on this. The company only said Nigerians could pay as low as N60 daily to enjoy the service or N300 a week come November 1.

    No doubt, TSTV may have triggered the discussion around Per Per Day in Nigeria, but it is important to note that StarTimes had been offering this service fully in 2 other African countries like Uganda and Zambia, with a test run in Nigeria for over 8 months southwest before the actual announcement was made.

    Analysts believe that the industry is towing the line of the Telecoms Industry, likening StarTimes announcement of pay per day to the strategic role Globacom played with the introduction of per second billing which was said to have been impossible to implement by other telecom operators in Nigeria.

    It will be interesting to see how the Pay TV subsector of the broadcast industry pans out, knowing that this move by StarTimes will trigger reactions from competing service providers, all to the benefit of Nigerians.

  • No pay-per-view plan in Nigeria, says Multichoice

    No pay-per-view plan in Nigeria, says Multichoice

    Pay-television service provider MultiChoice Nigeria has described as untrue reports suggesting that it is about launching a pay-per-view service in the country.

    The company’s position was made in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday.

    A statement  explained that suscribers would have access to the epic Flloyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor boxing fight on the DStv Premium package, while subscribers to pay television services in the U.S. would need to pay an additional $99 on Pay per view basis to access the fight.

    This, said MultiChoice, demonstrates the great value DStv provides to its subscribers in Nigeria.

    ”During the briefing, it was clarified that Pay Per View is a pay television service whereby subscribers of a particular television provider can purchase additional sporting events to view over and above their normal subscription package and charges.   Furthermore, it was explained at the briefing that this service does not currently exist in Nigeria or anywhere else in Africa at the moment, but is being used in the United States and the United Kingdom,” the statement explained.

    The company assured that its customers will receive direct communication should any new DStv service be offered in the future, adding that it remains committed to continuously providing world class content and  improved value to its customers at all times.

  • Multichoice: regulatory framework vital for digital migration

    Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe, has said Nigeria needs  regulatory and legal framework as well as a buy-in from all stakeholders to make a successful transition from analogue switch off.

    Ugbe stated this in a keynote address delivered at the third   Digital Migration Summit, in Lagos. It was organised by Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON).

    While noting that the country is a late starter on the migration journey, Ugbe said it can learn from the experiences of countries that have achieved digital migration and avoid the mistakes from previous exercises.

    “Using the United Kingdom, Kenya and Rwanda as case studies, one common denominator is that they all opted to make Free-to-Air (FTA) cost-free in each country. Another key lesson learnt is that they all had adequate regulatory and legal framework in place and ensured that there was buy-in from all stakeholders. Everyone had a role to play – from making Set Top Boxes (STBs) affordable and partnering the private sector which brought in investment,” he said.

    Digitisation, he explained, will ensure better transmission quality and make more channels available.  As a result, there will be a need for compelling content.

    “It is crucial to make content as engaging as possible, otherwise we will lose our audience. Compelling content is expensive to achieve as it affects cost of equipment, production and distribution, to mention a few,” he added.

    Along with digital migration, he further explained, will come a more effective use of spectrum, with a move from one analogue channel per frequency to over 20.

    While noting that digital migration offers many benefits, Ugbe said it is also accompanied by challenges.

    “That there will be more channels also means that the already limited advertising revenue will shrink further. Additionally, segment boundaries will blur. The internet already enables anyone to create and distribute user generated content. There is tremendous diversification going on and this will continue in the foreseeable future,” he said.

    To get around the challenges, Ugbe called for light- touch regulations that will ensure lower costs for operators.

  • ‘DSTV FAMILY AND ACCESS’ GETS MORE CONTENT

    COMMITTED to ensuring customer satisfaction, MultiChoice is adding new channels for DStv Family and Access customers.

    From Friday, 18 August on the DStv Family package, customers can now watch the Spanish La Liga on SuperSport 7, BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174), Food Network(DStv 175), Cbeebies (DStv 306) while DStv Access customers will enjoy more entertainment with Afro Music English on DStv 326.

