by Thinus Ferreira
A brand-new South African magazine, Stream On! is now available on shopping shelves, aiming to bring TV guidance and insight about video streaming to consumers who are being flooded by a profusion of content choices.
Stream On!, published by Media24 and also on the shelf with a differentiated Afrikaans edition called Stroom Saam!, retails for R95 and is from the same editorial team publishing the tvplus magazine.
"Stream On! is a first-of-its-kind publication in South Africa focusing on everything about streaming, from the technical side to your What to Watch guide," Lucia Poolman, editor of Stream On!/Stroom Saam! and who is also the editor of tvplus, told TVwithThinus.
The new magazine covers various topics and subjects, ranging from how to stream on your TV, what you need if you can't find a certain app/platform on your TV, how the more than 20 legal streaming platforms available in South Africa compare, tips and tricks for getting any streaming service you're subscribed to to give better recommendations for shows, how to make the most of free subscription trials and how to cancel.
Stream On! has behind-the-scenes information and interviews with local and international productions like Blood Psalms and Andor, a What to Watch by genre from just-released local and international series to upcoming shows all the way til January 2023, what the Top 10 shows are, what to watch on which platform, from all-time Top 10's to Golden Oldies, local hits and 10 shows to binge-watch immediately.
About where the idea to publish Steam On! came from, Lucia Poolman says "Working in TV, the question we get asked most is, 'What should I watch?' There isn't one magazine or platform except for a few pages in tvplus where you can see what is available now on all the streaming platforms in the country".
"Streaming has become a part of our daily lives, but there hasn't been an all-in-one-stop, until now. With time becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, we help you decide what to watch and when. There are so many shows out there, it's easy to scroll for minutes and eventually give up on finding something because nothing fits your mood. We show you how you plan ahead to combat that".
"On the more technical side, so many
people give up on trying to stream for example something like BritBox,
because their TV doesn't have the app – something you can easily fix by getting
a MI Box. And we explain what it is, of course, and why you may benefit from
having one," she says.
"We also compare all the prices of the
different platforms and tell you which platform is currently the best to use
for certain shows. We even tell you where you can find
sport."
According to Lucia, Stream On! was a huge team effort from a range of
people and writers. "We brought in writers with a technical background to handle
our TV compatibility and streaming platform comparisons. Of course, some of the
tvplus writers and subs had a hand in it, too.
And for look and feel, I have to single out Sally Cronje, who
was our fantastic designer".
"It's R95,
which gives you 100 solid pages of content – no ads so you get value for money.
And it's packed to the brim with streaming tips, did-you-knows and other useful
information to enhance your viewing experience."
Lucia Poolman says the majority of space is dedicated to a what-to-view-guide, which is divided in different sections.
"Feeling like a true
crime doccie? We've got the Ripped From The Headlines section. Want to see all
the talent shows? We cover all of those over all the platforms. And we also
recommend the movies you should put on your watch-list.
We went out of our way to find gems on the different platforms so that you
don’t have to spend your valuable time looking for that one show that will grab
you."
Stream On! worked with all the big-name streaming services and publicists to share current and upcoming content as far in advance as possible.
"From Showmax and
BritBox, to eVOD, VIU, Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+, most of the big names
platforms shared what they could, even though some of the international
platforms had to work with fairly strict embargos on sharing day-and-date
information about upcoming releases."
"It's a great magazine to have handy next
to your bed or in the lounge. No more losing your place if you have a technical
issue to sort out, just page back to our
section. And keep the mag handy for the shows you downloaded during
loadshedding if you want to know more."
She says Stream On! "takes the guesswork out of binge-night -
you can just pick it up and find something to watch".
