Addition of Studio Universal to DStv in 47 countries across the continent another sign of the growing importance of Africa's pay TV market.

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Universal Networks International that just launched the new Studio Universal (DStv 119) movie channel on MultiChoice's DStv pay platform in Africa, regards the continent as a very important territory and sees the continent as a perfect market to launch a new studio movie channel. MultiChoice says international suppliers are increasingly seeing Africa as a key focus and the continent very important to them when it comes to pay TV growth.

Universal Networks International just launched Studio Universal in South Africa and 46 other African countries, making the African continent only the 3rd territory after South America and Italy in Europe where this studio movie channel is rolled out.

''It's hard to find markets where we can with confidence launch this channel and make sure that we do a good job,'' says Universal Networks International's Colin McLeod, managing director for emerging markets for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. ''You have to work your way into the complex windowing of studio product and understand how to be good at adding relevancy with that product. And it takes time to expand and to work your way through the studios.''

''You're looking for robust, special partners to work with,'' Colin McLeod said, talking about MultiChoice as a pay TV platform partner. ''It's not a small investment we're making with Studio Universal. We need to know that it's a partnership; we need to know there will be a demand. For the product that we've developed this [Africa] is one of the markets where we felt it's right; we can make this big investment and get the studios to work with us.''

''So we have a new structure where NBCUniversal falls under Comcast. Comcast has an incredible interest in international markets,'' said Colin McLeod. ''They are focusing on key territories globally and Africa is without a doubt in the top ten territories.''

''There's been a huge change and growth in terms of what we as a pay TV platform experienced,'' says Aletta Alberts, general manager of content for MultiChoice, speaking about how the international interest from global content providers, distributors, suppliers and multinational companies have changed and how their perceived importance of Africa's TV market and pay TV industry has dramatically increased the past few years.

''Where previously Africa was like, an afterthought - thought of as an important market but maybe too small to actually play in - that is shifting as the world economy is changing,'' says Aletta Alberts. ''As BRIC countries - with Africa and South Africa next to them - are becoming more important, we find that more and more of the international suppliers see Africa and this continent as a key, key focus for them.''

''They want to see the kind of growth that they saw in Eastern Europe, with Russia, because they know it can be done here. Really great news for us, because it helps when the supplier already has plans to come here and want to invest in Africa.''

''Years ago my colleagues tell me they would go to meetings; beg people 'Please can we have it?', trying to explain a multichannel environment to them. Because I don't know if you're aware of that but MultiChoice was the first multichannel pay TV platform to launch after North America, before Europe or any of those launched, so it was a new world for everybody. So from international distributors, more and more interest in the African continent,'' says Aletta Alberts.


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