    “Quality entertainment has always been our key focus and we are excited to continue building our DStv entertainment options at every price point,” said Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Sales and Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria.

    “Over the last year we have kept adding more value for our customers and in our latest move we are adding new channels to DStv Family and Access.

    BBC Lifestyle will show programmes like Celebrity MasterChef which premieres on Wednesday, 9 August at 7pm. Then there is the ever- informative Trust Me I’m a Doctor airing from Sunday, 13, August at 4pm featuring a lively mix of health-related stories led by a team of health experts and medical journalists. Obsessed with my Body, which premieres on Sunday, 27, August at 9pm, is a documentary that looks into the rise in vanity among young men in modern Britain.

  • BACK TO THE MULTICHOICE-WON BBN DEBATE

    JUST when you think Nigerian government is through with an issue it considers serious, momentary impulse brings back the same old matter only for us to see how inconclusive we are with several matters. It is in the same manner that most elections have not been smooth sailing.

    The Minister of Information’s strong desire to transform the creative industry into a creative economy is obvious since assuming office, but his desire alone cannot turn things around overnight. This is evident from the fact that he had met several brick walls on some of his good plans.

    For instance, inability to get the National Theatre running for the just held Africa Movie Academy Award, AMAA, despite collaborating with Lagos State Government comes to mind. It is in the same manner that the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) bill, for which he set up a review committee, is yet to see the light of the day.

    It is important to sit back, digest the complexity of the entertainment industry, and study the Acts before making blanket statements that breed unnecessary tirades that make fun of genuine intentions.

    When the Federal Government said, last Saturday, that whatever we consume in Nigeria in terms of music and films, must be made in Nigeria, it was Alhaji Lai Mohammed speaking passionately and personally about patriotism, but his personal desire wasn’t in synch with creativity and the liberty that independent producers have on choice locations.

    “This government has agreed that henceforth, we cannot continue to go to South Africa or any other country to produce our films and then send them back to be consumed in Nigeria,” he said.

    This was clearly a gaffe, leading to insults from people whose anger was more pronounced along political divide.

    But now that the Minister has rephrased his statement, and narrowed perceived transgressions to Nigeria branded shows like the last Big Brother Naija (BBN) and the ongoing The Voice Nigeria music reality show, which, like the former, is being shot in South Africa, one can only say, the rephrase makes sense.

    However, I am of the opinion that rather than make patriotic pronouncements that sound draconian, we can make more sense if government uses its might to put up structures that naturally will lobby the market force in a way that it would be a business folly to shoot reality shows outside Nigeria.

    For example, I like the idea the Minister’s plan to establish a one million dollar Venture Capital to boost the creative industry. I like the idea of the Creative Industry Summit, which, in structure and format appears to be the best kind of referendum ever experienced in the entertainment sector. I like the FG MoUs with Tony Elumelu Foundation, Bank of Industry and the British Council for the creative sector. I like the plan to revive the National Endowment Funds for the Arts.  I like the proposed plan to overhaul the National Theatre. I like the fact that international treaties are a possibility now that the entertainment industry is under the Ministry of Culture. I like the Innovation Distribution Fund segment of the Project ACT Nollywood grant, albeit if implemented from a very shrewd approach. In all, I like ideas that provide enabling environment for creativity to thrive.

    However, I think that not to encourage international competition is a defeatist attitude, even if our creatives are shooting for the local market. Unfortunate for this type of mindset, the world is already a global village and like they say, with a sense of priority for the Nigerian product, there is need to ‘Glocalise’.

    Based on current realities, I maintain, just like I did during the hot debate about shooting Big Brother Naija in South Africa that Multichoice was right in their business decision. Anyone in their shoes would do the same.

    After all, the Broadcasting Code and the Advertising Code say that for you to classify a product as a Nigerian product, it must have a certain percentage of Nigerian content.

