Sibusiso Leope, 'DJ Sbu', in new partnership syndication deal with Times Media to do new DJ Sbu Breakfast on 2 radio stations and on Soweto TV and 1KZN.

DJ Sbu (Sibusiso Leope) will start a new radio-on-television show on 4 July that will be a simulcast quattro play on two of The Times Media Group's radio stations and two community TV channels.

The DJ Sbu Breakfast, a partnership syndication deal, will go out on the radio stations Vuma FM in KwaZulu-Natal and Rise FM in Mpumalanga, as well as on the Urban Brew managed and produced community stations Soweto TV (DStv 251) and 1 KZN (DStv 261 / StarSat 486).

The DJ Sbu Breakfast radio programme that will have in-studio cameras similar to kykNET's Die Groot Ontbyt and essentially broadcast a video feed of the radio show, will go out between 06:00 and 09:00 on weekdays.

The DJ SBu Breakfast will be done alternatively from Times Media Group's studios in Rosebank, Johannesburg, the Rise FM studio in Mbombela and the Vuma FM studio in Durban.

In an announcement the MoFaya energy drink peddler who in 2015 presented the entrepreneurial show Kicking Doors on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) called the DJ Sbu Breakfast show "history in the making. Never been done before. Two radio stations, one man, one breakfast".

Previously Sibusiso Leope was the presenter of the long-running Friends Like These on SABC1, produced by Urban Brew Studios until his contract was terminated after 12 years in late 2015.

South Africa's private media who 'just want to report scandals' will be forced to transform say minister of communications, Faith Muthambi.

The minister of communications Faith Muthambi again lashed out at South Africa's press - especially private media - for not reporting on "the good" government is doing, saying that the government is planning to transform private media in the country that's only interested in reporting "scandals".

A rambling Faith Muthambi proclaimed that the Gupta owned The New Age newspaper and the ANN7 news channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform are the only media telling government's "good" stories and that president's Jacob Zuma's "biggest crime" is that he has not dealt with South Africa's media monopolies.

Earlier this month in her budget speech in parliament, Faith Muthambi lashed out at South Africa's media, saying "to some media houses their main mission is simply to paint this government as corrupt, hapless and inept", warning that transformation of private print media ownership and the ownership of printing presses are on the cards.

Faith Muthambi, speaking as a panelist at the latest The New Age breakfast briefing in Sandton done in conjunction with the SABC and broadcast on SABC2's Morning Live,  had glowing praise for the SABC, ANN7 (DStv 405) and The New Age newspaper's good coverage and criticised other media who, according to her just want to scandalise "this black-led government".

"Given the current status quo - with regard to these big 4 mainstream media - they've taken a particular position towards government to say then what they're interested on, it is report on the scandals. The good thing that government that is doing they're not interested on reporting that," said Faith Muthambi.

Faith Muthambi also said this "problem" is an issue of private media ownership in South Africa.

The "big 4" private South African media conglomerates Faith Muthambi is referring to are Naspers, Caxton-CTP, Independent News and Media SA (INMSA) and the Times Media Group.

"This black-led government, if its not scandalised, there is noting good that they are doing."

"There are people that of the view that [the Gupta owned] The New Age and ANN7 must be dealt away with. And I can say this the biggest crime this government led by president Zuma has done to deal with this monopolies."

"ANN7 and The New Age they are the only newspaper amongst a group that are able to report the positive thing that's government is doing. So for then, the private media ownership that becomes a problem."

"Now they are not able to reign, in terms of the consumption of the news. And then our people then they get empowered," said Faith Muthambi.

"We want to go to the offensive. It is time that we transform this sector. It's time. So that our people then have options. The right to choose. Unlike what they have been fed with all the time."

Faith Muthambi said "I think we have been talking a lot. It's time for action now".

"The 90% [local radio airplay] one also, that is the route. We are the policy makers.  We had to make sure that SABC does 90%. That should also come across when it comes to community media."

"I want to commend the SABC because through their 19 radio station at least people are able to be empowered, informed and then they're being educated, entertained, and also they understand the type of ... they need to take this or that."

