Cell C black blackout as all its channels abruptly disappear without warning or explanation and customers fear a product implosion similar to Econet Media's shuttered Kwesé TV.

A blackout has hit Cell C black with all of the video streaming service's TV channels that have abruptly disappear without warning or explanation.

Customers not getting what they've paid for or any answers, are fearing that a product implosion similar to Econet Media's shuttered Kwesé TV might be hitting Cell C black.

Cell C black was asked what happened, why all of the linear TV channels disappeared, what message Cell C has for black customers, when service will be restored and whether customers will be getting a refund for the service they're not getting. The company didn't respond with answers to the media enquiry at the time of publication on Monday.

Besides offering a catalogue of on-demand programming including series and films, Cell C black also offer a carousel of linear TV channels ranging from entertainment and news to sports, music and lifestyle that viewers can watch through the video streaming service, exactly similar as to using a rooftop satellite dish like DStv or StarSat.

The 40 linear TV channels on Cell C black range from FOX and National Geographic, to TNT, Trace and Al Jazeera.

Cell C launched Cell C black, accessed through its own set-top box (STB) called the blackBOX, as well as through web browsers in November 2017 to compete with MultiChoice’s Showmax, Netflix South Africa and Amazon Prime Video in the growing but video streaming consumer market. 

In a note to scared Cell C black customers that TVwithThinus obtained, Cell C only tells concerned subscribers to "kindly note that there is a current technical disruption with all live TV channels on the black portal. We humbly apologise for the inconvenience and would like to assure you that your black experience is important to us. We will update you on the progress once feedback from our IT department is received".

On its website Cell C black since Monday morning, 4 days after channels blackout started, now simply says: "We are experiencing difficulties wich are affecting our live TV channels and are working to resolve the issue in a timely manner. We apologise for any inconvenience caused".

It sounds ominously similar to the pro forma platitude message that Econet sent to customers of its now bust Kwesé Play streaming service through a Roku device, its Kwesé TV pay-TV service and its Kwesé Free Sports linear TV channel that it provided to e.tv's Openview platform, that all abruptly went down while Econet kept telling customers it's working on the technical problems only for the service to be placed into liquidation.

Cell C that has sunk millions into its video streaming venture is facing massive financial problems with investors who have been saying that they're being kept in the dark about the growing Cell C cash crisis.

Struggling Econet puts its shuttered and debt-riddled Econet Media and Kwesé up for sale in 29 countries including its 20%-stake in South Africa's new free-to-air Kwesé Free TV licensed venture.

Zimbabwe's struggling Econet Wireless Ltd. - that has seen its ambitious pay-TV business Kwesé TV implode under a mountain of debt with services ranging from its abruptly shuttered Kwesé Play streaming service to TV channels like Kwesé Play Free Sports go dark - has put up a "for sale" sign for Econet Media for all of its businesses across Southern Africa and Dubai.

Interestingly this includes its 20%-stake in Kwesé Free TV, the free-to-air, commercial TV station that got a licence from South Africa's broadcasting regulator earlier this year to start a new bouquet of freely available TV channels in South Africa.

It's not clear how the sale and proposed sale of Econet's stake in Kwesé Free TV will affect its TV licence, with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) that has done nothing so far to investigate and re-interrogate the granted licence given the changing conditions of ownership under which the original licence was granted.

Bloomberg reported on Friday that Econet is now offering up its Econet Media unit, housing the damaged Kwesé brands, for sale.

Ernst & Young Ltd. ran a full-page newspaper advertisement, saying that it will oversee offers for all or part of the company's shareholdings in 29 businesses in Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya and Dubai.

It remains to be seen whether companies and rivals operating in South Africa, ranging from the MultiChoice Group, M-Net, and Netflix, to China's StarTimes, telecom operators like Vodacom and MTN or other players might be interested in any of the severely reputation-damaged Econet Media debt-mess.

The shutdown of the embattled Econet's business ventures keeps rippling as it abruptly shuttered its whole Econet Media division which included Kwesé iflix as latest victim.

The debt-laden Econet that has not paid retrenched staffers their severance money and told them it doesn't know when it will be able to, has seen its Kwese TV pay-TV division abruptly shut down and placed into liquidation, its TV channels like Kwesé Free Sports abruptly go dark and off air without warning, and its Kwesé Play streaming service and Roku-device terminated.

Now Econet,owned by the Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, has been forced to shut down its entire Econet Media subsidiary where Joseph Hundah has been Econet Media CEO and that racked up more than $130 million in debt in content costs including expensive sports rights and other services.

Econet has said nothing about its alleged bad management, rapid and aggressive expansion plans and cash splurges, bad and often non-existent customer care and foolish content acquisition strategies that were all self-inflicted damage that led to Econet Media's downfall and implosion.

Econet said in July that its beleaguered pay-TV and TV business struggled to compete with China's StarTimes and MultiChoice's DStv.

Meanwhile several current and former South African workers of Econet who are enduring living hell but who were once "promised heaven" if they join Kwesé TV, showed TVwithThinus correspondence of them not having been paid their severance packages after being retrenched and Econet executives telling them that there isn't money and that they can't give answers as to when they will be paid.

The shutdown of the embattled Econet keeps rippling as it abruptly shutters its whole Econet Media division which includes Kwesé iflix as latest victim.

The expanding shutdown of the embattled Econet's divisions keeps rippling through the embattled business with Econet that has now abruptly shuttered its whole Econet Media division as well, that includes its Kwesé iflix streaming service as apparently the latest victim of its cash-crunch.

The debt-laden Econet that has not paid retrenched staffers their severance money and told them it doesn't know when it will be able to, has seen its Kwese TV pay-TV division abruptly shut down and placed into liquidation, its TV channels like Kwesé Free Sports abruptly go dark and off air without warning, and its Kwesé Play streaming service and Roku-device terminated.

Now Econet,owned by the Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, has been forced to shut down its entire Econet Media subsidiary where Joseph Hundah has been Econet Media CEO and that racked up more than $130 million in debt in content costs including expensive sports rights and other services, with Econet Media that housed Kwesé TV, Kwesé Play and Kwesé Iflix.

The Econet Group in a statement says that "The Econet Group regrets to confirm that Econet Media Limited has ceased operations with effect from 5 August 2019".

