The value-offering and unique selling proposition of the pay-TV offering which On Digital Media (ODM) provides through it's TopTV service in South Africa has now been diluted to the point where TopTV no longer has anything left for which isn't already on rival MultiChoice's DStv and for which a pay-TV subscriber must get TopTV - except one last, lone channel.
South African viewers who wanted to watch high-buzz, high-profile TV shows such as The Walking Dead, Falling Skies, Camelot and others had to get a TopTV decoder. Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) supplies FOX, FX and Fox Retro to ODM's TopTV - not exclusively - although TopTV had these channels exclusively since TopTV launched almost three years ago in May 2010.
With the new carriage agreement between FIC Africa and MultiChoice, FOX will start as a new TV channel on DStv on channel 125 on 9 April and in high definition (HD).
FIC Africa is also moving dramas which used to debut on FX to FOX, with FOX which is being repurposed as the main flagship channel of all hot and new TV content and the big-buzz dramas such as the upcoming Da Vinci's Demons.
With FOX's dual availability on both DStv and TopTV, it chips away further at the must-have uniqueness TopTV had at launch - the value-offering which would have made a South African pay-TV subscriber decided to get and stay subscribed to TopTV because of content that wasn't available elsewhere or on DStv as a competitor.
Since TopTV launched, TopTV lost Current, Star!, Showtime, Silver and MUTV to mention just a few, and Discovery Networks International has also signed a carriage agreement with MultiChoice to make TLC and ID: Investigation Discovery which was only on TopTV also available on DStv - similar to what has now happened with FOX.
What it means is that basically all of TopTV's unique attractiveness - channels only it had - has now evaporated. It's unique value proposition - what marketers call "UVP" - when it comes to TopTV's collapsed ecosystem of TV channels, is basically all but gone.
Out of the 3 Discovery channels on TopTV, two - TLC and ID: Investigation Discovery is also available on DStv - since they were added by Discovery Networks CEEMEA in October 2011. That was a huge blow for TopTV in terms of content, channel and competitiveness dilution.
The last and only remaining great TV channel which only TopTV has and which hasn't been taken by DStv is Discovery Science (TopTV 302). The high quality and interesting channel from Discovery which focuses on more scientific and scientifically-curious subjects, topics and shows, can only be seen in South Africa on TopTV.
With high-quality programming (because Discovery Networks International programmes it and is the largest content generator of all the remaining channel suppliers on TopTV) Discovery Science - out of the TopTV-only TV channels left on TopTV's existing channel line-up such as Natura, FuelTV and ASTV - is the last "must-get" reason to get TopTV.
With TLC and ID: Investigation Discovery available on both platforms and Fox's very strong and "exclusive" suit of channels which was a compelling incentive (and a "saving grace" of sorts of new and high standard content for TopTV) now aviailable on both South African satellite pay-TV platforms, it leaves only Discovery Science.
If you want to watch Discovery Science, you would need to be a TopTV subscriber to see exceptionally well-done and interesting documentaries such as a compelling virtual recreation in real-time of the magnificent inner nuclear fusion reaction of the sun.
