After e.tv announced the launch of e.Mobile yesterday, the broadcaster's entry into South Africa's first true mobile television broadcasting environment, I've asked e.tv more about e.Mobile.
I'm first with answers as to why e.tv as a TV channel won't be immediately available on the e.Mobile cellphone service (but the eNews Channel will be), how e.tv sees the growth and potential of DVB-H broadcasting in South Africa, what it means for the eNews Channel to now be available on cellphones as well, how e.tv managed to get e.Mobile up and running so quickly since having been granted a license by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and what some of the specific targets are that e.Mobile want to attain with this broadcasting service.
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Why will e.tv as a TV channel not be available immediately? What's preventing e.tv from being available when the service launches, or why is it being held back for now?
Vasili Vass, e.tv spokesperson: Not all content appearing on e is cleared for mobile TV. The programming department is in negotiation with suppliers to clear these rights and once this has been completed, e.tv will be broadcast on the e.Mobile platform.
How does e.tv see this new extention and widening of e.tv’s broadcasting reach?
The broadcast industry has become increasingly competitive, partly due to great technological advances. As a result of this, the way viewers consume television is changing. As the largest English medium broadcaster in South Africa and the most watched news channel on the DStv bouquet [eNews Channel] it is essential for us as a broadcast group to adapt with these changes.
Viewers want to consume media when and where they find it easiest, and mobile TV is one of the platforms that we can use to provide our services, anywhere and at any time.
With the eNews Channel being available now on cellphones, what does it mean for e.tv to now have its 24 hour SA news channel also available in this way?
e.Mobile provides the eNews Channel with another platform to provide viewers with the latest news on the go, further entrenching eNews as the first choice for news among South African viewers.
How has e.tv managed to get e.Mobile operational and commercially operational so quickly? What has been happening behind the scenes for obviously a long time?
Since being granted a mobile TV license a multi-disciplinary team has been strategising and planning to ensure that we are able to provide our viewers with a free-to-air mobile service of high quality and standard.
Given that 40% of the frequency spectrum allocated to mobile broadcasting was licensed to e.tv and 60% to Multichoice (60%), we have also worked closely with DStv Mobile to get the platform up and running.
Does e.Mobile have any specific targets in any tangible measurement way? What is the specific vision for e.Mobile to grow into and to become?
Given that this is a new platform in South Africa, the content available on cell phones will determine its take up. It is e.Mobile’s intention to provide good quality content which will encourage viewers to watch TV on their cellphones when they are unable to do so at home.
As always our content is determined by what our viewers want to watch and continuous research into this. With ''content as king'' it is eMobile's intention to provide viewers with variety as well by increasing the number of channels on the mobile service.