"It is a difficult decision that we could not postpone. Over the last 4 years we sought to disrupt Africa’s media landscape and enable Africa to tell its own stories using a variety of technologies including satellite broadcast, video streaming and free-to-air TV."

"The Econet Group invested heavily into Econet Media and supported the business over the period it operated without any third-party funding. Unfortunately, market conditions and content price inflation got in the way of us completing our mission."

"We are particularly grateful to all our dedicated staff and contractors who have worked tirelessly to bring a great product to market and who until the last day believed in the Kwesé story. We are also grateful to our customers and our partners who believed in the Kwesé vision and who worked with us as we tried to change how Africans consume and pay for media."

"We deeply regret the impact that this decision has had on our staff, contractors, customers, regulators and content providers."

"We will engage with each of our valued stakeholders transparently and will seek to meet our obligations to each of them as provided under law."

"The Econet Group is entrepreneurial and believes in Africa and its potential. Our belief in 'an inclusive connected future that leaves no African behind' remains undaunted."

"We would like to emphasise and reiterate that the rest of the Econet Group businesses continue to operate normally as each of our companies are separate legal entities with their own management teams and boards."

In its statement, Econet mentions nothing about its alleged bad management, rapid and aggressive expansion plans and cash splurges, bad and often non-existent customer care and foolish content acquisition strategies that were all self-inflicted damage that led to Econet Media's downfall and implosion. 

Econet said in July that its beleaguered pay-TV and TV business struggled to compete with China's StarTimes and MultiChoice's DStv.

Meanwhile several current and former South African workers of Econet who are enduring living hell but who were once "promised heaven" if they join Kwesé TV, showed TVwithThinus correspondence of them not having been paid their severance packages after being retrenched and Econet executives telling them that there isn't money and that they can't give answers as to when they will be paid.


ALSO READ: Embattled Econet announces it will be shutting down its struggling Kwesé TV entirely on Monday 5 August 2019 after owing R1.9 billion to third-party content providers.
ALSO READ: Living hell after Kwesé implosion: Massive problems, fear, secrecy, non-payment and scared staffers at Econet Kwesé TV in South Africa where workers were once "promised heaven".

Embattled Econet announces it will be shutting down its struggling Kwesé TV entirely on Monday 5 August 2019 after owing R1.9 billion to third-party content providers.

The embattled Econet Media has announced that it is shutting down its struggling Kwesé TV entirely on Monday 5 August 2019 after owing more than $130 million (R1.9 billion) in external liabilities to third-party TV content providers and international content suppliers.

The implosion and complete shutdown of Kwesé TV under a barrage of debt explains why its Kwesé Free Sports channel carried on eMedia Investments' Openview free-to-air satellite TV service abruptly went off the air on Sunday a week ago.

Econet Media CEO Joseph Hundah was also forced to abruptly shutter its Kwese Play video streaming service that was housed under its Kwesé TV division.

With Kwesé Play being liquidated, customers in South Africa and across Southern Africa are left with useless Roku streaming devices that will never work again and having paid for a service they're suddenly no longer getting.

The shocking Kwesé TV shutdown is also raising serious questions about the "Kwesé Free TV" TV station that Econet and Kwesé TV wanted to start in South Africa after being granted a commercial free-to-air TV licence by the broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) with Econet Media that holds a 20% stake in this venture.

"How will they broadcast when they have no staff or broadcasting facilities?" South African Kwesé TV staffers are asking who told TVwithThinus that Kwesé TV's South African office in Bryanston, Johannesburg in shutting down.

Econet said in July that its beleaguered pay-TV and TV business struggled to compete with China's StarTimes and MultiChoice's DStv.

Meanwhile current and former South African workers of Econet who are enduring living hell but who were once "promised heaven" if they join Kwesé TV, alleges that they have not been paid, are not getting paid, and are demanding answers about their future and what's going on after a process of retrenchments started as the TV empire of the Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa continues to crumble and implode.

In a statement Econet now says its Kwesé TV's pay-TV service is completely shutting down on 5 August 2019.

"We regret to announce the discontinuation of the Kwesé TV satellite service with effect from 5 August 2019," says Douglas Mboweni, group CEO.

"The service was offered to our customers by our sister company Econet Media. We regret to end this service, which thousands had embraced and welcomed into their homes and offices as a viable, alternative source of news, sport and entertainment."

"The third-party content providers, on whose content we rely, require payment in foreign currency. With the prevailing economic conditions in Zimbabwe, and the current business operating environment – characterized by an acute shortage of foreign currency – sustaining Kwesé and the Kwesé satellite service service was no longer viable."

"Once again we apologise for ending this service and take this opportunity to thank our customers for their valued support," says Douglas Mboweni.


ALSO READ: Living hell after Kwesé implosion: Massive problems, fear, secrecy, non-payment and scared staffers at Econet Kwesé TV in South Africa where workers were once "promised heaven".

BREAKING. It's over for Econet Media's once-hot Kwesé TV: Kwesé pulls the plug on its satellite pay-TV ambitions as Kwesé branded sports and entertainment channels, most third-party channels scrapped, focus shifted to Kwesé Free Sports and Kwesé iflix, Kwesé Play streaming services.

Africa's latest satellite pay-TV upstart, Kwesé TV, is abruptly downsizing and ending its lofty direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV plans to focus on a single branded sports channel and its streaming services.

After rapidly burning through millions, with aggressive content and country presence expansion across sub-Saharan Africa the past three years only to become ensnared by multiple missed payments and cancelled content deals due to cash flow problems, Econet Media, a subsidiary of Econet Wireless, is downscaling its once-lofty plans for a satellite pay-TV service.

Kwesé TV is scrapping its self-packaged and branded Kwesé general entertainment channels, removing all Kwesé branded sports channels except for the Kwesé Free Sports channel, and also getting rid of the majority of third-party acquired TV channels on its Kwesé TV bouquet.

The truncated Kwesé TV will henceforth just carry some free-to-air (FTA) channels, some news channels and some faith-based channels for a small fee, with Kwesé TV that will no longer require monthly subscription fees. Kwesé TV subscribers who have prepaid will get a refund.

