SABC2 and SABC3 to remain loss-making as South Africa's public broadcaster wants to position SABC+ as 'flagship platform'

Thinus Ferreira

According to the struggling South African public broadcaster's latest 5-year strategic corporate plan its SABC2 and SABC3 TV channels will remain loss-making, while it plans a pivot to position its streaming service SABC+ as its "flagship platform going forward".

The technically insolvent SABC plans to spend 86% more in 2026 on consultants and legal fees,239% more on market research and 260% more on production expenses.

Meanwhile two of its three main TV channels - SABC2 and SABC3 - will continue to run at a loss, with SABC1 that has to carry the weight of "subsidising" the two loss making channels. 

This is also the reason why the SABC is more hesitant to tamper or change the SABC1 schedule and programming line-up, and more willing to do that with SABC2 and SABC3.

With no further bailouts forthcoming from the South African government, the SABC is looking at other possible resources, including signing a loan with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in 2026 to produce new content.

The interest on this loan, should the SABC sign a deal with the IDC in 2026, will amount to R29 million.

"The biggest challenge that we've got is that really our inability to fund compelling new content," says Nomsa Chabeli, SABC CEO. "Our assets are deteriorating. For example, the SABC has not been able to install new lifts in 55 years."

Nomsa Chabeli says the SABC has been slow in monetising SABC+ as its streaming service but the broadcaster is pivoting to generate more money through SABC Plus.

"We are looking going forward that SABC+ is going to be a standalone business unit in its own right with dedicated resources because to compete in the streaming world, we really need to focus and be more deliberate on how we take this to market and monetise this."

According to her, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime don't just make money from new content, but also by purchasing old programmes from other broadcasters.

"The catalogue is very critical and we are going to ensure that we exploit it not just for ourselves but then be able to license it globally to other streaming services."

The SABC aims to grow SABC+'s registered users to 1.4 million this year, to 2.2 million in 2027 and 3.1 million by 2028. It currently has about 850,000 registered users.

Tendai Matore, SABC acting chief financial officer, says the public broadcaster is planning on an increase of 86% to R127 million in "professional fees" due to a drastic increase in the money spent on consultants, audit fees and legal fees.

According to him, the SABC also plans to increase production expenses by 260% to R29.6 million, with an increase of 208% to R98.9 million in the cost of new media productions.

The SABC's total marketing costs next year will increase by 33% more than the current forecast.

Most of this spending is allocated for the SABC radio division for "awards shows", like this past weekend's 19th Metro FM Music Awards, which is "income-generating" according to the broadcaster.

The SABC is also forging ahead with setting up its own satellite-TV project, similar to MultiChoice's DStv but more aligned with eMedia's Openview where a customer buys a decoder once, with no subscription fee to get access to a set of free TV channels.

Kathutshelo Ramukumba, SABC chairperson, says the broadcaster now wants to work with the likes of MultiChoice, Primedia, as well as Netflix and VIU which are competitors, to "share content".

"We are seeking partnerships with organisations that traditionally would be viewed as competition for the SABC. This includes MultiChoice; also streaming services like VIU, Netflix and all the rest."

SABC+ app relaunched again as it adds advertising and makes user registration compulsory.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African public broadcaster has relaunched its SABC+ video streaming app for the second time in seven months, but now requiring users to register again, adding back some catch-up content functionality and forcing users to see ads.

The SABC has relaunched its SABC+ over-the-top app again after its last relaunch in December 2023.

SABC+ users have to redownload the app again and register through the creation of a new user account and providing a cellphone number.

With the relaunched SABC+ app, the SABC is once again starting over from scratch to build a user base for the third time. 

The SABC told TVwithThinus in May that SABC+ amassed over a million users. SABC+ originally launched in November 2022 when the SABC took over Telkom's sold-off Telkom ONE streamer.

When the SABC took over the Telkom ONE platform, users had to register to access it. With the relaunch in December 2023 the user registration requirement was dropped. The user account requirement is now back, although users are not required to provide a valid SABC TV Licence number.

The SABC says it "urges" all users to re-register on SABC+ by creating an account "in order to comply with the POPI Act".

To register on SABC+ a user must provide a cellphone number, name and surname, birth date, gender, country, province, and a password. Providing an email address is optional.

The latest SABC+ app will be available on Android, iOS and Huawei stores, Apple TV(TVOS), Google TV and Android boxes (the update will be delayed), as well as LG smartTVs.

The latest SABC+ app returns the catch-up functionality which was removed during the previous relaunch at the beginning of 2024, and adds voice command for content search, a TV schedule electronic programme guide (EPG) and "Radio Now Playing", as well as possible personalised recommendations and updates to the user interface.

