by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice is aggressively pursuing a localised-regionalised content strategy - that Africa's largest pay-TV operator calls "hyper-local" - rushing new content streams into African countries and in languages that were previously deemed too expensive for the investment, pooling production in harder to penetrate places from Ethiopia to Mozambique.
Reacting to both the rise of global streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and others, as well as to the increasing loss and unavailability of premium international content that studios are keeping for their own services, MultiChoice is ramping up local content in local languages across Africa - hoping that DStv and GOtv subscribers will bite as they're weaned off of Hollywood offerings that will still be there but not as readily available as in the past.
Fhulu Badugela, MultiChoice Africa CEO, appeared as the second guest during Thursday afternoon's MultiChoice Content Showcase 2021 that the pay-TV operator held as a virtual presentation for media, where she spoke about MultiChoice Africa's plans and investments in local content across the continent.
Fhulu Badugela said that DStv and GOtv subscribers are responding to M-Net's new localised TV channels packaged for MultiChoice, and new localised format competition, reality, and dating shows, as well as telenovelas and comedies that are being produced in Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and in a growing number of African countries.
Up next is MultiChoice Africa's big Lusophone push as MultiChoice aggressively targets Mozambique with spin-off value for Angola as M-Net ramps up local production in Portuguese.
M-Net is moving aggressively into the Mozambique market and upping local content produced in Portuguese for DStv subscribers specifically in Mozambique and Angola.
In Mozambique, MultiChoice and M-Net will launch the new Maningue Magic channel on DStv channel number 503 on 17 January 2022.
The channel will have a local telenovela Maida, local lifestyle show, Txunado, local drama The Influencer, as well as Boss Station, a Mozambiquan original music show. Viewers can also expect to see a local version of Date My Family that besides South Africa also has a Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and other localised versions.
In Angola where Portuguese is also the official language, DStv subscribers will be getting weekly comedy shows as well as a dubbed telenovela with the launch of Kwenda Magic as a new channel on DStv on channel 502 that is also taking place on 17 January 2022.
"MultiChoice's hyper-local content strategy sees us continue to tell
stories that resonate with our customers, in their language and featuring
characters they identify with – and helping take proudly African stories to
global audiences," says the pay-TV company.
MultiChoice says that it is the biggest funder of local content in Africa
and produced 2 692 hours of local content in the last financial year – 41% more
than the year before – bringing its local content library to nearly 66 000
hours.
Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment and connected video, says that MultiChoice and M-Net are "home to over 42 local channels across the continent because it's
incumbent upon us to both cater for regional tastes and share familiar
stories".
MultiChoice says that its owned reality formats continue to grow with Our
Perfect Wedding that is rating number one in 90% of the territories in which it is
broadcast and spawning more and more localised versions – most recently Gojwachin
in Ethiopia.
A Ghanaian version of Date My Family will make its debut in December 2021.
Nigeria's Tinsel – Africa's longest-running soapie – retains its number one position in its
timeslot and now runs over 3 100 episodes.
The telenovela The River is the top-performing show in its timeslot in South
Africa and Nigeria among DStv Compact households and is dubbed for Nigeria and has been adapted as
Kina in Kenya.
Then there are other drama series like The Unmarried that has reached over 2
million viewers across South Africa, Nigeria and Zambia, Lockdown and Die
Byl that has been multi-season top performers on linear and VOD platforms. Nqobile reaches over 1.5 million viewers in South Africa.
MultiChoice says that Riona remains the
most-watched drama among top segment audiences in Nigeria, Pazia has
captured almost a third of the Tanzanian market, with Ubuntu and other
dramas in its timeslot routinely reaching over a quarter of the combined Zambian
DStv and GOtv market.
East Africa
MultiChoice says that the Maisha Bongo channel in 2022 will have new shows including Sinia
- a drama about two wealthy families and the secrets and lies that are hidden
beneath the glitz and glamour.
Danga revolves around the street-smart conmen Pipi,
Angel and Mo who will stop at nothing to deceive the richest man in town, Mark. In La Familia, after 4 decades of prosperity "Mr
& Mrs Ibrahim must pay a heavy price".
On Maisha Magic Plus, Tuko Talks sees Lynn Ngugi engage people
from all walks of life in raw and tell-all conversations about their past, pain
and joy.
In Kenya but available across Africa, the Showmax Original crime procedural Crime and Justice will be back for a second season in 2022 with detectives Silas and Makena solving cases in the streets of Nairobi.
The Pearl Magic Prime channel will debut Chapterz, a new drama series that exposes a seemingly perfect family's hidden skeletons.
On Zambezi Magic, Wanilata
is a reality dating show in which singletons get the chance to connect with
their crush. Every episode sees the contestants go on a date, with the final
question being: "Do you love me?"
Our Perfect Wedding Zambia returns to ONEZED, as does Ubuntu, in
which Chief Mukango promises his cousin Tachimba that he will succeed him as
chief of Ubuntu when he dies. Things take an unexpected turn when a sickly and
dying Chief Mukango names his daughter, Thandiwena, heir to the throne instead.
On Abol TV, Adey is a riveting dram series that shows the
multiple facades of life behind the backdrop of 2 separate families that are
somehow connected with a 17-year-old girl.
In Zuret, a criminal
organisation is running an operation to smuggle millions of dollars out of the
country. A secret agent infiltrates the group to capture the ringleader,
however, the secret agent discovers that the love of his life, who he hasn’t
seen in years, is engaged to one of the criminals.
MultiChoice also launched the Maisha Magic Poa channel on DStv channel 144 on 1 October this year.
"Maisha Magic Poa is a game changer in the Tanzanian television and
entertainment landscape whilst the new bouquet remains a testimony to
MultiChoice's dedication to provide Tanzania with quality and affordable
entertainment," says Fhulufhelo Badugela.
West Africa
On the Akwaaba Magic channel in Ghana, Dede is a naive rural teenager who is
deceived by her stepmother to leave her family and life behind in order to work
as a domestic helper in the home of Robertsons, a complicated wealthy family,
where she falls for the youngest son, whilst struggling to achieve her
dreams.
Inside Out’s Soraya cuts short her national service to fight for
justice for her mother, framed for a murder committed by Maafio, a rich and
powerful woman.
The latest localised version Date My
Family Ghana is coming to Ghana as a reality dating show and the 7th season of Big Brother Naija now has a June 2022 starting date on M-Net's Africa Magic channels on DStv that will once again see a group of isolated housemates do a series of tasks as they compete for a cash prize.
Date My Family Nigeria arrives
in January 2022 while the 7th season of Idols Nigeria will kick off in February 2022.
Judging Matters
helps to address legal issues from a small claims court, in partnership with
the Lagos state ministry of Justice, hosted by Justice Olushola Williams and
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.
Shoot Your Shot returns for a 2nd season with Bisola Aiyeola as the presenter, helping people to set the right mood for
an introduction to someone they have been crushing on. Love Come Back
also returns, with host Ibrahim Sulaiman helping one man or woman in their
quest to get another chance at love with an ex.
On the Honey channel Pastor's Wives will have a second season in 2022.
