MultiChoice Nigeria doing season 9 of Big Brother Naija from 28 July with housemates competing in pairs as M-Net cuts prize money to N100 million.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net are bringing back Big Brother Naija for a 9th season from 28 July in which contestants called housemates will enter in pairs but MultiChoice Nigeria is reducing the prize money which will go to one winner from N120 million to N100 million (R1.1 million).

Season 9 of Big Brother Naija will run on MultiChoice's DStv for 71 days from 28 July until 6 October and have its debut on all MultiChoice's Africa Magic channels on DStv, after Nigerians had to audition in pairs.

Although housemates will enter Big Brother Naija in pairs, only one person will eventually be the winner. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu will return as the Big Brother Naija host.

The N100 million is N20 million (R223 000) less than the N120 million (R1.3 million) prize money for Big Brother Naija's 8th season in 2023 and with the plunging foreign currency value and rampant inflation in Nigeria, the N100 million is also worth much less than what N100 million could buy just a year ago in the West African country. 

Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice's head of content and West Africa channels, on Tuesday spoke at a media conference in Lagos, Nigeria where she said "The challenging aspect of the show will be that the housemates will be going into the house in pairs and doing some of the house challenges in pairs".

"Everyone curious about the theme should watch out for the premiere on Sunday 28 July. The show holds lots of fun, vibes, emotion, drama, dynamics, and intriguing twists. This innovative format promises to deliver fresh dynamics and unforgettable entertainment."

"We will not be having the head of the house challenge as usual, there will be lots of twists from Big Brother. The pool party and the Saturday night party will be held and the show will air 24 hours."

"After 71 days of game playing, on 6 October a grand total of N100 million worth of cash and a brand new SUV will be won. Our grand prize this year is worth N100 million."

Busola Tejumola failed to explain why MultiChoice Africa reduced the Big Brother Naija prize money amount which is also worth less in buying power this year.

While Big Brother Naija will be broadcast and again be seen on DStv across Africa with an audience wider than just Nigeria, MultiChoice Nigeria didn't bother to alert media elsewhere in Africa and failed to send out any press release or communication on Tuesday to the press in other countries besides Nigeria.

MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax will once again do The Buzz as an additional content add-on with Toke Makinwa who is set to return as the host of this recap show that will talk about highlights from the reality show.

MultiChoice Nigeria announced a reunion episode for the 8th season of Big Brother Naija that was set for 24 June but MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net unexpectedly cancelled it and refused to provide any reason.

Big Brother Naija already secured for a 9th season in 2024 as part of MultiChoice and M-Net's 2-season renewal with Banijay Rights.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice has picked up Big Brother Naija for two seasons, meaning that the Nigerian version shown across sub-Saharan Africa on DStv and its streaming service Showmax has essentially already been "renewed" for a 9th season in 2024.

The 8th season of Big Brother Nigeria, entitled Big Brother Naija: All Stars started on Sunday night on DStv and Showmax but before its debut, MultiChoice and M-Net have already signed for this 8th season as part of a two-season rights pick-up from Banijay Rights. 

Big Brother Naija: All Stars is produced by Red Pepper Pictures.

MultiChoice and M-Net's two-season pick-up marks their first two-season acquisition of the Big Brother format, meaning that another season which will be Big Brother Naija's 9th season, will definitely be happening in 2024. 

"Big Brother has earned the right to be called the most-watched, and followed, show across Africa," says Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, in a statement. 

"For us at MultiChoice, it aligns with our commitment to delight and entertain our viewers across the continent. This two-year partnership with Banijay ensures continuity and an uninterrupted delivery of Big Brother, which fans and our viewers are always eager to tune in to watch." 

Robin Pollok, vice president of sales for the Africa, Middle East, Greece & Israel region at Banijay Rights, says "After the recent finale of Big Brother: Titans, which notably featured contestants from both South Africa and Nigeria, this follows on as a fantastic double pick-up from M-Net". 

"Big Brother is a show that's consistently generated incredible ratings and entertainment value and we're delighted to be working once again with our Nigerian broadcast and production partners."

To date, Big Brother has had 66 adaptations, broadcast across 72 countries, with over 520 seasons and 35 000 episodes. Last year there were 33 versions of Big Brother done, shown across 26 markets. 

Big Brother Naija: All Stars will be shown for 24 hours a day on the Big Brother Naija pop-up channel on DStv channel 198, with various weekly highlight programmes on the Africa Magic Urban (DStv 153), Africa Magic Family (DStv 154) channel.