Content download features will now be available on the mobile-only SABC+ version.

The latest SABC+ version gives unlimited access on multiple household devices but with the update comes display banner advertising and video adverts. An EPG reminder functionality is now also available.

The SABC has added Channel Africa broadcasting in the languages of Chinyanja, Kiswahili, English, French and Portuguese for the African diaspora worldwide. Other radio stations which are accessible through SABC+ include Springbok Radio, Radio Bantu, 5FM and Radio 2000.

TV channels include SABC1, SABC2, SABC3, SABC Sport, SABC News, SABC Education and SABC Lehae.

Streaming video quality can be selected between 240p, 360p, 720p and 1080p. 

In a prepared statement Nomsa Chabeli, SABC CEO, says "SABC+ will now be accessible across multiple devices, ensuring that our audiences can enjoy their favourite content anywhere, anytime. Our most beloved brands, including our top-rated radio stations as well as exciting new range of podcasts, will now be just a tap away".

SABC launches SABC+ video streaming service as 'missing piece to content distribution strategy'.

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC is taking over TelkomONE as Telkom is getting out of offering its own customised video streaming service offering after two years, with the South African public broadcaster relaunching and rebranding it as SABC+.

SABC+ carries SABC1, SABC2, SABC3, SABC Sports and SABC News as TV channels, the SABC's 19 radio stations and says it will do occasional "pop-up channels" for radio and television in future. SABC Education will also be added as a TV channel.

SABC+ streams the various linear SABC TV channels live and has a 7-day catch-up window making content available for a week afterwards. There is also a "2-day rewind"-option in the cloud.

Pop-up type TV channels on SABC+ will include a festive SABC channel that will launch in December, as well as a Senzo Meyiwa murder trial TV channel for court watching.

SABC+ joins a crowded streaming space already populated by Netflix SA, MultiChoice's video streamer Showmax, eMedia's eVOD, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, BritBox SA, Acorn TV, VIU, TruthTV, WOW Presents Plus and MarqueeTV. 

SABC+ will work on the web and as an app but on Thursday morning www.sabcplus.com didn't work, although www.sabcplus.co.za did, which then redirects to www.sabcplus.com/en.

Merlin Naicker, SABC head of SABC video entertainment, says SABC+ was constructed and launched "at break-neck speed".

"What would have been a 24-month typical green fields project, we've launched in - I keep asking the team - and everybody says it's less than 21 days. So this 85-year-old organisation can move fast. That's the important message to get out to the industry - that we are moving faster."

"We're a lot more agile and SABC+ is going to speak to that content development moving forward."

He said the SABC had already digitised over 200 000 hours of the SABC archives that are "digitised and ready to go and which we will add to the service" and there are also plans to "remaster" some of the older content, including adding soundtracks in other languages in addition to the original language soundtrack of certain shows.

With only 18% of South African TV households which the SABC is aware of still paying their SABC TV Licence, SABC+ will not require or work with a valid SABC TV Licence number in order for a user or subscriber to gain access.

"A lot of our audiences are now migrating from the historical, traditional platforms to digital," said SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe.

"This is a great milestone for the SABC and it's great for audiences. It's interactive - the platform. They can use it in a manner that they can, to be able to view all our content, whether radio or television".

At an SABC launch event for SABC+ in Johannesburg on Thursday morning which a lot of media were not aware of would be happening, Madoda Mxakwe said "Today marks a very important day for the SABC as we launch this SABC over-the-top (OTT) platform".

"It's great that it's called SABC Plus because it's future-looking and it's talking about us getting into a very competitive space in the digital environment".

"We're introducing SABC+ which is really for everyone, everywhere, always. Today we move to deliver our content in a variety of platforms, across multiple platforms to reach our targeted audiences."

Madoda Mxakwe said that SABC+ gives the broadcaster "a good competitive edge to ensuring that we can migrate with audiences".

"We're repositioning the SABC as a multi-device content provider. We'll have more shows, more accessibility, more availability and access to our content anywhere you go. SABC+ is for us unlimited entertainment."

"We are now adapting to the fast-changing media environment. We know that our audiences are exposed to various media options," he said. "It's important that we reimagine public service broadcasting in the new digital era. So we're really placing a whole lot of emphasis in redefining the public broadcasting within an environment characterised by multi-platforms as well as multi-channels."

"Broadcasting in the digital age requires that we broaden the quality and scope of our content offering, intensify accessibility, as well as offer our audiences value for their time and their money."

"Very key for us is the ability to provide universal access. This has been the missing piece to complete the SABC's content distribution strategy."