Faith Muthambi reiterated that "we are going to go to the offensive now" and that "when it comes to ownership you see, you will find these black journalists that are there. But for them to progress to own, who own printing companies now?"

"It is time to transform this media industry," she said.


DTT: 'The focus shouldn't on us missing the deadline'
When asked about South Africa's long-delayed switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) and how far the government is, Faith Muthambi said "the focus shouldn't on us missing the deadline. We shall just talk about the project. The project is here."

The billion rands project is years late and mired court battles, embarrassing scandals and confusion with South Africa that missed the internationally agreed to deadline of June 2015 to complete the switch-over process.

The government admits it doesn't have enough money to supply all poor families earning less than R3 200 with the government subsidised set-top boxes (STBs) TV households will need to keep watching the existing TV channels and planned new ones the SABC wants to start at a cost of R2 billion.

"As a department I think we have made inroads in make sure that the project moves within the very short space of time. So we shouldn't be focusing much on the delays," said Faith Muthambi.

JustFlicks launches as a video-on-demand (VOD) service in South Africa at R1 per day, replacing Times Media Group's failed VIDI service.

JustFlicks has launched as a new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in South Africa, taking over the failed VIDI streaming streaming the Times Media Group shut down earlier this year.

JustFlicks joins Netflix South Africa, Naspers' ShowMax, PCCW Global's ONTAPtv.com from China and MTN's VU offering video streaming services.

JustFlicks subscriptions start at R1 per day and fees are collected through a user's mobile phone operator.

JustFlicks, owned by Marble Gold 322 (Pty) Ltd and operated by STS that is a wireless application service provider (WASP), says users must have an internet connection speed of at least 1Mbps, although faster speed will mean a higher quality of video streaming.

JustFlicks offers 1 000 hours of library TV series and films and it plans to add 100 further titles per month. The service says it's available in South Africa only.

JustFlicks incorporates a green "play" symbol in its logo that's also prominent in its user interface.

The green reuleaux triangle is interestingly exactly the same colour and looks exactly like the one used by MultiChoice for its DStv BoxOffice VOD film service.

According to the latest research by Digital TV Research regarding so-called over-the-top (OTT) and VOD services, "subscription VOD packages in South Africa are expensive" and is further held back by pricey broadband packages and the slow roll-out of infrastructure.

BREAKING. VIDI fails: Times Media Group's streaming service quietly shuts down as the next victim in South Africa's video-on-demand battle.

VIDI has become South Africa's second commercial video-on-demand (VOD) failure with the Times Media Group that has abruptly shut down the streaming service just a year and 4 months after it launched in September 2014.

There's been no announcement of the closure of the struggling VIDI, with the website saying VIDI is no longer available.

It leaves Naspers' ShowMax, China's PCCW Global and its OnTapTV.com, MTN's relaunched VU, as well as Netflix South Africa as the remaining subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) players who all arose quickly within the past year and already saw Altron's disastrous Altech Node crash and burn in October 2015.

In the same month last year, investor group Tiso Blackstar which has full ownership of the Times Media Group, announced that it is pulling out of VIDI and said that that the purple SVOD service that was launched with great fanfare hasn't been a success since it went commercial.

VIDI launched a marketing campaign offering a Ferrari 458 Spider in an attempt to get more people to try the video service - which at launch said that it would need 40 000 regular users to break even.

Both ShowMax and ONTAPtv.com at their respective launch events refused to say how many users and subscribers they would need to be viable and successful but both ShowMax and ONTAPtv.com said there won't be immediate pressure.

Tiso Blackstar attributed VIDI's failure to "weak market penetration and the slow pace of meaningful broadband growth in South Africa".

Compared to Netflix South Africa, ShowMax and OnTapTV.com, VIDI had the smallest number of film titles, the smallest number of TV titles, as well as the shortest trial period of just 7 days.

According to a recent study by research firm BMI-TechKnowledge, South African consumers have a very low awareness of VOD providers with only 18% of people knowing what and who video-on-demand players are.

According to the study there could be between 692 000 and 917 500 active video-on-demand (VOD) households by 2020 in South Africa.

MultiChoice with DStv and its BoxOffice service stands out with the highest awareness as the leading pay-TV service, with low levels of awareness of the pure-play VOD providers," according to the market research.