Big Brother Naija: All Stars is running for 10 weeks (70 days) until 1 October which is Nigeria's Independence Day, featuring returning contestants chosen from across season three's "Double Wahala" to season 7's "Level Up", with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu who is back as the host of the show.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice's Big Brother Naija: All Stars to run for 70 days on DStv from 23 July as entire season will also live-stream on Showmax.

MultiChoice's Big Brother Naija: All Stars to run for 70 days on DStv from 23 July as entire season will also live-stream on Showmax.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice is doing an 8th season of Big Brother Nigeria for DStv subscribers across the sub-Saharan African continent, which will see former housemates return to the camera-filled studio complex in Lagos for Big Brother Naija: All Stars which will start on Sunday 23 July.

The 8th season of Big Brother Naija follows after the 7th season, which was named "Big Brother Naija: Level Up" in 2022, and MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic's joint South African and Nigerian production of Big Brother Titans earlier this year on DStv which was a ratings disappointment.

Big Brother Naija: All Stars will be shown for 24 hours a day on the Big Brother Naija pop-up channel on DStv channel 198, with various weekly highlight programmes on the Africa Magic Urban (DStv 153), Africa Magic Family (DStv 154) channel.

In addition, MultiChoice is once again leveraging the show to drive subscribers to its streaming service Showmax, but is going further this time by live-stream the entire Big Brother Naija: All Stars for 24-hours a day, similar to the DStv pop-up channel.

Previously Showmax had packaged highlights for Big Brother Naija, as well as customised, exclusive add-on content produced around the show for streaming subscribers.

This season will have its own row on Showmax with various blocks like the 24-hour live feed, as well as daily highlights, Saturday night parties, head of house challenges and the Sunday night eviction shows.

Big Brother Naija: All Stars will run for 10 weeks (70 days) until 1 October which is Nigeria's Independence Day, featuring returning contestants chosen from across season three's "Double Wahala" to season 7's "Level Up", with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu returning as the host of the show.

The returning housemates are chosen from previous editions of the show and will include the pool party, grill party and Saturday Night Raves live shows. The winner after 10 weeks will get a cash prize of R2.78 million (N120 million).

The head of house challenge will be taking on a revamped format and will run as a 4-hour event, and a new so-called "Black Envelope" game will be introduced.

"We are excited to bring you a refreshed season of Big Brother Naija," says Dr Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice's executive head of content for West Africa channels, in a statement.

"The 8th season of Big Brother Naija is the All Stars edition."

"It has been seven years of engaging our viewers, the industry and the fans. This is the biggest show in Africa and once Big Brother is on, the majority tune in. Fans should watch out for new versions of the housemates they used to know."

ALSO READ: After Big Brother Titans ratings flop MultiChoice is switching back to Nigeria's Big Brother Naija commissioned for an 8th season. 

After Big Brother Titans ratings flop MultiChoice is switching back to Nigeria's Big Brother Naija commissioned for an 8th season.

by Thinus Ferreira

After the ratings flop of MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic's joint South African and Nigerian production of Big Brother Titans earlier this year on DStv, MultiChoice is switching back to Nigeria's Big Brother version for the continent, Big Brother Naija, which has been commissioned for another season.

MultiChoice Nigeria will be doing an 8th season of Big Brother Naija for DStv subscribers across the sub-Saharan African continent after the 7th season, which was named "Big Brother Naija: Level Up" in 2022.

DStv Liberia announced to subscribers in the West African country that MultiChoice will be doing another Big Brother Naija season. In an announcement about a DStv price reduction from July for subscribers in Liberia, the company noted that "Big Brother Nigeria will return".

Big Brother Naija has continued to enjoy both social media buzz and TV ratings success - both of which eluded Big Brother Titans earlier this year.

With both a hugely misguided and largely absent PR and publicity strategy from Mzansi Magic and MultiChoice, bad casting of housemates who didn't gel and more entertaining contestants evicted first, along with a lack of buzz and interest from DStv subscribers, it wasn't surprising that low DStv ratings were expectedly far below Big Brother Naija levels due to the less compelling content.

DStv Liberia announces massive subscription fee price drop from July 2023 and says reduction is its way to thanks DStv subscribers for their loyalty.

by Thinus Ferreira

DStv Liberia is dropping monthly subscription prices massively for customers in the West African country from July 2023 who will see an enormous drop in its American dollar-based fee pricing from next month.

Liberia is the first country in Africa in 2023 where MultiChoice is reducing monthly DStv subscription fees, after hiking prices in several African countries this year from South Africa and Kenya, to Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and from July also Tanzania.