To stop the bleeding, Kwesé TV run by Econet Media president and CEO Joseph Hundah will now focus on the Kwesé Free Sports channel (KFS) and providing streaming services through its mobile video-on-demand (VOD) service Kwesé iflix and its over-the-top (OTT) video streaming Kwesé Play brands.

Kwesé Play carries streaming channels like Red Bull TV, NBA, YouTube, TED and Bloomberg financial news.

Econet Media will also keep its Kwesé Studios and will continue investments in developing its own original programming with the help of African producers.

In an internal memo to staffers, Joseph Hundah says "We will streamline our direct-to-home, satellite television service. This means we will reduce our third-party channels as well as remove our own Kwesé-branded sports and general entertainment channels except Kwesé Free Sports".

Staffers are told in the memo that "We are in the process of reviewing our operational structures across our markets, which may result in changes across various business units".

Econet Media rapidly expanded its satellite pay-TV business with a presence in 11 African markets, excluding South Africa, with a free-to-air presence across 27 countries and sub-licensing content - mostly sport - across 37 countries.

That rapid expansion however came at a big cost as Econet Media's Kwesé TV burned through cash, signing deals with ESPN and partnering with VICE Media, trying to establish a foothold in the fierce Africa pay-TV market.

For the past three years Econet Media's Kwesé TV splashed the cash in a satellite TV market dominated by Naspers' MultiChoice in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa; as well as China's aggressive StarTimes making major inroads throughout Africa and operating under the StarSat brand in South Africa.

Kwesé TV especially went hard with signing up sports rights to compete with MultiChoice's SuperSport, going as far as sub-licensing and partnering with community channels in South Africa like Soweto TV and 1KZN to show boxing matches and NBA, to try and lure viewers to its offering.

After the past year and a half during which it became evident that the burning hot Kwesé TV's wheels is starting to come off as details about scuppered deals and late payments emerged, Econet Media has now capitulated, and is reorganising to focus on streaming services.

The past few months Kwesé TV suddenly started dumping TV channels as deals with the FOX Networks Group and other channel distributors got scrapped and derailed, in addition to multiple missed payments and cancelled deals including for content from FIFA, UEFA, Formula One, EPL, ESPN, NBA and the beIN Media Group.

Kwesé Free Sports - a pan-African free-to-air channel available in 27 African countries, including in South Africa on eMedia Investments' Openview free-to-air satellite platform - will now remain one of Kwesé TV's three core services.

Kwesé Free Sports has been showing Premier League matches, NBA, various FIFA tournaments including the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and leagues, NFL, AVIVA Premiership rugby as well as sport-themed magazine shows like ESPN's SportCenter.


'Changes will safeguard the success of our business'
In a statement to TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry on Thursday afternoon about the shuttering of channels on Kwesé TV, Joseph Hundah says "We believe these changes will safeguard the future success of our business as we continue to make an indelible impact on Africa's media industry".

"The revised business strategy will also ensure that Kwesé TV continues to remain competitive within the industry."

"Refocusing our business offering across markets is a strategic move which aligns our business to OTT and video-on-demand trends which present significant growth opportunities for Kwesé. This renewed focus on digital services will see us provide new compelling offers for our customer’s enjoyment."

"Additionally, through the development of the Kwesé Studios content hub, Econet Media will now have a legitimate claim to being the home of African content, as we will now create a place where Africans can tell their own stories and shape their own narrative."

"Kwesé's entry into the market had a game changing impact on the media industry. With these changes, we believe Kwesé will continue to positively disrupt the industry for the benefit of African consumers, as we continue to provide affordable premium content through digital media services."

Econet Media says that as a consequence of the revised business model it is "reviewing its operational structures across all markets where Kwesé TV has presence which may result in changes to the company's various business units".

Discovery's Animal Planet rebrands with new blue leaping elephant channel logo and changing it's focus to 'family'.

Discovery's is rebranding its Animal Planet channel with a new blue leaping elephant channel logo and introducing some new international programming from 28 October while it's changing it's focus to "family".

Animal Planet is no longer available in South Africa after MultiChoice axed the channel in late-2017 without adequate warning and the removal of the channel as part of a new Discovery channels set carriage deal eliciting anger from many DStv subscribers.

Animal Planet is available on Econet Media's Kwesé TV in Southern Africa in countries outside of South Africa.

Animal Planet will change its on-air look on 28 October and will introduce some new global programming like Cricket! It's the Irwins following the nature conservation family and Amanda to the Rescue in which Amanda Giese cares for dogs that others have discarded.

The new Animal Planet appearance will be phased in in more than 200 countries and territories and was done by the New York-based graphic design firm Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv (CGH).

Animal Planet says it remains committed to "keeping the childhood joy and wonder of animals alive by bringing people up close in every way" and that the refocused Animal Planet will be "a multi-platform experience for every member of the family".

"Animal Planet has been a much-loved brand around the world for more than 20 years, and the time has never been more right to engage with mass audiences across every platform who are as passionate about animals as we are," says Susanna Dinnage, Animal Planet global president.

"We are able to reach all generations through our content and storytelling – we are here to entertain and delight by bringing people up close to animals and nature."

It's interesting to note that Animal Planet that started out covering animals, then shifted and rebranded to "Surprisingly Human" and focused on the interaction between humans and animals with landmark series like Whale Wars, now seems to change again to be offering programming for viewers of different ages, created around how "families" interact with animals and the dynamics between "families" of animals, as well as human families interacting with animals.

Pablo Pulido, the vice president for marketing at Animal Planet says "Animal Planet required a mark to represent the global aspect of the brand, as an experience that translates across countries, regions and cultures and beyond linear: a platform agnostic approach."

"CGH is known for developing iconic brand marks and I'm excited they delivered a truly global mark for Animal Planet."

Sagi Haviv, a partner at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, says "We are thrilled to be working with Animal Planet and wanted to capture the energy and joy of this beloved brand. Building on Animal Planet's original mark, the new leaping elephant is fresh and distinctive, and should be able to travel across platforms, audiences and the world".

Animal Planet is in active development and production on more than 25 new series to to be announced later this year and in 2019.

It's not clear what or how much of this Animal Planet programming DStv subscribers might possibly see on some of Discovery's other channels currently carried on MultiChoice's platform.