Unsuccessful VIDI struggling with poor uptake of the Times Media Group's video-on-demand service; Tiso Blackstar pulling out of VIDI.

As quickly as it started South Africa's nascent video-on-demand (VOD) operators are coming under pressure largely due to a lack of fast and cheap broadband with VIDI from the Times Media Group (TMG) now struggling and under big pressure due to poor uptake.

Investor group Tiso Blackstar which has full ownership of the Times Media Group is pulling out of VIDI saying the purple video-on-demand service that was launched with great fanfare hasn't been a success since it went commercial exactly a year ago in September 2014.

VIDI recently launched a marketing campaign offering a Ferrari 458 Spider in an attempt to get more people to try the video service which at launch last year said that it would need 40 000 regular users to break even.

News of VIDI's poor uptake comes straight after the shuttering of the disastrous Altech Node. Altron similarly launched the Altech Node with big fanfare at the same time in September 2014, then struggled to offload the expensive flop a few months later but couldn't find any buyers.

Investment in the Altech Node gobbled up millions with a loss of R75 million for the six months to the end of August. "Increased competition in the video-on-demand (VOD) environment resulted in insufficient subscribers for the business to be viable," said Altron.

While the Altech Node is a gonner and with VIDI struggling with poor uptake, there's since been MTN's FrontRow VOD service, with Naspers' ShowMax that was launched in August this year, followed in mid-September by China's PCCW Global that launched its orange ONTAPtv.com service in South Africa as well.

Both ShowMax and ONTAPtv.com at their respective launch events refused to say how many users and subscribers they would need to be viable and successful but both ShowMax and ONTAPtv.com said there won't be immediate pressure.

ShowMax said within "a period" it will have to start showing results and Naspers said ShowMax will be unprofitable until at least 2017, while ONTAPtv.com said there won't be immediate pressure but that "the metric of success is measured in financial terms".

While Tiso Blackstar will exit the VIDI business within the next 12 months the VOD service struggling to gain traction is now busy "re-engineering the business" due to its "weak market penetration and the slow pace of meaningful broadband growth in South Africa". It's not clear what will happen to VIDI without Tiso Blackstar.

The burgeoning yet struggling VOD market in South Africa is happening before the arrival of Netflix which told TV with Thinus at the beginning of the year that it would definitely launch in South Africa before the end of 2016.

According to a just-released study by research firm BMI-TechKnowledge, South African consumers have a very low awareness of VOD providers with only 18% of people knowing what and who video-on-demand players are.

According to the study there could be between 692 000 and 917 500 active video-on-demand (VOD) households by 2020 in South Africa.

MultiChoice with DStv and its BoxOffice service stands out with the highest awareness as the leading pay-TV service, with low levels of awareness of the pure-play VOD providers," according to the market research.

Yet another video-on-demand (VOD) service for South Africa, VuClip, launching as early as next week from China's PCCW.

Yet another video-on-demand (VOD) service will be launching soon in South Africa - very likely the orange VuClip this one from China's PCCW.

Bloomberg reports today that a new VOD service is likely to launch as early as next week as a rival to Naspers' ShowMax.

It's highly likely that its called VuClip.

The news comes a day after Viacom announced that its Viacom Play Plex video-on-demand app service will launch globally in the 4th quarter of this year and will also be available in South Africa with content from Nickelodeon, MTV, BET and Comedy Central.

With Viacom Play Plex, ShowMax, the Times Media Group's VIDI, MTN's FrontRow and PCCW's as yet unnamed service, it means that the VOD market in South Africa is quickly hotting up and getting crowded.

It's not clear what content PCCW's unnamed VOD service will launch with but it won't be as extensive or carry the large range of recent and premium titles as ShowMax which has shown up the rights to hot content like Game of Thrones and a lot other premium television for months.

PCCW, owned by the Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li, will roll out the new VOD service as early as next week, Bloomberg reports.

PCCW has a majority stake in the mobile VOD service Vuclip and has aggressive plans to grow and take Vuclip into new markets, including Africa.

PCCW's VOD service has a vast catalogue of mostly Asian centric content - primarily Bollywood movies, but also Bollywood movies, shows and music videos.