    I guess that this clause was what stalled the investigations that the Minister asked Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to conduct while the last BBN was running.

    How could the NBC have found fault with Multichoice when all housemates were Nigerians; when the popular Big Brother Voice was that of a Nigerian; when the series Director, Gbenga Kayode is a Nigerian and Nigeria-trained; when head of content and about nine other members of his team were Nigerians; when Title sponsor, Payporte is a Nigerian online retail company; when foods, drinks, fabrics, decors, props are largely from Nigeria; when English, pidgin, and other Nigerian languages were permitted on the show; when Nigeria’s major language interpreters were engaged on the show; when all the eviction live show performers were Nigerian artistes; when all the coaches/mentors brought on the show were Nigerians; and the prize money of 25 million that went to Efe was in Naira.

    If the Minister decides to get NBC to amend the Broadcasting Code by saying Nigeria-branded shows like Big Brother Naija (if Naija is Federal Government copyrighted at all) and The Voice Nigeria must be produced in Nigeria without having a competitive studio and relevant infrastructures in place, we would only have succeeded in teaching the likes of Multichoice a new business trick.

    Supposing they decide to drop Naija and bring back Big Brother Africa. I don’t see how this makes any difference knowing that Nigerian housemates always hold sway with great followers that help popularize the show on the continent. What about if The Voice Nigeria is simply called The Voice just so it can be shot in South Africa?

    Looking at it critically, where you shoot a reality show is not as important as the number of Nigerians and the value of ‘Nigerianess’ in the show.  Indeed, we need to get less emotional and be pragmatic.

  • How we ‘re improving services, by MultiChoice

    MultiChoice Nigeria said account suspension, extension of call centre service hours and others are some of the steps it has taken to ameliorate the pains of its subscribers across the country.

    It added it is committed to doing more to improve services quality.

    Responding to customers’ complaints during its Customer Forum at Agege/Ogba area of Lagos, its Public Relations Manager, Caroline Oghuma, said the company is aware of some of the issues raised by the subscribers, adding that the firm was working to ensure that subscribers get improved experience with the brand.

    “We listen to our customers to understand their changing lives, the pressures they face and what matters most to them. We are committed to using these insights to provide better quality of service,” she said.

    Oghuma also spoke about the initiatives of the company in response to subscribers’ previous complaints.

    “Last year, we introduced the option of account suspension. Now it’s possible for you to put on hold your DStv subscription for between seven and 14 days twice yearly. We also extended our call centre hours to accommodate more queries.

    “In addition, we standardised installation fees and introduced a six-month warranty on installations done by our accredited technicians,” she said.

    Present at the forum were subscribers, dealers, sales agents and representatives of MultiChoice, the subscriber management company of DStv.

    The subscribers were given the opportunity to share the challenges they encounter on the DStv platform as well as give feedback on what they want to see more.

    Subscribers also had some positive feedback to give the pay TV firm as they commended it for impacting positively on their lives through its contents. They also acknowledged the company’s resolve not to increase subscription prices last year amid the ailing economy.

     

  • MultiChoice to reward subscribers

    MultiChoice to reward subscribers

    In its usual way of rewarding subscribers for their loyalty, Pay-TV Company, MultiChoice, has introduced two new incentives, DStv THANKS and GOtv WOW.

    The programmes, which started on March 7 and is to run till March 21, will see all DStv, GOtv Plus and GOtv Value customers get the opportunity to have unlimited access to exciting channels offering a range of the latest quality content.

    Also, all customers on Premium, Compact, Compact Plus, Family and Access plus GOtv Plus and GOtv Value, who stay continuously connected for three months and more, will have uninterrupted access to the channels.

    Other rewards that await loyal customers, according to its management, include monthly airtime bonuses and two brand new entertainment channels for GOtv as well as four additional entertainment channels, featuring telenovelas, movies and great local and international content on the DStv platform, at no extra cost.