China's StarTimes grabs UEFA Europa League rights for 3 seasons until 2021 for sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa.

China's StarTimes pay-TV operator in Africa has acquired exclusive broadcasting rights for the UEFA Europa League in sub-Saharan Africa until 2021, excluding South Africa and StarSat, Lesotho and Swaziland.

Coverage of the UEFA Europa League will start on 20 September on StarTimes Sport in Africa. StarTimes will broadcast UEFA Europa League in all sub-Saharan Africa except South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

StarTimes has acquired exclusive English- and Portuguese-language rights to the UUEFA Europa League for the next three seasons, grabbing advantage from Econet's Kwesé TV that has been experiencing financial strain the past few months.

StarTimes has replaced Kwesé Sports as the English-language rights holder of the French Ligue 1 across sub-Saharan Africa for the next three seasons to 2020/2021, and now besides the UEFA Europe League and French Ligue 1 also holds the rights to the German Bundesliga, the Ghanaian Premier League and the Uganda Premier League.

It also held exclusive rights to this year's International Champions Cup - again replacing Kwesé as broadcaster of the league - and becoming the African continent's strongest competitor against MultiChoice's SuperSport.

"We are very happy to bring UEFA Europa League to our subscribers. This summer FIFA World Cup was a success and fans really appreciated that we brought them the International Champions Cup. We then thought that they would be delighted to watch another European club competition on StarTimes," says StarTimes in a statement.

"We are working hard to bring the best sport content to our subscribers.This season will be intense for football fans with Bundesliga, French Ligue 1, FIFA Club World Cup, French & Italian Cups and now UEFA Europa League."

Evert van der Veer appointed as new Fox Networks Group Africa general manager; the role of Vasilis Iliopoulos expanded to senior vice president for FNG Africa.

The Fox Networks Group (FNG), a unit of 21st Century Fox, is restructuring its executive management team for Africa with Evert van der Veer (pictured) appointed as the next new Fox Networks Group Africa general manager based in Johannesburg, and with Vasilis Iliopoulos, the FNG Greece general manager, expanding his role to become senior vice president for FNG Africa.

Both roles begin with immediate effect.

Evert van der Veer replaces Gary Alfonso who exited at the end of March.

Evert van der Veer joins FNG Africa from the emerging markets focused subscription video-on-demand service (SVOD) iflix where he was the head of content for Africa and the Middle East. 

Before that Evert van der Veer was the head of Comedy Central Africa as vice president, at Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) in Johannesburg, where he also helped with the creation of BET Africa in 2015 and this channel's programming and acquisition strategy.

In his expanded role, Vasilis Iliopoulos (pictured right) will focus on the accelerated expansion of FOX Sports and local content production in Africa, linear and non-linear branded entertainment and National Geographic Partners across key markets in East, West and Southern Africa.

Vasilis Iliopoulos who joined the Fox Networks Group in 2011 has been instrumental in the development and launch of FNG Africa’s West African Football Tournament and FOX Sports Africa Boxing initiatives.

"I'm delighted to announce the appointment of both Vasilis Iliopoulos and Evert van der Veer," says Adam Theiler, the executive vice president of Europe and Africa.

"Vasilis is a leader in the truest sense of the word and enjoys the respect and admiration of team members and clients alike in every market he has tackled. Evert is a consummate media professional, who is a fixture in the Johannesburg media scene, and a content expert committed to the future of media across the African continent. I have no doubt that both Vasilis and Evert will prove instrumental in our continued expansion into sub-Saharan Africa."

Fox Networks Group Africa operates pay-TV channels in South Africa and across Africa like FOX, FOX Life, National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, FOX Sports, and Baby TV available on pay-TV platforms like MultiChoice's DStv, StarTimes SA's StarSat, Cell C's black SVOD service, Kwesé TV and others, and runs the non-linear service FOX+ and National Geographic+.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 19 April 2018.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ TV needs fewer commercials - but the math is going to be hard.

■ Netflix: On the brink of global domination?
Now so powerful it even snubbed the Cannes Film Festival, are broadcasters around the world right to fear for their future?


■ Ghana's trash-petty TV station TV3 still can't stand that its former news anchor Nana Aba Anamoah left them.
So when she appeared on stage at the 19th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, broadcast simultaneously on TV3 and M-Net's Africa Magic Family (DStv 154) on MultiChoice's DStv, the shoddy TV3 awkwardly censored its own broadcast and did a blackout for the minute Nana Aba Anamoah appeared on stage to present an award.

■ India's ZEE has big plans for Nigerian audiences - and talks upcoming content.

■ Three people in Ghana selling illegal DStv decoders smuggled in from Nigeria, arrested following a Cyber Crime Unit raid.

■ Kwesé TV says its TV channel Kwesé Inc. will run so-called "success stories" of African entrepreneurs who have used Kwese's services.

■ Judge in Sierra Leone releases a man who sat in jail in custody for 2 years for allegedly stealing a Samsung plasma TV.

■ Britain's broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, announces 7 new investigations into Russia Today (RT) over its spy coverage).

■ The new Lost in Space reboot on Netflix looks an awful lot like a Mass Effect TV show.


■ When TV shows refuse to die and overstay their welcome: Why The Walking Dead on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131 / Cell C black 201) keeps going although it only frustrates viewers - just like the long-tired Homeland on M-Net (DStv 101).

■ MUST READ: The New York Times on what it means that Amazon Studios has arrived at Culver Studios on the lot where Gone with the Wind and E.T. were made.

Four businesses want to start new free-to-air TV channels in South Africa, including ANN7, Sekunjalo through Tshwaranang, and Econet Media's Kwesé TV.

Four business consortiums want to start new freely available TV channels in South Africa - including the so-called "Gupta news" channel ANN7 that MultiChoice is dumping from DStv in August, as well as Sekunjalo that owns the South African print group, Independent Media, looking to launch its first TV channel.

South Africa's broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) received four applications from interested parties who want to start individual, commercial free-to-air (FTA) TV channels.

The last time the regulator opened applications for people to start free-to-air channels to be competition for the SABC and e.tv in 2014, all 5 who applied were disqualified in 2016.