The service has content in 25 languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Indonesian Bahasa, Arabic, Malay and Thai which wouldn't be applicable for African and South African audiences.

Weber Shandwick's South African office is the PR company for PCCW Global in South Africa and last week send out an invitation - but only to some journalists covering the TV and IT industry and ignoring several - for the launch event next week of a new video-on-demand service.

It's already leaving journalists wondering where's the communication and who is supposed to talk about PCCW's new product - and why details are already leaking, just like what happened with ShowMax last month - way ahead of the media event and service launch that Weber Shandwick is supposedly organising.

SHOWTIME FOR SHOWMAX: Naspers' ShowMax officially launches in South Africa, 'we're aiming to change the game,' says boss John Kotsaftis.

Naspers officially launched its new streaming subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service ShowMax on Wednesday afternoon at its brand-new South Africa headquarters in Greenstone House in the Stonemill Office Park in Randburg.

ShowMax Premium that costs R99 per month unlimited access and with ShowMax Basic for free with a limited number of free content available, will be competition for Naspers' pay-TV division MIH's MultiChoice which runs the DStv satellite pay-TV service.

ShowMax - managed by John Kotsaftis as the general manager, and who was the CEO of DStv Digital Media until he left mid-2014 - is however aiming to create a foothold and commercial market presence in the South Africa's new but growing SVOD market before the arrival of the global over-the-top (OTT) streaming operator, Netflix which will be its real competition in the market segment.

ShowMax will now also be competing with other VOD services such as MTN's FrontRow costing R119 and Times Media Group's VIDI that announced on Wednesday - the same day as ShowMax' launch, that its teamed up with Samsung to bring a streaming Smart TV app to Samsung TV sets.

ShowMax now has the biggest selection of SVOD content in South Africa of all operators and subscribers who get a  7-day free trial, can access the service through internet browsers or on tablets and smartphones through the ShowMax app.

ShowMax raided - and Naspers allowed it - top MultiChoice and M-Net talent like Victor Eckard who was the director of general entertainment at M-Net and who is now the head of content at ShowMax, and industry heavy-weights like Richard Boorman, formerly at Vodacom.

ShowMax is launching with 750 TV series, 850 complete seasons, with more than 19 000 individual episodes and a total viewing time of more than 11 000 hours - content adding up to more than a year's continuous viewing of series, movies, documentaries, kids shows and classic programming from the vaults of the SABC.

"This is just the beginning," said John Kotsaftis. "We are going to grow this platform and adapt it based on what people want to watch", saying ShowMax is a "long-term investment for Naspers".

"This is where the world is going to and we want to be there and grow with it. ShowMax brings customers two unique benefits - a library many multiples larger than those currently available through local services and also African content not available through services originating outside the continent."

"We're unashamedly ambitious in what we're aiming to achieve with ShowMax," says John Kotsaftis.

"The ongoing change in viewing habits has given us the opportunity to build a video-on-demand powerhouse to feed the marathon viewing trend."

"We've got the best content from Hollywood and beyond, but at the same time we also have the local content that consumers here expect. Importantly, we're bringing this in at an attractive price, and doing this across more devices than ever before," says John Kotsaftis.

"We're aiming to change the game. ShowMax won't just be the best subscription video-on-demand service available in South Africa - we're competing with the best in the world."

ShowMax to launch in South Africa as a Netflix competitor with free ShowMax Basic and ShowMax Premium for R99 per month.

ShowMax, South Africa's answer to Netflix, will likely launch with a limited free version called ShowMax Basic and ShowMax Premium costing R99 per month.

The launch of ShowMax – will officially be announced on Wednesday in Johannesburg, with the service set to start shortly thereafter.

ShowMax is Naspers' attempt to get traction and a foothold in the over-the-top (OTT) subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market in South Africa before the coming launch of global on-demand video internet subscription service behemoth Netflix.

While Naspers has remained silent and PR company Atmosphere Communications handling the ShowMax contract hasn't issued any information to the press, information is already leaking impacting the new brand – the word ShowMax apparently an amalgam of the names Showtime and Cinemax both known as premium TV providers in America.