    “We are delighted to launch DStv THANKS and GOtv WOW to say thank you to our valued customers. Our business is committed to putting customers at the heart of the business and one of the ways is to show our appreciation for their loyalty and unwavering support by offering them more value. We remain committed to exploring various ways to improve our value-added benefits and create platforms where we can show gratitude for our customers for being part of our family,” said Martin Mabutho, General Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria.

  • Multichoice profiles DJ Scratchmaster for tomorrow’s BBNaija party

    Multichoice profiles DJ Scratchmaster for tomorrow’s BBNaija party

    •As Falz helms Sunday’s live eviction show

    The one-hour Saturday party for the BBNaija housemates is one of the highlights of the show, and one that fans look forward to. Tomorrow, the remaining 12 housemates will dance to celebrate the exit of one or two of the five housemates that have been put up for possible eviction on Sunday. They include Bassey, Bisola, Gifty, Debbie-Rise and CocoIce.

    Despite the looming eviction, the party usually puts the housemates in high spirit, with so much to drink, while they dance to a collection of club bangers.

    Organisers of the show presents, for tomorrow’s party, Keron Hector, aka DJ Scratch Master, from Trinidad on the wheel of steel.

    A producer and sound technician who’s been making waves since he was a teenager back in 1990. Throughout his career he’s also earned quite a reputation for his cool, calm and collected demeanor which is in stark contrast to his electric sets and soul stirring remixes known far and wide.

    For the biggest moment of the week, being Sunday evening’s eviction, the man to look forward to is Falz The Bahd Guy.

    It is not clear if his singing partner, Simi, will accompany him on the show, but Falz will, as usual, bring to the live show, his comic rap songs to the delight of studio audience and viewers across 54 African countries.

    Going by some of the remarkable moments in the Big Brother Naija house after the exit of Soma and Miyonse, Kemen poured his heart out to Marvis telling her that he felt that Uriel really liked him but was afraid of falling in love with him. Marvis kept trying to get him to open up more by playing devil’s advocate. Little did he know that Uriel had told Biggie earlier that Kemen would be the last person on earth she would think of dating and that she would rather remain single. Thus, he might not be getting any Valentine’s Day gifts from Uriel.

    ThinTallTony was also in a heart to heart with Bisola about his childhood and his mother while Gifty got under the covers and answered Bally’s questions. Bally wanted to know if she had ever been unfaithful and she said “Only once.” She then went on to say that she didn’t like “weak men,” “You’re telling me no, I say yes” meaning that she wanted a man to fight for her.

    Will Uriel put Kemen out of his misery? Is Bally interested in Gifty or why would he ask her such leading questions? Indeed there are so many questions begging for answers. Tomorrow’s eviction will lighten up some of the grey areas.

  • BBNaija: Who goes home tonight

    BBNaija: Who goes home tonight

    …As Seyi Shay performs at live eviction show

    With the clock ticking towards the first real eviction of one or two Housemates in the ongoing Big Brother Naija reality show, scheduled to hold this evening, there have been some uneasy feelings among the Housemates.

    Last night’s party and its raunchy aftermath brought the contestants closer like never before, and some of them now wish they did not nominate the others for possible eviction.

    Although Port Harcourt boy and music enthusiast, Soma, has shown little emotions about his nomination, just as TBoss’ ‘loverboy’, Miyonse, would not say much to his colleagues about what he thinks his chances might be, two times Head of House (HoH) and funny character, Efe, gave some parting words after being tipsy from last night’s party, just in case he is shown the door in tonight’s eviction. Efe would want them to see themselves as celebrities already for making it to the BBN house out of the thousands that were auditioned for the show. He said he had come to bond with every housemate so much that he forgot they were all in a game to win the N25 million prize money.

    Meanwhile, when Biggie invited the trio to the Diary Room in separate chats, they were all optimistic that their fans would vote to keep them in the House.

    Igwe Efe was the first Housemate summoned by Biggie, and though he admitted that he was anxious about the possibilities of going home tonight, he was also somewhat confident that he was not going to be evicted tonight.