DStv Premium in Liberia is getting reduced from US$91.00 to US$61.00 from July, while the DStv Compact Plus package will drop from US$59.00 to US$36.00. DStv Compact is getting a price reduction from US$28.00 to US$23.00 monthly.

The DStv Family package will be cut from US$21.00 to US$13.00 monthly, while DStv Access is getting cheaper from US$14.00 to US$8.00.

In a press statement announcing the reduction in DStv fees in Liberia, Simeon Freeman, Consolidated Group and DStv Liberia CEO, says MultiChoice is reducing its DStv subscription fees in Liberia since it is looking at various ways to thank its many customers for their ongoing support and loyalty whilst delivering world-class entertainment at a price they can afford.

DStv Liberia says reducing monthly DStv fees is MultiChoice's way of "demonstrating commitment to its customers to ensure that they receive the best possible access to great entertainment at an outstanding value".

"DStv Liberia is delighted to announce that DStv customers in Liberia will now enjoy quality entertainment for less. This means that monthly subscription prices on DStv have decreased effective 1 July 2023."

"We are constantly looking at various ways to thank our customers for their ongoing support and loyalty whilst delivering a world-class entertainment service at a price they can afford. The price drop across the DStv bouquets is our way of demonstrating a commitment to our customers to ensure they received the best possible access to great entertainment at an outstanding value."

"As a lead partner to DStv, MultiChoice is committed to putting customers at the heart of every decision we make and we aim to continuously delight them with great entertainment and the best value. DStv viewers of all ages and tastes are in store for great entertainment."

"Across the African continent, DStv presents the most value from other competitive pay-TV offerings. Over the past 26 years of which DStv Liberia has operated in the market, we have worked tirelessly to ensure we provide an unrivalled channel for our customers to enjoy. Our key priority is to put our customers' needs at the heart of everything and we undertake to continue doing so."

After MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic's rating flop of Big Brother Titans in South Africa, DStv Liberia also announced that the company is going back to the Nigerian version for another season, with MultiChoice Nigeria that has commissioned a new season of Big Brother Naija.

DStv Liberia says "Big Brother Nigeria will return. MultiChoice will make great entertainment even more accessible to our customers in Liberia".

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Tanzania increases DStv prices by up to 8.8% from July 2023 as the latest African country getting a DStv price hike.

ALSO READ: PRICE HIKE. MultiChoice Ghana hiked fees by 19% in 2023, blames country's deteriorating economy as well as currency devaluation and fuel costs.

ALSO READ: PRICE HIKE. MultiChoice Nigeria hikes DStv prices again from May 2023 by up to 22.2% with cheapest GOtv bouquet seeing biggest price hike.

ALSO READ: SHOCKER. MultiChoice Kenya does second DStv price hike of up to 10% from April 2023 just 7 months after last fee increase, angry subscribers say they're cancelling and going to streaming.

ALSO READ: Six months after its last increase MultiChoice Uganda does another DStv price hike from April 2023 up to 10.25% as outraged subscribers slam pay-TV operator for 'garbage' content that's 'repeated and super old' .

ALSO READ: MultiChoice: Here is the pay-TV company's DStv pricing from April 2023.

MultiChoice's next Big Brother in Africa on DStv will be an all-stars face off in January 2023 between former housemates of Big Brother Mzansi and Big Brother Naija.

by Thinus Ferreira  

The next iteration of the African version of Big Brother will be a new spinoff edition which will be an "all-stars" match-up between Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Mzansi, filled with winners from previous seasons of both shows from Nigeria and South Africa and broadcast on DStv across Africa in early 2023.

After seven seasons of Big Brother Naija in Nigeria and five seasons of Big Brother Mzansi - the first two of which were titled Big Brother SA - MultiChoice and M-Net are working on bringing the former contestants of both countries' versions together in one show with the working title of Big Brother Face-Off.

It's still unclear whether the camera-house-filled reality competition show done according to the Banijay-format will be using the Johannesburg complex in South Africa or the Lagos-based studio in Nigeria.

Big Brother Face Off will run from 15 January 2023 to 2 April 2023 for 11 weeks.

MultiChoice plans to broadcast Big Brother Face-Off in early 2023, once again as a 24-hour pop-up Big Brother channel on DStv across Africa, with highlight shows on M-Net's Africa Magic and Mzansi Magic TV channels, and additional content on its streaming service Showmax.

