The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PAY-TV

  • New pay TV banks on low-end market for growth

    The windows of opportunity in the Pay TV market have continued to attract new brides despite that it operates on an imperfect competition mode.

    With StarTimes, Consat, Montage making  efforts to slice the share of the market from a dominant pay TV brand, a new entrant, Actv has unveiled new strategic move to attract the low-end market whose population according to the brand handlers is a good bargain for growth.

    However, with the growing market size luring players into the industry, content creation appears and quality audio-visual experience that comes with a pocket-friendly subscription fee has become an innovative approach to get greater market share.

    Also, against a general perception that a Pay TV market without sports content such as European Football live matches would lose its ground, an indication has emerged that only a small population-mostly men- in the market TV market  watch pay TV. Experts believe a larger proportion of the pay TV consumers are women and children whose interest lie in entertainment and other TV contents.

    As a result, the new entrant, Actv is banking on this notion to position its brand as an indigenous Direct To Home (DTH) cable television service provider with a moderate subscription cost enhanced consumer TV experience, providing an easy access to high definition channels ACTV-6000 HD decoder which is offered as an exclusive offer by some other Pay TV brands.

    Launched last year, the station is carving a rapidly growing share of the Nigerian cable television market with its affordable world-class TV bouquets that address the needs and expectations of many customers in Nigeria. The company said it is concerned about what it considered the high fee charge rate in the industry and is already offering Nigerians some contents in low prices compared to competition.

    The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer ACTV, Godfrey Orkeh, said during the launch of the brand last year: “With the launch of ACTV, we are saying to Nigeria that we are committed to ensuring that we provide value to everyone and we keep delivering value now and in the future.”

    The brand handlers said the ACTV-6000 HD decoder is undoubtedly a customer’s delight with its exceptional video clarity, enhanced sound quality, TV programme guide, recording, picture browsing and pause-TV features.

    The Director of Content, Jide Laurence, told The Nation that ACTV is primed to give Nigerians the opportunity to choose their television experience with its unique offerings. “Their advanced HD decoder that easily fits into one’s pocket and is highly portable is one of the decoder features many customers have been going out for”.

    He said that is why the pay TV is creating its own content to suit the taste of the Nigerian subscribers across ethnic barriers. “The company is also blazing a trail as the first truly Nigerian cable television service provider offering unique indigenous content. It delivers OJI, the first ever Igbo channel, ‘AREA!’ the first-ever Pidgin English Channel and ‘GATTV’ the first-ever Nigerian gospel music programme. It also offers ‘IBILE’ the Yoruba movie and entertainment  channel, ‘RANA’ the Hausa channel showcasing the best of kannywood and ‘e nolly’ representing Nollywood movies, series and  entertainment with lots of Nigerian content already being produced for the delight of its customers,” he said.

    To target the low-end market, he said, ACTV offers four bouquets with over 56 local and international channels for a paltry  “N1,999 subscription fee, customers enjoy its  world-class content available through the ACTV Prime bouquet with 18+ channels, ACTV Family bouquet with 24+ channels for N2,499, ACTV Family Max bouquet with 36+ channels for N3,299 and ACTV Premium bouquet with over 56+ channels for N4,999 monthly.  Furthermore, the company is currently running a promo that gives customers free subscription for three months when they buy its decoder and dish for just N10,000.”

    ACTV offers over 45 international TV channels providing news, movies, general entertainment, children, sports, religion, lifestyle content genres to mention, but a few. The ACTV channel lineup includes BBC World, Sky News, Aljazeera, France 24, Russia Today, Fox News, FOX Business News, VH1, MTV Base, BET, FOX Movies, B4U Movies, FOX Sports 1 & 2, Nickelodeon, Baby TV, NatGeo Gold, Investigation Discovery, Fine Living Network and many more.

    Since it was launched last year, Laurence said the market is already responding positively and strongly to the ACTV offerings as shown by its growing subscriptions record which he refused to disclose as a result of competition.

