by Thinus Ferreira
Canal+ and MultiChoice LicenceCo. will relaunch its restructured DStv packages in the rest of Africa in November, two months after it implemented its DStv bouquet changes in South Africa on 17 September.
While DStv Premium will stay as Canal+ and MultiChoice's most expensive and top-end bouquet, the pay-TV service will rejig and introduce DStv Starter, DStv Select, DStv Sports, and DStv Movies & Series, for a total of 5 packages.
The South African market already has this since 17 September.
Kemi Omotosho, Canal+'s MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, on Thursday evening told ad buyers and ad execs in Lagos, Nigeria, that "Nigeria is changing, and so are we".
She told attendees at The Royal Box in Victoria Island that Canal+ and MultiChoice will launch the DStv packages across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, including the West African nation, from November.
Kemi Omotosho said the four new DStv packages is part of a drastic simplification of DStv's offering to try and offer more flexibility, greater choice and more value at specific price points to existing and potential DStv customers.
"Our focus is on reaching more households, delivering compelling content and creating greater value for subscribers and commercial partners," she said.
In East Africa, what used to traditionally be MultiChoice Africa's third-biggest market but saw massive subscriber declines the past few years, MultiChoice Kenya also announced and confirmed that the structural DStv package changes will come into effect from November.
In a message sent to existing DStv subscribers, MultiChoice Kenya said "We're excited to share that we will be refreshing our DStv package offerings in November".
"The new package lineup will be introduced in phases across the continent, giving you an even easier way to navigate your DStv options and choose what works for you."
Teaser in-house DStv adds also started running in countries ranging from Zimbabwe and Botswana to Malawi, Tanzania and other markets.
Earlier this year, after Canal+'s takeover of MultiChoice, David Mignot, Canal+ Africa CEO, said that radical simplification of DStv's packages and decoder offering is on the way.
David Mignot said MultiChoice had too many price points and packages for Africa.
"In MultiChoice markets we have DStv for DTH [direct-to-home], GOtv for DTT, Showmax and DStv streaming in OTT [over-the-top], and there are also a wide mix of premium channel brands and local channel brands."
"We know from our experience at Canal+ in Europe and Africa that this isn't what consumers want. They want simplicity. They want value for money, and that's exactly what we are going to give them".
"Rationalising our brand portfolio is another thing we can do to improve our position in Africa and make better use of our marketing investment," he said.