"In 2023 we'll be starting the year off with a bang, which will be the giants of Africa coming together on the Big Brother version of South Africa against Nigeria," says Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice's head of programming.

"This has been an incredible, incredible feat for us because we know how well Big Brother Mzansi does, we know how well Big Brother Naija does, but we just felt that it was time to bring the two together. We're excited about that and we just think that it's going to be amazing." 

Big Brother Face Off follows the just-concluded season of another localised Banijay-format reality competition on M-Net, with production company Afrokaans which brought back castaways from previous seasons of Survivor South Africa to compete again in the 9th season that was entitled Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts.

Possible Big Brother Face Off contestants from Nigeria could include Katung Aduwak as season 1 winner, Michael Efe Ejeba as season 2 winner, Miracle Igbokwe as season 3 winner, Mercy Eke as season 4 winner, Olamilekan "Laycon" Agbeleshe as season 5 winner, Hazel Oyeye "Whitemoney" Onou as season 6 winner, and whoever wins the current season 7 of Big Brother Naija: Level Up when the latest season concludes next month with a live finale on 2 October.

Possible Big Brother Face-Off contestants from South Africa could include Ferdinand Rabie as season 1 winner of Big Brother SA, Richard Cawood as season 2 winner of Big Brother SA, Mandla Hlatshwayo who won Big Brother Mzansi: Secrets in 2014, Ace Khumalo and Ntombi Tshabalala from Big Brother Mzansi: Double Trouble, and Mphowabadimo who walked out of the house as the winner of Big Brother Mzansi: Beke Le Beke in April this year.

Besides the Nigerian and South African versions, M-Net also produced nine seasons of Big Brother Africa between 2003 and 2014 for DStv subscribers, with 10 additional winners during that decade, although it's not clear whether these 10 people are also under potential consideration to be invited back for Big Brother Face Off. 

ALSO READ: MultiChoice powers ahead with localised content including slum-set Kenya drama Pepeta, a funeral reality series in Ghana, Crime & Justice spinoff for Nigeria and a Nollywood psychothriller miniseries.

Wig-ripping former Miss Nigeria Beauty Tukura evicted from DStv's Big Brother Naija Level Up after lunging at housemate during drunken brawl, damaging property and throwing objects at housemates.

by Thinus Ferreira

The former Miss Nigeria and Big Brother Naija: Level Up housemate Beauty Tukura (24) was evicted on Sunday night from the latest 7th season of MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net West Africa's camera-filled reality show after her violent behaviour that included ripping a fellow housemate's wig, throwing things, as well as damage to property.

Beauty Tukura, who appeared to have been drunk, was issued her first warning and strike after her aggression towards Big Brother Naija housemate Ilebaye and ripping her wig.

Beauty was warned that the MultiChoice show filmed in Lagos does not tolerate violence after she had physically charged at the housemate and removed items on her body like her wig in a violent manner.

On Sunday night, an hour before the week's live eviction show on DStv, the producers disqualified and removed Beauty for another double strike for damage to property on Saturday night, meaning that the former Miss Nigeria was out of the show after three strikes.

Producers told Beauty Tukura that "Your actions last night were out of line; you should have managed your emotions. You removed your microphone; you threw another object at Groovy after throwing your glasses, wig at him" and trying to break his microphone.

MultiChoice and M-Net have had problems with violence and sexual assault in previous seasons of Big Brother Naija and South Africa's version of Big Brother Mzansi.

MultiChoice Showcase 2021: 18 must-know info-blasts from this year's media event.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice shifted its bi-annual media showcase events for South Africa's press to the end of the year (and did just one this year) with the MultiChoice Showcase 2021 showcase that took place yesterday afternoon as a virtual presentation and dropping various info-blasts throughout the presentation.

Like an Easter egg hunt, the media usually scour for nuggets of information dropped by various MultiChoice executives and shown in sizzle reels, with yesterday that was no different - although MultiChoice shared less information in totality than in any previous years of the showcase. 

Here are 18 things I picked up that you'd want to know:

1. Survivor season 41 on M-Net

M-Net (DStv 101) will show season 41 of America's Survivor in January 2022. 

Season 41 will usher in a new era which will be marked by a lack of a theme, harkening back to the early days of the series. The show will simply be known as Survivor 41. "Those ideas served us very well for 20 years, but now it’s time for something new," says host and producer Jeff Probst. 

M-Net will also show the 8th season of Survivor Australia Brains v Brawn" which will start on M-Net straight after the current 7th season.