All 5 were refused licences due to problems with cross-media ownership that didn't adhere to regulations, not complying with foreign ownership restrictions, not complying with the ownership share regarding historically-disadvantaged groups and not proving they have adequate financial backing to start sustainable TV channels in South Africa.

Infinity Media Networks - the company name that owned ANN7 before selling it to Mzwanele Manyi's Afrotone Media Holdings - wanted to start a freely available version of ANN7, and has now applied again.

Icasa has published the 4 applicant's names in the Government Gazette of 13 March 2018 with the public that had until 4 April to respond.

The actual applications and application documents are available to the public, but can only be access by people who are in Johannesburg and who physically have to go to the Icasa library in Sandton during office hours. Icasa says the applications are not available online for the public to study.


The following businesses applied for TV channel licenses:

Kwesé Free TV
Econet Media runs Kwesé TV as a pay-TV service outside of South Africa in several Southern African countries but doesn't have a licence to run a pay-TV service in South Africa.
Kwesé has a South African office in Bryanston, Johannesburg, and its one channel, Kwesé Free Sports was just added to the free-to-air satellite service, OpenView HD (OVHD) run by eMedia Investment's Platco Digital.

Econet Media would like to get a foot in the door by starting a free TV channel in South Africa that will start getting its brand out there and build brand recognition in the country, after which it will wait until it can apply for a pay-TV license to become competition for MultiChoice's DStv, StarSat and Deukom.


Infinity Media Networks
Infinity Media Networks used to run ANN7. Then the controversial Gupta family sold ANN7 to Mzwanele Manyi and his Afrotone Media Holdings in a "vendor financing" agreement.
Now Infinity Media Networks is listed again as an applicant to start a new, free-to-air TV channel.

While Infinity Media Networks' name is listed as the applicant for a TV licence, the telephone number listed is that of ANN7 in Midrand - 011 542 1222. The physical office address and the postal address are those currently used by ANN7, and the email addresses provided to the public in the Government Gazette are both ANN7 email addresses.


Free to Air TV
Little is known about this applicant whose office address is given as being in Melrose North, Johannesburg.


Tshwaranang Media
Tshwaranang Media is from Sekunjalo Independent Media (SIM) controlled by Iqbal Survé who owns 55% of the Independent Media Group.

The contact details provided to Icasa are those of the African News Agency (ANA), the tiny wire service run by Sekunjalo and Independent Media, where the contact point for Tshwaranang Media is given as ANA Pictures CEO and Independent Media Solutions (IMS), Amit Makan.

Tshwaranang Media also lists contact details at Condé Nast in Cape Town, with Condé Nast Independent Magazines (CNIM) that is part of Sekunjalo Independent Media.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 12 April 2018.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ The BBC's rauchy drama Versailles cancelled after viewers quickly tired of the pornographic scenes in the United Kingdom and France.

■ Australia's TV industry is highly concerned about that country's broadcasters who want the Australian government to decrease the amount of local children's programming and local drama they're supposed to produce.

■ Should TV series like Little Britain and The Simpsons change with the times?

■ Russia's REN TV thrown out of the hospital where a former Russian spy is being treated after he was poisoned as the REN TV reporter and cameraman wandered through corridors at the Salisbury District Hospital.

■ Causing a splash: BBC presenter Mike Bushell ends up in the deep end during a live swimming pool TV interview.

■ Zimbabwe's censors ban all TV and radio adverts for prophets and "traditional healings".
Ironically Zimbabwean viewers will still be able to watch charlatan shows like Spirit on the FOX Life channel that is available on both Kwesé TV and DStv Zimbabwe.

■ ZEE Entertainment does a programming upfront in Nigeria about upcoming shows on Zee, Zee World, Zee Bollymovies and Zee's other TV channels.

■ TV viewers in Kenya furious over the broadcast of a Kiss condom commercial on television.
Kenya's belligerent censorship tsar Ezekiel Mutua says the country's censorship board will go to court to ban broadcasters from showing the condom advert.

■ Expensive free speech in Tanzania: Bloggers in Tanzania now have to register and pay $900 per year.

■ Shocking new TV show in Belgium breaks viewership records as a comedian tell jokes in the horrifically cruel show called Taboo, about paraplegics, amputees, and all kinds of minorities including gays, dwarfs, the poor, the fat, blind people, people with mental illness and even children without arms.

TOLDJA! The Americentric channel, Kwesé Free Sports, from Econet Media's Kwesé TV will start on OpenView HD as its first real sports channel on Friday 16 March.

A day after TVwithThinus reported on Tuesday that OpenView HD will be adding the Kwesé Free Sports channel but with eMedia Investments not wanting to say more, OpenView HD on Wednesday issued a press release saying that Kwesé Free Sports will start on Friday 16 March 2018 on channel 110 at 11:30.

Why eMedia Investments and OpenView HD couldn't say that in response when TVwithThinus asked in a media enquiry on Tuesday, but then suddenly can a day later, is mind-boggling, but as already reported on Tuesday, Kwesé Free Sports will be OpenView HD's first real sports channel, although it's very Americentric.

Packed with American sports content from ESPN, Kwesé Free Sports is a great beginning into real sports content for OpenView HD and its existing viewers.

There might also be existing and former subscribers of MultiChoice's DStv who might switch to OpenView HD for the exclusive content like basketball that isn't available on SuperSport's channels on DStv.

Kwesé Free Sports is a pan-African free-to-air channel from Econet Media's Kwesé TV that is already available in more than 27 countries in Africa and shows the Premier League live, NBA, various FIFA tournaments including the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and leagues, NFL, AVIVA Premiership Rugby as well as sport themed magazine shows like ESPN's SportCenter.

ESPN is crawling back to Africa and using Kwesé TV to do so, after dumping the continent and MultiChoice in July 2013 during corporate downsizing. In the process ESPN burnt a lot of bridges and sentiment and destroyed its relationship with viewers who will not easily trust or return to ESPN's programming. 

OpenView HD says that "the demand for a dedicated sports channel on OpenView has been at the top of the OpenView viewers' requests, and the platform is delighted to have struck a deal with this dynamic sports channel". 

"Sport is one of the most talked about subjects in South Africa and giving our audiences a new experience on the platform is perfectly timed," says Ziyanda Mngomezulu, OpenView HD's head of channel acquisitions.