  • Pay-TV: The lies being told about pay-as-you-watch

    Pay-TV: The lies being told about pay-as-you-watch

    Everybody wants a bargain. The desire for bargains is part of our make-up as human beings. It is exactly what informed the strident calls for the institution of a pay-as-watch (PAYW) TV model in the country. The call, which hasn’t yielded the desired result, I understand, is encouraged by the use of the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model in the telecommunications sector. The telecoms sector also adopted the per-second billing system after an initial reluctance, a development that gives pay-TV subscribers the belief that a harder push for what they want could deliver the kind of thing they got from telecoms companies.

    Most pay-TV subscribers are running with the conviction that a pay-as-you-watch model will free them from monthly contracts and introduce greater flexibility in how they watch television. That conviction is fuelled by purely invented suggestions the model is already in operation in South Africa.

    Well, there is no such thing as pay-as-you-watch TV in South Africa. The internet can help clear this up if doubts still remain. What exists is the monthly contract model like we have in Nigeria and other countries of the world.

    Pay-as-you-watch, I have observed, is used, almost always, interchangeably with pay-per-view (PPV). They are not the same and cannot be the same.

    PPV, which operates via telephone, the internet or direct interface with a real life customer service person, allows a subscriber to watch some special live events, usually of the high-ticket variety in sports and entertainment, by paying for such events. This is in addition to paying a regular subscription. One is not a substitute for the other.

    What this means is that if pay-per-view was available in Nigeria, a subscriber would need to pay his/her monthly subscription to a pay-TV provider and then pay an additional sum-usually considerably bigger -to watch a high-ticket event like the Floyd Mayweather  vs Manny Pacquaio fight for which boxing fans in the US paid $100 on top of their regular subscription. That is $100 for a two-hour fight.

    Back home, those who watched the fight on DStv’s SuperSport channel did so at no extra cost. I shudder to think of what the cost would be if we had pay-per-view in Nigeria. Like pay-as-you-watch, pay-per-view also does not exist in South Africa, contrary to popular belief.

    Many continue to ask why we not have a pay-as-you-go model for pay-TV as we have in telecommunications, where subscribers pay for what they use. It is a question worth asking, but it one that ignores the fundamental difference between telecoms and pay-TV industries. Telecoms service providers, we forget, do not buy content like pay-TV providers. Telcos are not in the business of providing family entertainment and do not buy television content. What they buy is spectrum, for which they make a one-off payment.

    We all know that television companies have to buy content except if they want to fold up. In actuality, they have to keep on buying the type of content that will make their subscribers keep paying. TV content is not bought on one-off basis. Pay-TV providers are thus condemned to dealing with upward reviews in cost when they seek to renew contracts for content.

    This shows that the pay-as-you-go model in telecoms is a wrong fit the pay-TV industry.  Pay-TV companies are, more or less, agents or vendors.  Often, they are not the owners of the content they broadcast. Content is bought and content owners do not sell to vendors on pay-as-you-watch basis, a state of affairs that makes it a contractual infraction for a pay-TV provider to do otherwise.

    Pay-as-you-watch model, if ever adopted, has the potential of hindering rather than helping the subscriber because of its prohibitive cost. We pay about N2,000 to watch a movie at a cinema. That is just one movie.

    What that means is that if a pay-TV provider charges the same sum for a movie, the cost of access to the movie is not likely to be bearable. We also must remember that when we pay to watch a movie at the cinema, we do not get a refund if, after 35 minutes, we do not find it exciting.

    It is the same for pay-TV companies, which also cannot go back to companies from which they buy content to demand a refund on the basis that subscribers find their content boring. Content purchase is done by contracts.

    The technology used in pay-TV broadcast transmits signals in just one direction: to the decoder. It is called downlink. It does not send back to the pay-TV provider. This makes it impossible for the provider to know whether or not a subscriber is watching or what he/she is watching. What the provider is able to do is to prevent the smart card from accessing signal when subscription has expired.