2. Survivor SA renewed for a 9th season in 2022

"Return of the Outcasts" will be the "subtitle" of the 9th season of the local South African version that M-Net has now renewed for a 9th season filming in January 2022 and broadcasting in July.

Insiders couldn't wait to tell me earlier this week that Survivor SA was renewed and M-Net refused to respond to media queries about it, until the logo was flashed and "S9" at the MultiChoice Showcase 2021.

The castaways are chosen from previous players who didn't make it to the final Tribal Council and all "have a score to settle". We're told it's filming in January 2022, will broadcast in July on M-Net (DStv 101) and will once again be done somewhere in South Africa because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

3. Award shows

DStv subscribers will be able to watch the 64th Annual Grammy Awards on 1 February on 1 Magic (DStv 103), the 94th Annual Academy Awards known as the Oscars on 28 March on M-Net (DStv 101), the Billboard Awards on 28 April on 1 Magic, and the Miss Universe pageant in 2022.

4. Paradise lost

No air date was provided for an upcoming new TLC show but from the producers of 90 Day Fiancé comes a sexy new docu-soap Love in Paradise – The Caribbean, following people who found love in the Caribbean. 

The tropics will provide the backdrop for relationships in various phases from holiday flings that turned serious to a rekindled love after 10 years apart and a vacation romance that turned into a pregnancy. Will meeting in paradise work out?

5. Pushing sport

Pushing the Line coming January 2022 to the Discovery Channel (DStv 121) will follow some of the top highliners and the up-and-comers of sport, who live together and push one another to take on the craziest places to set lines and break records.

6. Greedy

Mzansi Greed will debut on Moja Love (DStv 157) on 2 December, 21:30 exploring the worlds of crime and greed. What lengths will a person go to for money and power? 

The series focuses on cases of South African pyramid schemes, embezzlement and other crimes, featuring interviews with family members, police investigators business associates, fraud victims and, in some cases, the fraudsters themselves.

7. More SuperSport sports documentaries

In 2022 SuperSport will debut more locally-produced sports documentaries like Chasing the Sun.

 SuperSport is working on Pulse of a Nation: A South African Football Story that is a 4-episode documentary series looking at South African soccer.

Two Sides is another Springbok documentary - likely a documentary film - with cameras that once again filmed inside the Springbok rugby camp. The short sizzle clip shown to media contained a litany of unbleeped "f"-words from Springbok players and staff around them as everyone struggle to cope with the stress.

8. New broom

MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax has a new boss that the media saw for the first time on Thursday. 

Barry Dubovsky who has been with MultiChoice since 2018 joined Showmax in his new role as its chief operating officer (COO) in August. Barry says that in 2022 Showmax will continue to focus on rolling out more Showmax Original productions.

9. Naija reality

The 7th season of Big Brother Naija gets a broadcasting date: June 2022. 

A group of isolated housemates will once again do tasks as they compete for a cash prize. Date My Family Nigeria will start in January 2022 on DStv, sending singletons on dates with three potential partners' families in a bid to find love.

The 7th season of Idols Nigeria will start in February and Judging Matters is a new "Judge Judy"-type show that will 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.

10. M-Net moves into Mozambique

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.

11. South Africa's Big Brother goes continental

The new season of Big Brother Mzansi revived after a decade will not just be seen in South Africa but will be shown across sub-Saharan Africa on DStv, similar to how Africa can watch Big Brother Naija. 

Also new is that the prize money will be R2 million for the winner.

12. A foodie date

The 4th season of MasterChef South Africa coming to M-Net (DStv 101) got a date: It will start on 28 February. 

Instead of on a wine farm like previous seasons, the new season is currently being filmed at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town "in a dynamic new location that celebrates both the heritage and the innovation of South Africa's diverse culinary offering".

13. kykNET returns

In 2022 kykNET (DStv 144) will have the 4th season of the Afrikaans procedural drama series Die Byl with Projek Dina returning for a second season. 

A new season of the anthology series Spoorloos is currently in development with a story set behind the backdrop of a small coastal town.

14. Fighting housewives

The third season of Real Housewives of Johannesburg will be shown in April 2022 that will consist out of 14 episodes. 

The Real Housewives of Lagos will be on Showmax in the first half of 2022. 

The second season of The Real Housewives of Durban will also be on Showmax but is still listed as "coming on 2022" only with no indication whether it's the first or second half of the year.

15. Local tabloid

While I Blew It will be back for a 4th season in 2022 and Ubizo for a third season on Mzansi Wethu (DStv 163) there will be new series as well doing what Moja Love has found success with Bangoxoshile, Not The One For You, Siza Mina and Fafi. 