"We have had requests for a sports channel since the launch of OpenView and Kwesé Free Sports is the perfect choice for quality sport from around the world that our viewers will love."

Joseph Hundah, Econet Media president and group CEO says "This is yet another significant milestone for us as we introduce another premium Kwesé platform to the South African market following the launch of Kwesé Play in 2017."

"This increases Kwesé Free Sports' footprint to 27 markets. As a business premised on making world-class sports and entertainment content accessible, we are proud to deliver a dedicated sports channel beaming 24 hours of premium and in some cases exclusive sporting action."

Kwesé Free Sports will show WTA Miami Masters tennis, while baseball fans can watch Toronto Blue Jays second baseman and shortstop Gift Ngoepe make his mark in the South African history books in Major League Baseball. 

Motoring heads can get their fix of fast paced racing action in the Formula E, while basketball fans can watch the NBA season.

BREAKING. eMedia Investment's OpenView HD to add Kwesé TV's Americentric sports channel, Kwesé Free Sports, as its first real sports channel soon.

eMedia Investments's free-to-air TV satellite platform, OpenView HD (OVHD) is making its biggest play since the TV service from Platco Digital launched in October 2013, with OpenView HD that will be adding its first real sports channel, Kwesé Free Sports, very soon.

No launch date for the Americentric Kwesé Free Sports is known yet, with OpenView HD only confirming to TVwithThinus that Kwesé Free Sports will be launching on the OpenView HD platform, and that details on the date will be announced later.

OpenView HD has been without any notable sports channels the past few years four and a half years due to the exorbitant costs of sports rights and sports channel carriage costs associated with these distributor agreements.

OpenView HD has been carrying TRACE's less than well received Trace Sport Stars channel that does celebrity profile and puff lifestyle inserts of sports stars but that isn't showing actual sport content and coverage.

Kwesé Free Sports as a TV channel part of a larger TV channel bouquet s currently carried on Kwesé TV from Econet Media in several Southern African countries outside of South Africa. 

It's not been seen in South Africa since Econet Media and Kwesé TV doesn't have a licence to operate a direct-to-home (DTH) pay-TV satellite service in South Africa.

Kwesé Free Sports is largely an Americentric sports channel. Kwesé TV has American basketball rights, acquired some boxing rights, and also signed a collaboration agreement in January 2017 with ESPN.

ESPN and some of its channels was available on MultiChoice's DStv until ESPN decided to abruptly flee and dump Africa in July 2013 during corporate downsizing, but has since last year tried to return to Africa with its American sports content.  

NCAA American football and basketball is shown on Kwesé Free Sports along with ESPN shows like SportsCenter, with some Kwesé TV content, most notably boxing and American basketball programming, that has also been made available on a selective basis to some South African community TV channels like Soweto TV (DStv 251 / StarSat 488) and 1KZN (DStv 261 / StarSat 486). 

Kwesé Free Sports also has some coverage of the Premier League soccer, Formula One, some international cricket, the Aviva Premiership Rugby, The Spanish Copa Del Rey, Brazilian soccer and the Extreme Fighting Championship.

Adding Kwesé Free Sports will bolster OpenView HD's offering.

The channel addition will give the Kwesé TV and Kwesé Free Sports brands exposure in South Africa, while giving OpenView HD the platform's first real sports content - although mostly American.

That will be an attractive lure for OpenView HD's audience, especially male viewers, as well as others since it will have sports content that's not available to SuperSport on DStv's platform, or on StarSat.

OOH, AWESOME. Ridley Scott's new epic-looking British navy period drama, The Terror, coming to AMC and SundanceTV on DStv and Kwesé TV from 27 March as an Express from the US title.

The amazing looking new premium TV period drama, The Terror, produced by Ridley Scott, will be coming to South African and African viewers simulcast on both AMC (Kwese TV 130) and Sundance TV (DStv 108) from 27 March at 21:00, and as an Express from the US title.

South African viewers will see the big-budget series a whole month before the United Kingdom, where The Terror only starts on 24 April, as the first of 2018's most anticipated new premium TV series of the year.

The terrific new limited-series period drama from Scott Free Productions, Emjag Productions and Entertainment 360 in association with AMC Studios, is based on Dan Simmons's 2007 book by the same name.

The Terror will start on 26 March in America, and literally at the same time in South Africa and Africa where pay-TV subscribers will be able to see the 10 episodes it in high definition thanks to AMC Networks International that in 2016 snapped up the drama series for an exclusive premiere playout next month on AMC Global's channels in territories across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America.

The Terror will have with new episodes every Tuesday until 29 May, with a cast including Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies, Ciaran Hinds, Matthew McNaulty and Nive Nielsen as the enigmatic Lady Silence.

The Terror's teaser trailer looks incredible and tells the tale of the British Royal Navy's perilous voyage in 1847 into unchartered territory and the various crews' desperate attempt discover the Northwest Passage sea route in the frigid Arctic Ocean through the Canadian Arctic archipelago.

The Terror, playing out as a bit of a horror story since it's done by Alien director Ridley Scott, is inspired by a true story with the drama series that will have viewers really at the edge of their seats with treacherous conditions, dwindling and limited resources, dwindling hope, fear of death, somewhat of a supernatural mystery and several secrets and shocking revelations as crews are pushed to the brink of extinction.

While everything starts out fine, soon the ships are trapped in the ice and people start dying. Frozen, isolated and stuck at the end of the world, The Terror shows all that can go wrong when a group of men, desperate to survive, struggle not only with the harsh elements, but with each other.

While desperately searching for a way through, the crews are attacked by a mysterious predator that stalks the ships and their crew in a suspenseful and desperate game of survival.

Meanwhile various in-fighting and political, naval intrigue are playing out aboard as each of the top-ranking naval officers are scheming for various reasons, while Lady Silence is trying to protect her land and her people.

The real expedition to discovery the Northwest Passage led to more than 120 crew members inexplicably disappearing. That of course has led to a lot of speculation over the year of just what exactly happened on board.

After almost 175 years of searching, the ships were discovered by arctic research groups in 2014 and 2016.

The Terror was filmed in Budapest and is named for one of the two British ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror that undertook the perilous journey.