    Pay-as-you-watch, contrary to popular belief, is not the wallet-friendly model we assume. Something close to it operates in the United Kingdom.

    For instance, Now TV, owned by BSkyB makes available seven Sky Sports channels sports channels as well as some entertainment and movie channels on smartphones, games consoles, tablets and similar devices.

    A subscriber does not need to have subscribed to Sky to have access to the service, which is exclusively internet-based.

    Subscription, which is daily or weekly, depends on the package. The entertainment package costs £6.99 (N2,380) daily, while the movie package costs £9.99 (N3,400) daily. The sports package costs £6.99 (N2,380) daily and  £10.99 (N3,740) weekly.

    We must consider the cost of data. In Nigeria, television and broadband do not come in the same package. We also know how smooth or otherwise internet connectivity can be in our country. Whatever we think, we have to be reminded that we cannot ask for a refund from the Internet Service Provider in the event of poor service. Neither can you demand refund from the TV company when you find the content not to your taste.

    •Adeogun, a lecturer, writes from Calabar

  • Pay TV: NCC to tackle viewing centres

    THE Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) is  planning to curb the rising level of commercial piracy of Pay TV channels.

    This followed a complaint from MultiChoice, that there is need for an audit of the copyright compliance level of 10 commercial viewing centres in Surulere, Lagos State.

    During a compliance inspection  by NCC to verify the complaint, its Assistant Director, Prosecutions, Mrs. Lynda Alphaeus, who represented the commission’s director-general said the aim of the  exercise was to sensitise business outfits, such as hotels, pubs, restaurants utilising Pay TV services on the need to comply with the copyright laws regulating their operations and regularise their TV licence.

    Alphaeus expressed dissatisfaction that 90 per cent of commercial viewing centres in Surulere were yet to comply with the authorised DStv commercial bouquet for viewing centres.

    She said the NCC would not relent in ensuring that  a greater percentage of viewing centre owners convert to commercial bouquets accepted for commercial viewing.

    According to Mrs Alphaeus, copyright laws outlines cable piracy, re-broadcasting Piracy, Commercial Piracy, and Circumvention Piracy as acts of piracy.

    “The visual inspection was to check on the level of compliance of the DStv commercial licence at viewing centres in Lawanson, Surulere environs,” she added.

    Meanwhile, NCC raided locations in Abuja and Benin for illegal distribution of DStv signal. It also raided 14 hotels in Lagos for commercial piracy and the hotel owners have responded positively by complying with the commercial bouquet option.

  • CONSAT Pay-TV joins race

    CONSAT Pay-TV joins race

    • To provide over 10 free channels for subscribers

    To deepen the competition in the pay-TV market through cutting-edge content offering and better experience, a Nigerian-grown and owned business, Continental Satellite Limited, has unveiled a pay-TV brand, CONSAT. The market  has Dstv, StarTimes, Daarsat as players.

    But the Chief Executive Officer, Continental Satellite Limited, Mr. Mayokun Okunola, while unveiling the CONSAT at a media parley in Lagos on Tuesday, said CONSAT was coming into the country to herald true pay-TV experience as countries migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting next year.

    “Continental Satellite Limited, established in 2012, is a privately owned digital satellite television company with its headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. The company launches the newest entrant into the pay-tv satellite service market in Nigeria under the brand name, CONSAT. As one of the most important entrants into the pay-TV market in Africa, CONSAT offers an affordable price and high quality channels for the rapidly growing, choice conscious African family homes. CONSAT aims to be the platform of choice by providing over 10 free channels for local and international content enabling customers to stay informed and be entertained,” says Okunola.

    CONSAT offers MPEG4 digital compression technology broadcasting of over 50 channels with a view to reach over 100 channels in 2015. It also offers over 10 quality channels to the viewer’s even if their subscription lapses.