Bangoxoshile is a series that assists homeless people who were forcefully removed from their homes by family, relatives or a spouse.

In Not The One For You friends and family write in to ask for assistance in confronting a friend or family member about a potent relationship that they should not be in. 

Siza Mina is a tabloid daily talk show featuring controversial topics and guests who are seeking intervention in resolving issues relating to family, marriage, parenting, divorce, broken friendships, cohabitation. 

In Fafi the 28-year-old Thandi Ndlovu is in love and getting married in 3 months - however it’s not her husband-to-be, Sgoloza Ndlovu, she’s in love with, rather her beloved late husband, Menzi Ndlovu. The Ndlovu family custom has dictated that upon Menzi's demise, his brother must marry his widow.

16. Sporties

On SuperSport in 2022 (see the full summary in its own article Here) the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup coverage will include all 64 matches, live and in prime time, as well as the UEFA Champions League and Europa League (until May 2022) and the FA Cup (until May 2022).

SuperSport will have the all-new United Rugby Championship (until June 2022) and an old friend in the shape of the Six Nations making a reappearance in February. There's also the World Sevens Series of the Blitzbokke.

In cricket, there's The Ashes and India's tour of South Africa until January 2022, the IPL in March and the Proteas' tour of England from July to September. In tennis and golf all of the Majors will be on SuperSport from January to July 2022. 

In WWE wrestling there will be headline events like the Royal Rumble in January and WrestleMania in April 2022.

On two and four wheels SuperSport will cover the longest-ever F1 season, MotoGP, SuperBikes, and cycling events from May's Giro d'Italia to October's Absa Cape Epic, the Amstel Gold Race to Challenge by la Vuelta and the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup and Paris-Roubaix to the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

In athletics SuperSport will have the American Indoor Track League, Diamond League, IAAF World Indoor Tour and World Athletics Continental Tour and in July and August 2022 the Commonwealth Games from Birmingham.

17. Absence of Aletta

This was notably the first MultiChoice Showcase - previously known as the DStv Content Showcase but for some reason rebranded - without Aletta Alberts, Africa's TV content queen. 

The extremely experienced and well-versed executive who was MultiChoice's head of content and third-party channels passed away in July from Covid-19 complications.

MultiChoice apparently didn't replace her position and her absence was definitely felt - the MultiChoice Showcase 2021 didn't have the all-knowing, all-telling tether of Aletta Alberts as anchor who in the past would help the media to integrate and build a bigger picture to put all of the various content streams into perspective.  

18. Notably nothing on this - so far 

Unlike previous years media sadly were not given the opportunity to ask questions at the showcase. MultiChoice that usually make announcements about DStv decoders didn't say anything about its decoders this time with no updates on the DStv Streama decoder that was announced over a year ago but never launched. 

Does MultiChoice plan to add Disney+ as a streaming service next to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video when it launches in South Africa from around June 2022? Or what about eMedia's new eVOD? Is Paramount+, discovery+, HBO Max, Apple TV+ and Peacock going to be added to the DStv Explora Ultra in 2022 like Sky and Comcast overseas did? We don't know yet. 

It's also not yet clear where MultiChoice is with letting DStv subscribers build their own subscription with DStv Flex by choosing various packages with selections of channels instead of picking a bouquet. 

MultiChoice has been investigating this and asking consumers their thoughts about such an offering earlier this year. 

It's also unclear for how long M-Net Movies will have premium first-run films to premiere given the impact of the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic on the world's film industry.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Showcase 2021: Why month-old pre-recorded interviews from MultiChoice executives sitting in Dubai touting DStv's 'home-grown local content' in Africa?

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Showcase 2021: SuperSport to shine in 2022 with a vast locked-in offering of local and international sports events.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Showcase 2021: 'Fuck, fuck fuck, fuck' says SuperSport in profanity-laced Springbok documentary sizzle reel for new Two Sides rugby and Pulse of a Nation football local documentaries coming to DStv in 2022.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Showcase 2021: MultiChoice and M-Net aggressively ramp up Lusophone production targeting DStv subscribers with new channels and content in Portuguese in Mozambique and Angola.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Showcase 2021: PICTORIAL. A set of new Blood Psalms stills released as MultiChoice's delayed Showmax Original fantasy series from Yellowbone Entertainment waits to be paid its film rebate.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Showcase 2021: M-Net renews Survivor South Africa for an all-stars 9th season to be broadcast in July 2022.