"The Terror captures a rare combination of fascinating history, complex and flawed characters, the inextinguishable human spirit and the horror and promise of an uncharted world,"says executive producers and co-showrunners David Kajganich and Soo Hugh in a statement.

"We are looking forward to bringing viewers into this world."

Here is the teaser trailer for The Terror:



Here is a fascinating, must-watch, pre-season behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Terror:

MultiChoice won't be hiking DStv fees in Southern African countries Zimbabwe and Swaziland after its latest DStv price increase coming to South Africa from April.

MultiChoice won't be hiking DStv fees in the Southern African countries of Zimbabwe and Swaziland after its latest DStv price hike that is coming for South Africa's DStv subscribers from April.

While South Africa's rand is a stronger currency against the dollar and has been more resilient against the greenback that the currency of several other African nations, MultiChoice Africa decreased the DStv subscription fees in the past few months in several other African countries.

In contrast MultiChoice South Africa keeps increasing overall DStv subscription fees in South Africa every year - its biggest subscriber base market.

Now for 2018, it appears so far as if South Africa is going to be the only Southern African market in which MultiChoice operates its DStv satellite pay-TV service, where it will be upping its monthly DStv subscription fees this year.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe and MultiChoice Swaziland have both been very quick to respond that in these countries DStv subscribers won't see a similar increase in 2018, with more Southern African nations - Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zambia - who could possibly follow.

Swazi Observer reporter Fortune Ndlangamandla blatantly plagiarised and stole large chunks of my orginal reporting by stealing through a copy-and-paste job what I wrote first about South Africa's DStv subscriber fee increase, but did add an originally sourced response from MultiChoice Swaziland saying it won't be hiking DStv fees there.

Dumsile Masuku, MultiChoice Swaziland publicist said about MultiChoice South Africa's DStv price hike that "What they do is irrelevant to us. We know nothing about the price hikes".

In Zimbabwe DStv actually lowered DStv subscription fees due to DStv subscribers struggling extremely with its trash currency, Zimbabwe's reserve bank making it basically impossible to pay DStv subscription fees, and the launch of rival Kwesé TV from Econet Media.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe told told TechZim that DStv subscription fees will remain the same in 2018.

"While we can confirm that Multichoice South Africa will increase DStv prices in South Africa, it’s worth noting that MultiChoice Africa is a seperate business unit that operates independently."

"In the past two years, we haven’t increased DStv subscription prices for our customers in Zimbabwe – and in fact, we’ve decreased some package prices and added exciting premium content across various packages as part of our priority to put customers in the heart of everything we do."

"Should there be any changes to DStv subscription prices in Zimbabwe, we will inform our customers accordingly."

Viacom Africa on the new Paramount Network pay-TV channel launched in America: 'We will explore opportunities to build the brand in the African market'.

Viacom Africa says its thrilled about the launch of Viacom's flagship new premium, general entertainment pay-TV channel - the Paramount Network going live today in the United States - with Viacom Africa's boss telling TVwithThinus that it will look at opportunities to build the brand in the African market.

While not saying it in specific words, these opportunities could include launching the Paramount Network as a linear TV channel in South Africa and Africa on direct-to-home (DTH) pay-TV satellite services like MultiChoice's DStv, StarSat or Kwesé TV, or on over-the-top (OTT) streaming services like Cell C black or DEOD that carry linear TV channels.

A year ago, in February 2017, Viacom announced that it will be creating the Paramount Network in 2018 through scrapping its one channel, Spike TV, and that it will remake, rebrand and relaunch Spike TV in early 2018 as The Paramount Network - it's most important new channel.

The Paramount channel as a premium, general entertainment channel will carry "bold original scripted and non-scripted series" with Viacom that's moving its best shows to this channel and rolling out several brand-new scripted series and drama series on this channel.

Programming on the Paramount Network will include brand-new programming and series like Waco, Heathers (pictured), American Woman, Yellowstone, First Wives Club, Velvet and Accused along with shows like Lip Sync Battle, Ink Master, Bar Rescue, Bellator MMA and more.

Viacom International Media Networks already operates a Paramount Channel (a film channel) in some parts of the world - but not in South Africa and Africa - and will likely just morph and change these placeholder channels (Paramount Channel and Spike TV) in other territories into The Paramount Network over time to align it with the premium American brand that is now being created.

How exactly does VIMN Africa see the Paramount Network's importance and relevance for South Africa and Africa?

"We are thrilled for the launch of Paramount Network in the United States and will explore opportunities to build the brand in the African market," says Alex Okosi, VIMN Africa and BET International executive vice-president and managing director.

"VIMN Africa is always looking at ways to optimize our business and brands to appeal to the broad, diverse audience on the continent."

"Inspired by over a century of cinema, Paramount is a powerful brand that resonates with audiences globally. With 12 locally scheduled versions around the world, the Paramount Channel is Viacom International Media Network’s fastest growing brand."

"We are thrilled for the launch of Paramount Network in the United States and will explore opportunities to build the brand in the African market.”

Kevin Kay, Paramount Network president, said that the new channel wants "to be the definitive new home for premium storytelling", and that "our goal is to change the game of how viewers experience high-end scripted" TV content.

Paramount Network president of development Keith Cox said that Paramount Network is going to be famous for big bold originals. We want to make linear TV urgent again."

Will - or when will - South Africa's pay-TV viewers get Viacom's new the Paramount Network channel, and should it replace something like MTV Europe?

A question of paramount importance: Will - or when will - South African pay-TV viewers get to see Viacom's new flagship TV channel, the Paramount Network, that is launching on 18 January in the United States?

Will Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) possibly roll out the Paramount Network in 2018 on one of the existing direct-to-home (DTH) satellite pay-TV services like MultiChoice's DStv, StarSat from China's StarTimes Media SA and On Digital Media (ODM), or Kwesé TV?

Or perhaps the Paramount Network could possibly be added to the channel line-ups of one of the new over-the-top (OTT) services like Cell C's black, or DEOD?

A year ago, in February 2017, Viacom announced that it will be creating the Paramount Network in 2018 through scrapping its one channel, Spike TV, and that it will remake, rebrand and relaunch Spike TV in early 2018 as The Paramount Network - it's most important new channel.