    Okunola affirmed that the company is focused on ensuring the growth of the Nigerian entertainment industry by delivering the best in Nigerian culture, music, entertainment and lifestyle to a worldwide audience.

    “We have invested in a telenovela channel through a third-party partner for the women who love novela entertainment. Our channels also include international news channels, home grown entertainment, State TV channels, and terrestrial channels,” he explained.

    He said pay-TV will offer the middle-income, choice-conscious Nigeria family a new option that respect their desire for better content, quality pictures and true pay-TV experience.

    To ensure that Nigeria’s pay-TV subscribers enjoy value for their money, Okunola noted that content is key. “Content is key to this industry. Our investment cannot be fully maximised if new providers are not able to air compelling and relevant content. It would be an unfair start. There is a prevalence of exclusivity that is steering this industry in the wrong direction.  These issues need to be discussed by the stakeholders; regulators and other content providers in the industry so that we can find an amicable solution. We need a fair start.”

    CONSAT subscription price of N4000 is very competitive such that entertainment-loving Nigerian families can have access to it.

    CONSAT provides Direct To Home (DTH) digital multi-channel television services to subscribers with access to multiple programming that transmits directly to subscribers’ homes or businesses via high-powered satellites.

    CONSAT channels include News, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports, Movies, Music, Kids, Religion and indigenous channels.  The platform is home to some of the world’s most popular brands, including SKY News, FOX, Nickelodeon, MTV and Extreme Sports.

    CONSAT will introduce new channel brands into the market that showcase the favorite programmes that viewers want to watch. The platform also plans to build and offer CONSAT branded channels with yet to be revealed unique proposition and world-class content.

    “Nigerian’s have come to expect diversity in terms of what they watch and listen to. We are a nation that attracts the attention of people around the world; content providers like us are expected to provide the best in information and entertainment content that showcases why Nigeria is so important to the world. CONSAT will definitely resonate with viewers, especially working professionals seeking international exposure,” he said.

    CONSAT management team brings forth a vast wealth of experience from the telecommunications and broadcasting industry that is invaluable to satellite services business.

  • MultiChoice anniversary promo continues with more rewards

    MultiChoice anniversary promo continues with more rewards

    PAY-TV service provider, Multichoice, has unveiled the names of the second set of winners of various prizes in the on-going MultiChoice Nigeria 20th anniversary promo. The second draws were held at the SuperSport Studio, Billings Way, Oregun, Lagos, on Thursday, October 24.

    In the latest draws, Port-Harcourt-based Nduka Obiajulu won a return ticket for a couple to the National Basketball Association (NBA) games in the United States of America while the duo of Gbenga Olumilua and Pastor Wale Ogunsola each won return tickets for a couple to witness Wimbledon Tennis games live in 2014. Nnaemeka Ejike won a cash prize of N200, 000. The winners were at the MultiChoice Nigeria office to receive their prizes

    Marketing Manager, DStv, Chioma Afe, at the official presentation of prizes to the winners, which held at the MultiChoice head office in Lagos on Wednesday, October 30, expressed MultiChoice’s joy at rewarding more Nigerians who have contributed to the success of the brand through their loyalty over the years.

    “For 20 years, MultiChoice, through its DStv platform and recently GOtv, has been an entertaining brand. The brand has evolved over time and now caters to the need of every family member no matter their size, interest and economic spectrum.”

    The MultiChoice Nigeria 20th anniversary promo is expected to produce 10 couple winners of return tickets to five iconic events and holiday destinations, which include: Grammy Awards, Wimbledon Tennis games, NBA Basketball games, Formula 1 competition, and a weekend get-away at Sun City, South Africa. Other prizes include: twenty GOtv systems; one year GOtv, plus subscription for 20 subscribers; N200, 000 for 20 winners, and 20 Walka 7 handheld devices to lucky winners.