MultiChoice keeps losing thousands of DStv Premium subscribers - this DStv top-end churn is putting its slate of premium content at risk.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice keeps losing its most-valuable DStv Premium subscribers who no longer see the expensive offering as providing enough value for money - something that puts pressure on budgets and spells danger for the future existence of the existing slate of premium content and TV channels available to its top-bouquet customers.

Just as MultiChoice and M-Net once grew in top-end DStv subscribers leading to increased budgets - justifying the risk of bigger spending on more expensive shows catering to a more discerning and upmarket audience and in turn attracting more lucrative advertisers willing to pay more for more expensive DStv Media Sales ad spots - there is now the danger of the opposite happening.

As MultiChoice's percentage of DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers keep falling as part of the overall subscriber mix due to MultiChoice's shift in focus to rather offer a bigger value proposition to mass-market customers on lower-tiered DStv bouquets, this shift will sooner or later have a knock-on effect and start to impact premium content budgets.

It will likely become increasingly more difficult for MultiChoice content cost centres - specifically M-Net, kykNET, MultiChoice's streaming service Showmax, as well as the division working on acquiring and retaining premium third-party linear TV channels carriage agreements on DStv - to justify spending on big-budget items, shows, projects and expensive TV channels if this premium audience is small and dwindling.

MultiChoice already ran into trouble with Blood Psalms from Yellowbone Entertainment that was supposed to have started last month on Showmax, with the October debut of the most expensive TV series yet filmed in South Africa now delayed by several months to possibly February 2022.

Blood Psalms is due millions of rand in unpaid money it requires to complete post-production work. The due payouts, as part of South Africa's stalled film rebate scheme, ran by the department of trade, industry and competition (DTIC), were abruptly cancelled.

MultiChoice isn't able to simply take over Blood Psalms enormous production costs financed through the film rebate scheme. 

The Blood Psalms scandal has led to warning lights flashing for possible future big-budget local productions for pay-TV that might not be deemed feasible or worth the effort to make in South Africa if top-end subscribers don't exist in big enough numbers to justify the spending and trouble.

While MultiChoice's overall content cost and spending on general entertainment and sports content continue to grow, it also means that MultiChoice is facing increasing internal pressure on the type of content the pay-TV operator will and can spend money on.

The likely outcome, if DStv Premium subscribers continue to decline, is that less money will be allocated for the production of expensive local shows like Survivor SA on M-Net (DStv 101) only accessible for DStv Premium subscribers; with the loss of more premium third-party TV channels like BBC First, and more money allocated for mass-market shows like Uyajola 9/9 on Moja Love (DStv 157).

Showmax growing but DStv Premium under pressure

On Thursday afternoon MultiChoice released its interim financial results for the 6 months until the end of September 2021 that revealed that the pay-TV operator not only continues to bleed top-end DStv subscribers but that mid-tier subscribers are also abandoning its offering.

Overall MultiChoice added 1 million subscribers in the 6 months to the end of September 2021 and now has 21.1 million pay-TV subscribers.

South Africa remains the pay-TV operator's country with the largest subscriber base (12.2 million, 58%) with 8.9 million subscribers (42%) across sub-Saharan Africa (RoA).

In the 6 months under review, MultiChoice however lost over another 100 000 DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers decreasing another 5%, and DStv Compact and DStv Commercial customers declining by 1% from 2.9 million to 2.8 million subscribers.

The top-end loss is made up for ongoing lower-tiered subscriber growth, increasing from 8.7 to 8.9 million subscribers. The number of mass-market DStv Family, DStv Access, and DStv EasyView subscribers grew by 6% from 4.4 million to 4.7 million.

The result is that MultiChoice's monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) continues to decline, this time by another 2% from R278 to R273. 

What it means is that although MultiChoice continues to have more subscribers, it makes less money per subscriber since it keeps losing DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers who are its most valuable subscriber segment. 

Showmax subscribers are growing, however, with paying Showmax subscribers increasing by 42% and with overall online users increasing 33% from the prior period, "representing a 3% gain in share of the African OTT market since December 2020," MultiChoice says.

Sport is not luring DStv Premium subscribers back or stemming DStv subscriber churn as MultiChoice suggested would be the case earlier this year.

In June, MultiChoice Group CEO Calvo Mawela told investors that rugby broadcasts are one of the biggest drivers of DStv Premium uptake and that the loss of rugby because of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic was a very big reason behind the ongoing decline in DStv Premium subscribers in the previous financial year.