The Paramount channel as a premium, general entertainment channel will carry "bold original scripted and non-scripted series" with Viacom that's moving its best shows to this channel and rolling out several brand-new scripted series and drama series on this channel.

Programming on the Paramount Network will include brand-new programming and series like Waco, Heathers (pictured), American Woman, Yellowstone, First Wives Club, Velvet and Accused along with shows like Lip Sync Battle, Ink Master, Bar Rescue, Bellator MMA and more.

Since the Paramount Network will be Viacom's flagship TV channel from next week, it's inconceivable that South African and African viewers won't get to see it ... eventually.

As TVwithThinus reported last year, the Paramount Network, together with BET (DStv 129), Comedy Central (DStv 122), MTV (DStv 130), Nickelodeon (DStv 305) and Nick Jr. (DStv 307) will now be Viacom's flagship channel brands with all of Viacom's effort, focus and content spending that will now be going to these channels.

The Paramount Network will do and have the premium shows in Viacom's content collection, while MTV is getting "refocus" around reality shows.

Viacom International Media Networks already operates a Paramount Channel (a film channel) in some parts of the world - but not in South Africa and Africa - and will likely just morph and change these placeholder channels (Paramount Channel and Spike TV) in other territories into The Paramount Network over time.

But what about countries where these placeholder channels don't already exist and have an existing footprint?

Last week TVwithThinus asked Viacom International Media Networks Africa if VIMN Africa will be adding, or is looking at adding, the Paramount Network as a TV channel in South Africa and Africa, and also whether getting the Paramount Network to viewers in South Africa and across Africa is important or seen as a priority.

How exactly does VIMN Africa see the Paramount Network's importance and relevance for South Africa and Africa?

"We are thrilled for the launch of Paramount Network in the United States and will explore opportunities to build the brand in the African market," says Alex Okosi, VIMN Africa and BET International executive vice-president and managing director.

"VIMN Africa is always looking at ways to optimize our business and brands to appeal to the broad, diverse audience on the continent."

"Inspired by over a century of cinema, Paramount is a powerful brand that resonates with audiences globally. With 12 locally scheduled versions around the world, the Paramount Channel is Viacom International Media Network’s fastest growing brand."

"We are thrilled for the launch of Paramount Network in the United States and will explore opportunities to build the brand in the African market.”

TVwithThinus will keep tracking the ongoing developments around the Paramount Network since Kevin Kay, now the Paramount Network president, himself has said that Viacom's new channel is positioning itself as the crown jewel in Viacom's collection of TV channels going forward.

"The Paramount Network will take Spike's already strong programming mix and amplify it with the Paramount brand. Its focus will be on building distinctive, high-quality scripted and non-scripted original programming – with dramas, comedies, documentaries, movies, sports and tentpole events."

One possibility - if the Paramount Network were to be made available in South Africa - would or could be to replace MTV Europe (DStv 130) on MultiChoice's DStv for instance.

MultiChoice already carries MTV Europe and the Afro-tainment MTV Base as separate channels.

Just like MultiChoice had done with Viacom's BET channels that was cut down from two to one, MTV could be snackwitched down to one channel without any loss to make space for the Paramount Network in MTV Europe's place.

The original content on MTV Europe like the Siesta Key-type shows could easily be transplanted onto MTV Base's schedule to make the programming line-up of MTV Base stronger, combining the best of MTV's Brit-American reality series with MTV Base's original African productions like the MTV Shuga series.

It would also make it easier for viewers to know where to find all the MTV-ey reality and music type content, with then the Paramount Network as the more higher grade channel where the drama, sitcom, documentary series and scripted fare content and shows like the new Yellowstone drama with Kevin Costner can reside.

On Monday in America at the Annual winter tour of the Television Critics Association (TCA) in Pasadena, California, Kevin Kay told TV critics that the Paramount Network wants "to be the definitive new home for premium storytelling", and that "our goal is to change the game of how viewers experience high-end scripted" TV content.

Paramount Network president of development Keith Cox told TV critics that Paramount Network is going to be famous for big bold originals. We want to make linear TV urgent again."

Africa set to add 17.4 million pay-TV subscribers in the next 5 years as pay-TV subscriptions on the continent continue to soar.

Pay-TV subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa is set to soar and will continue its massive growth in the next 5 years, increasing by 74% between 2017 and 2025, and adding 17.4 million pay-TV subscribers to reach 40.89 million pay-TV households according to the projections in a new research report compiled by Digital TV research.

Together with pay-TV growth, will come an increase in competition, with competing pay-TV companies that are already lowering subscription fees and subsidising decoder costs.

Over the same period, according to projections, pay-TV revenue in sub-Saharan Africa will increase by 14% to $6.64 billion.

While South Africa continues to have the most pay-TV subscribers on the continent, Nigeria is set to overtake South Africa by 2021.

By 2023 South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be the top 5 pay-TV countries in Africa according to pay-TV subscriber numbers; followed by Uganda, the Ivory Coast and Angola.

These top 8 African countries according to pay-TV subscribers by 2023 will collectively have three-quarters of the total pay-TV subscriber market by 2023.

From the current 23.49 million pay-TV subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2017, 13.78 million were satellite pay-TV subscribers and 9.11 million were digital terrestrial television (DTT) pay-TV subscribers.

According to Digital TV Research, by 2023 this will have grown to 40.89 million for satellite TV and 8 million DTT pay-TV subscribers.

MultiChoice had 12.48 million subscribers across its DStv satellite pay-TV platform service and its GOtv DTT service by the end of 2017, and that is set to increase to 16.66 million by 2023 according to growth estimates.

Naspers' MultiChoice remains by far the largest pay-TV operator on the African continent.

Vivendi had 2.96 million subscribers for its Canal Plus satellite pay-TV platform and Easy TV at the end of 2017 and will likely increase this to 4.87 million by 2023.
 
StarTimes,operating as StarSat in South Africa see its subscriber base in Africa and South Africa increase from 6.23 million subscribers at the end of 2017 to 13.42 million by 2023.

“Pay-TV competition in sub-Saharan Africa is becoming more and more intense, especially given the launch of Kwesé in 14 countries during 2017," says analyst Simon Murray who compiled the research.