    Miyonse was called in next and he believes he had done enough to save himself from possible eviction tonight. He said he has been himself in the last two weeks and he felt that was enough to keep him in the House for atleast another week.

    Soma had almost the same answer for Biggie when asked if he felt confident about his chances of avoiding eviction tonight. He would like to believe he has done enough to guarantee him a stay of eviction, but also admitted that he was a bit apprehensive about his chances of staying on in the Big Brother House.

    Last night’s party which was powered by Legend Extra Stout, had DJ Waxxy treating the Housemates to a thrilling collection of old and new Nigerian songs. But that was more like a valedictory gig for whoever will be going home tonight.

    For fans of the show who will be glued to their televisions for the much anticipated eviction show this evening, Nigeria’s very own Sheyi Shay will be on stage to thrill the audience with an electrifying performance before the eviction process commences.

  • Kunle Afolayan, Multichoice in ‘threesome’

    Kunle Afolayan, Multichoice in ‘threesome’

     AFTER a swell outing with his pan-Africa film, ‘The CEO’, popular Nigerian filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, is back with a set of three films, sponsored by Multichoice Nigeria.

    The threesome; ‘Roti’, ‘Umogwo’ and ‘Tribunal’, will enjoy back-to-back filming that will fast-track their releases, beginning from the first quarter of the year.

    Originally planned as television releases, the ace filmmaker has secured the understanding of his sponsors for the films to explore the traditional channels of exhibitions safe for DVD; thus, the films will make debut with an April 2017 cinema release and enjoy some festival routings before berthing on Africa Magic channels.

    The three films are bringing to Kunle Afolayan’s repertoire of alumni of cast, A-listers such as Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Kate Henshaw, Nobert Young, Toyin Oshinaike, Fathia Balogun, Dari Afolayan,  Funsho Adeolu, Ade Laoye, Omowunmi Dada, Damilola Ogunsi, Ayo Adesanya, Yaw and Gloria Anozie Young, among others.

    In ‘Roti’ which stars Kunle Afolayan himself playing alongside Kate Henshaw, Toyin Oshinaike, Fathia Balogun and Dari Afolayan, the story is told of how, years after a couple loses their son called Roti to a brief illness, the wife sees a boy called Juwon who is an exact replica of her dead son. After discovering that Juwon is not a reincarnation of Roti, she is washed anew by grief and soon descends into depression and consequent hysteria.

    In ‘Tribunal’, “Jimi Disu, a man in his fifties, is one of the bright- minded lawyers who co-established a leading law firm in Lagos many years ago. However, he lost his sense of direction and strength after being hit by a series of personal challenges that question his resolve as a man. He becomes a ‘charge and bail’ lawyer with no further ambition. Approached by a young, enthusiastic, fresh law school graduate, Tanimowo (who adores him for the stature of his legendary pedigree as a lawyer), to defend her friend, an albino, who has been unfairly relieved of his duties at work. Jimi Disu is presented a chance to battle his old law firm. ‘Tribunal’ stars Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Funsho Adeolu, Nobert Young, Ade Laoye, and Damilola Ogunsi.

    The third flick which stars Ayo Adesanya, Yaw, Gloria Anozie Young and Omowunmi Dada is ‘Umogwo’, the story of Omotunde, a young Yoruba civil engineer, married to Raymond, an Igbo man. Coloured by different cultural backgrounds, drama ensues when Raymond’s mother, Chimanda, insists on performing Umogwo, an Igbo cultural practice by which the mother of one of the couples lives with the couple for a period of time to relieve the nursing mother of the pressures of convalescing and baby care.

    Omotunde’s mother, an egotistic, self-absorbed woman feels she has the right, as Chimanda, to be there for her daughter and granddaughter and receive as much praise as Chimanda. Both mothers-in-law move in with the couple and complicate their lives even further in this comic-filled drama.