"What we've seen is that as a result of the lack of rugby, you see people coming down, but as soon as rugby comes back, you see people going up," Calvo Mawela said,.

However, while rugby and other sport did return to SuperSport the past few months, DStv Premium subscribers didn't.

MultiChoice: Local content remains important

About its latest 6-month financial results, MultiChoice says that local content continues to be "a core part of the group's differentiation strategy".

MultiChoice says that it has "stepped up its investment in local content by producing 2 692 additional hours (41% year-on-year growth). As a result, the total local content library is now approaching 66 000 hours and represents 45% of total general entertainment content spend, which was the group's full-year target".

"In South Africa, local documentary Devilsdorp became the most viewed programme of all time on Showmax."

"In Nigeria, Big Brother Naija delivered record viewership and advertising revenues and has become one of Nigeria's most loved reality brands."

"Reyka, a global co-production with Fremantle was broadcast to critical acclaim during Sunday night prime time, while a further four co-productions (Recipes for Love and Murder, Crime and Justice season 2, Pulse and The Fix) are currently in production. Interest in the group's content is at an all-time high, with 121 series sold to international buyers, seven times more than last year."

"In addition to compelling local stories, MultiChoice continues to broadcast the best of sport. The group renewed the rights to Serie A,  the FA Cup, the European Football Championship and the new United Rugby Championship."

Disney+ won't bedevil DStv

Hidden away in the small print of MultiChoice's 6-month financial results is relief for DStv subscribers fearing that they will lose The Disney Channel, Disney Junior or National Geographic when The Walt Disney Company launches its Disney+ video streaming service from around June 2022 in South Africa. 

Disney's channels were culled elsewhere as linear pay-TV channels like in the United Kingdom when Disney+ launched, forcing traditional pay-TV subscribers to switch to streaming, although DStv Premium subscribers won't abruptly lose access to Disney - at least not initially.

"On the international content front, channel agreements with Disney (including the kids and National Geographic channels) were secured to 2024," MultiChoice says.

MultiChoice either lied then - or is lying now - about the reason why SMS voting was stopped for M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Naija.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice either lied to the DStv subscribers and Africa's TV industry in July - or is lying now - over why SMS voting was stopped for M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Naija camera-house reality series, having given a different reason a few months ago than the reason suddenly given now.

In July, TVwithThinus specifically asked MultiChoice Africa why SMS voting has been dropped for what was to be the 6th season of Big Brother Nigeria that just concluded with Hazel "Whitemoney" Onou as the winner.

MultiChoice Africa publicists told TVwithThinus very specifically in writing, in response to the media query, that MultiChoice and M-Net decided to do away with SMS voting for the 6th season of Big Brother Naija "in order to make it possible for viewers in countries outside of Nigeria to vote".

That is not the reason that MultiChoice Nigeria and M-Net West Africa are giving now - a reason in October that differs completely with what MultiChoice told the press just 3 months ago.

In a press conference with media following the conclusion of the 6th season, John Ugbe, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, now says that MultiChoice and M-Net decided to drop SMS voting because the public would use the number of SMS votes to calculate how much money M-Net West Africa and MultiChoice Nigeria had allegedly earned in voting revenue, by multiplying the number of votes with the cost of a SMS vote.

John Ugbe said the public was wrong for trying to calculate Big Brother Naija revenue by tallying up SMS revenue, and that MultiChoice therefore decided to drop SMS voting although it was one of the most popular ways to vote for housemates.

With an SMS that cost N30 naija, previous seasons of Big Brother Naija lured over 100 million SMS votes alone.

"We stopped the SMS voting because it raises an eyebrow whenever we announce the total number of votes received at the end of previous editions," John Ugbe said.

"Whenever we announce the number of votes polled through SMS, viewers are always quick to calculate the cost and gains for organisers, so we decided to stop SMS voting this season."

It's not clear why MultiChoice Africa blatantly lied to the media in July with PR spin, or decided to lie now in October about the reason why MultiChoice and M-Net stopped SMS voting for Big Brother Naija.

John Ugbe said that the 6th season of Big Brother Naija cost N4.3 billion (R158.3 million) to produce and employed 12 000 people. The 12 000 number sounds completely unrealistic and wrong and never appeared on the Big Brother Naija end credit roll.

ALSO READ: Hazel 'Whitemoney' Onou wins season 6 of Big Brother Naija.

ALSO READ: The 6th season of MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa's Big Brother Naija to start with a double-show launch on 24 July after it will run 72 days, drops SMS voting so the rest of Africa can vote.