According to the cached information on ShowMax's website at showmax.com and which might still change, the service will launch with two options: ShowMax Basic which will be a limited free subscription service which will give users a taste of the ShowMax library and try to upsell them to tho the second option – ShowMax Premium at what will likely cost R99 per month for unlimited access to all movies and series.

The service will only be available in South Africa at launch with possible expansion into the rest of Africa later.

ShowMax will also be offering a 7 day trial period. People who sign up will get 7 days to try the service and can cancel anytime. ShowMax has categories like Hollywood, Best of British, kykNET, South African content and Kids.

Showmax' cost of R99 – a psychological consumer number – is interestingly compared to the basic monthly subscription fee of R699 for MultiChoice's DStv Premium package. In America Netflix and Amazon subscribers pay around $10 for the streaming service, compared to between $80 and $90 per month for a premium satellite or cable pay-TV service.

‘The face of entertainment is changing’

ShowMax is set to show content through adaptive streaming in high definition (HD) (720p). 

ShowMax says subscribers should have a minimum internet speed of 2 megabits per second (Mbps) but that an uncapped 4Mbps connection or faster is recommended for the best experience.

Viewing is unlimited, but ShowMax is warning that the use of the service is subject to fair usage – although it’s not currently explaining what "fair usage" means.

"The digital experience gives you the freedom to choose when, where and how you watch. The face of entertainment is changing, and you can be part of it," says ShowMax.

According to the indexed site, ShowMax will work on personal computers (through web browsers), iPhones and iPad running iOS7 and higher, Android phones and tablet running Andriod 4.1.0 or higher; Samsung Smart TVs from 2012 to 2015, Samsung Tizen Smart TVs from 2015, LG NetCast Smart TVs from 2012 – 2014 and LG WebOS Smart TVs from 2014 and 2015.

ShowMax subscribers will likely be allowed to watch on two devices simultaneously and will be allowed to register up to 5 devices.

Shows from BBC, SABC, M-Net, international studios

Naspers has culled a massive number of locally produced shows from pay-TV broadcaster M-Net's archives which will be offered to subscribers ranging from M-Net (DStv 101), Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) to kykNET (DStv 144) shows on offer.

Besides programming from BBC Worldwide which has been seen on MultiChoice's BBC channels on DStv like Frozen Planet, a large number of programmes from the SABC archives also appear which will also be available for streaming through the subscription service – some iconic programmes from the public broadcaster like Skoppensboer, Gazette, Vyfster, Agter Elke Man, Arende and several more.

Besides library cult titles like True Blood, ShowMax also features a large number of international shows currently on M-Net, from Arrow and Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Wife and The Big Bang Theory to Suits, Under the Dome, Elementary, Chicago Fire, Teen Wolf and many others.

"See it as the new M-Net but for the internet age," a source told TV with Thinus earlier this week.

"A lot of the prime content that will be on ShowMax people can already see on DStv but it will be a new way for customers to watch. Also the economic model is different – the service is more about enabling people to really go for binge-watching and things a SVOD player are better at than traditional pay-TV operators," said the insider.

ShowMax will be new competition in the growing local VOD field where the Times Media Group runs VIDI, MTN has its FrontRow service which just lowered some of its prices, MultiChoice has DStv BoxOffice and Altron last year launched the flopped Altech Node decoder which it is now getting rid of.

The Times Media Group's video-on-demand (VOD) service, VIDI, now looking for local South African content.

VIDI, the over-the-top (OTT) service from the Times Media Group (TMG) is now looking for local South African video content for the video-on-demand (VOD) service.

VIDI will pay producers of local material for their accepted content and sign a commercial agreement for their work being made available over the VOD network.

Both professional and amateur producers of local video can contact the service which launched late last year.

"This is a golden opportunity for producers of South African content to access a well-visited platform on which to showcase their talents," says Janene Matsukis, VIDI spokesperson.

Video content can now be submitted to VIDI online at www.vidi.co.za at a dedicated link where VIDI's local content team will review it.

Tiso Blackstar Group takes full ownership of the Times Media Group; acquires 22.9% stake in Kagiso Tiso Holdings.

Tiso Blackstar Group SE, renamed from Blackstar Group SE from today, has taken over the Times Media Group (TMG) with full ownership of the South African media, publication and TV company.

The full ownership now gives Tiso Blackstar, listen on London's AIM and Johannesburg's Altx market full control over the Times Media Group which includes newspapers like The Sunday Times of South Africa, Sowetan, The Times, Financial Mail and Business Day and some radio stations.

The Times Media Group's (previously Avusa) TV assets include TV channels like Business Day TV (DStv 412) and The Home Channel (DStv 176) on MultiChoice's DStv, production company Ochre Media, various TV stations elsewhere in Africa like Ghana and Kenya, as well  as the video-on-demand (VOD) service VIDI which launched in late 2014.

Tiso Blackstar also acquired a 22.9% equity stake in Kagiso Tiso Holdings (KTH), one of South Africa's large black-controlled investment companies.

KTH holds Kagiso Media, which has several radio stations and the Glow TV channel (DStv 167 / OVHD 108) available on DStv and Platco Digital's OpenView HD.

Andrew Bonamour is the CEO of Tiso Blackstar Group.

"Tiso Blackstar brings together many of sub-Saharan Africa's most exciting media businesses into one group," says Andrew Bonamour.

"The digital and mobile opportunities in these markets are only just beginning, and we have the talented people, relationships and experience to make the most of them.

Times Media Group's VIDI adds some local South African content to its VOD service in signed deals with the SABC.

Times Media Group's VIDI service which launched in the latter part of 2014 has signed deals with the SABC and local producers to add some TV series and local South African movies to the video-on-demand (VOD) service.

From February VIDI will add South African TV shows which has been shown on the SABC like High Rollers and My Perfect Family, as well as children's programming like URBO: The Adventures of Pax Afrika and African Sky Stories.

VIDI is also adding immediately some locally produced films, like Between Friends, How to steal Two Million and Paradise Stop, as well as Afrikaans films like Liefling, Jimmy in Pienk and Semi-Soet.

"VIDI is delighted that it will now offer such quality and popular local television shows and movies," says Taryn Uhlmann, VIDI's marketing manager. "These homegrown titles now on the platform all deliver high production values, outstanding casts and compelling storylines".

A VIDI subscription costs R149 per month and users have to pay for their own data use of the streaming video service as well.Movies cost R27 per title or R15 for library movies.

VIDI says more local content will be added in the coming weeks and months.

BREAKING. Altech Node launches in South Africa as brand-new video-on-demand (VOD) consumer console to compete with DStv, VIDI.

Altech is launching the Altech Node in the suddenly white hot video-on-demand (VOD) market with South African consumers and TV viewers who will be able to buy the VOD console, using MultiChoice's DStv dish, from Friday at R3 499, and giving access to 700 hours of entertainment.

The launch of Altech's Node comes a week after the launch of Times Media Group's VIDI with Node viewers who won't suffer buffering issues like VIDI and who will also be able to watch the latest movie releases as well as library TV shows.

Altech didn't release a list of the TV programming and movies available at launch and didn't respond with a list to a media enquiry seeking a list on Thursday.

(Altech didn't make the Node device available for testing ahead of the launch to national TV critics who were not invited to, nor told of, the launch event on Thursday evening).

With MultiChoice's DStvBoxOffice on the one side of the spectrum, Times Media Group's VIDI on the other side and Altech's Node in the middle of the existing - and suddenly exploding - VOD market, South African consumers and viewers suddenly have a lot more choices and options.

Like DStv BoxOffice on the DStv Explora and HD PVR the content on the Node console is updated through satellite and stored on the 1TB internal hard drive and viewable in 1080p high definition (HD).

Unlike VIDI, Node users won't have to pay for massive internet downloads to watch the actual video content.

Like DStv Catch Up and unlike VIDI, the Node includes video-on-demand sports content (80 episodes at launch). It's not live sports content but packaged content.

Node will have 200 hours of TV series at launch, 140 movies at launch, 150 hours of kids programming, 150 hours of documentaries, and 30 hours of current affairs programming that can be watched instantly.

Altech's Node will carry 7 to 10 new movie titles per month at any given time available for rent, as well as 100 titles per year.

In the subscription library there will be 140 movie titles which are available to watch at any time and which doesn't require an additional payment. These will be refreshed at a rate of 10% to 15% per month, says Altech in a press release.

Altech's Node will work with any TV set that has HDMI ports, and the Node console itself has 3 HDMI ports.

Besides the R3 499 cost of the console which includes free installation and which people will be able to buy from Friday at Altech Autopage Cellular, Cell C, Dion Wired, Game, Hifi Corporation, Hirsch's, Incredible Connection, JetMart, Makro and Pick n Pay Hyper, there is a monthly subscription fee of R299.

This R299 monthly subscription fee gives the user access to the majority of the library content on the Node which regularly is cycled through and replaced just like on DStv BoxOffice on DStv PVR decoders.

Similar to the licensing rights agreements of DStv and DStv BoxOffice and VIDI, Altech has licencing rights agreements with Hollywood studios which include Sony, Disney, MGM and Universal.

On the Node the latest blockbuster movies cost R25, compared to the R27 for DStv BoxOffice and R27 for VIDI. This R25 will be in addition to the R299 monthly subscription fee.

Like DStv BoxOffice and VIDI, a movie on Node remains available for a 48 hour period to watch.

Older movie titles on Altech's Node will cost R15.

Subscription and rentals of and through the Altech Node can be paid by using debit and credit cards or Altech's Eyenza wallet.

Older non high definition (HD) content will have a higher bit rate on Altech's Node says the company "to ensure the content still looks great in an HD screen".

"Sound is delivered through 5.1 Dolby. YouTube videos will stream at a minimum of 720p resolution".

"Node is much more than video-on-demand," says Craig Venter, Altech CEO, saying that Altech's Node is "like a DVD store in your home".

"It is an entertainment hub, a streaming server, a Wi-Fi hotspot, an e-commerce platform".

"It is the most sophisticated home gateway in the world and is a true reflection of Altech's mission to provide its customers with value-added products, services and solutions through the convergence of telecommunications, multimedia and information technology".

Movies and library TV series will be updated monthly as older content is replaced with new releases and other TV shows.

The Altech Node come with a built-in 3G modem which enables users to buy data, airtime and pre-paid electricity and pay for municipal services like Eskom and Telkom through using the device.

The Node also allows for consumers to download Android apps, access the internet, access their email and to control certain home appliances through what Altech calls "Node branded Smart Plugs".

Altech's Node comes with a built-in media player, MyMedia, which allows content to be played off other devices, such as the Altech Node branded USB flash drive.

The Node's Wi-Fi- functionality also enables an environment to be turned into a Wi-Fi hotspot where up to 5 devices like the TV set, computer, smartphone and tablet can be connected to stream content to these devices.

Node users who have DStv or had DStv won't need to install a new satellite dish since Altech's Node makes use of the same Intelsat-20 satellite, which means that a existing DStv dish is already aligned.

Although installation cost is included in the R3 499 price, Altech says the Node is easy to install. "Users can do it themselves, even with the most rudimentary technical skills, and install their own automation and security equipment".

Users will have to pay for the data used of the internet return path which enables the rental of titles and on demand content.

"Node has been designed to connect to both Wi-Fi and ethernet networks," says Altech. "Node can also function as a wireless internet access point or hotspot, providing connectivity through its 3G modem. Node does not consume data for movie and series downloads but will consume data for internet access activity and any purchases made".

Node can access the internet through its 3G modem which Altech says is powered by Autopage Cellular. "However you will need a SIM card and your data cost will be in addition to the Node subscription".

"While there are other products currently on the market that offer aspects of Smart TV and video-on-demand content, Node is the first comercially available product that offers a complete, integrated package, incorporating elements of Smart TV and smart entertainment together with a smart home solution," says Altech.

As to why Altech chose satellite downloading like MultiChoice does with DStv BoxOffice to the DStv Explora and HD PVR, Altech says "even though fibre internet is fast and exciting, it is also a new arrival to the South African market".

The Altech Node is however fbire ready with an ethernet and USB modem port.

"Fibre internet is still expensive and can consume a lot of data, which may lead to excessive data costs depending on the customer's internet service provider package. By employing cost-effective and reliable satellite systems, Node can ensure content that is always available for instant play without any time-delays and costly surprises".

Purple-branded VIDI from Times Media Group launches as new streaming video-on-demand (VOD) service with '1 000 hours of entertainment'.

Times Media Group (TMG) has launched its VIDI video-on-demand over-the-internet commercial service as a competitor to MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice and DStv Catch Up services with South African consumers who can rent and watch TV shows and movies for R149 per month or watch blockbuster movies for R27 and older library titles for R15.

The R27 per movie that TMG's new purple-branded VIDI is charging is exactly the same as the R27 price tag of MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice.

The Times Group owns TV channels like BusinessDay TV and newspapers like Business Day, The Sunday Times and The Sowetan.

VIDI, the Latin for "saw", calls itself an "online streaming TV service built for South Africans" and gives people a 30-day free trial period for its service which is trying to mimic overseas on-demand internet services like Netflix that's not yet been available in South Africa.

For the subscription free service users need a credit card and a fast enough internet connection and can stream and watch the content on PC or Mac, as well as smartphones and Apple and Android tablets, or on a TV set through one of these connected devices.

VIDI says it is launching with "over 1 000 hours of entertainment".

TMG made a deal with Disney's ABC Studios for older already broadcast seasons of drama series and comedies from American studios that's available as ABC on Demand like Grey's Anatomy, Cougar Town, Brothers & Sisters, Pretty Little Liars and Lost.

Besides that there's new movie releases, older library movie titles, kids movies and library TV series like Breaking Bad, The Shield and The Tudors, and documentaries like Walking with Dinosaurs - 21 TV series in total.

VIDI is ad free and will carry 100 films in deals with studios like Warner Bros, Sony, Disney, Lionsgate and Relativity with more which will be added in future.

It's not clear what the internet data size will be for a 40 minute TV show or a 90 minute movie using VIDI which is making use of Microsoft Silverlight as its player technology. It's not known whether VIDI content will be available and streamed in high definition (HD) or standard definition (SD), or a combination.

South Africa's foray into online video streaming and on-demand television services remain hampered by slow broadband, limited broadband penetration, as well as exorbitantly high costs for consumers.

It led the satellite pay-TV platform MultiChoice to develop the DStv Explora decoder as a way to try and circumvent someof these issues by mimicking a VOD service through the PVR, using a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite service.

Vidi from Times Media to launch in September in South Africa as a brand-new video-on-demand (VOD) service to compete with DStv.

Vidi from the Times Media Group (TMG) will be launched in September in South Africa as a brand-new video-on-demand (VOD) service that will compete with MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice to provide TV shows and films to South African consumers as a commercial service.

Similar to MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice which currently charges R27, Vidi will also make use of the window between cinema showings and movies being distributed for DVD rentals.

The Afrikaans movie, Die Windpomp, will for instance be released on Vidi and DStv BoxOffice on 12 September.

Times Media Group owns TV channels like BusinessDay TV (and newspapers like Business Day, The Sunday Times and The Sowetan) and Nu Metro Cinemas.

Vidi's pricing plan and details for the on-demand video service will be revealed by Times Media on 10 September in Johannesburg. Vidi is of course Latin for "I saw".

Vidi will be an online service only, similar to DStv BoxOffice Online. Customers who will be paying per rental, will have to stream the rented video content to their computer or tablet.

Is another new local TV channel coming to DStv soon? Times Media Group CEO says the company is planning to start a new TV station.

Bloomberg Businessweek is reporting today that apparently another new local TV channel is coming to MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform soon.

According to the Bloomberg Businessweek article which appeared on Wednesday the new TV channel which is being developed by South Africa's Times Media Group (TMG), the South African publishing company, will "launch soon".

Andrew Bonamour, Times Media Group CEO told Bloomberg Businessweek in an interview that the group will "start a new television station".

"We see our TV side as our growth side, so we're going to be investing and developing new channels because they are profitable," Andrew Bonamour is quoted as saying.

The Home Channel, Ignition, Saffron TV, The Learning Channel and the newly rebranded Business Day TV as TV channels, as well as Ochre Moving Pictures producing Saffron TV and shows such as e.tv's Scandal! are all TV-related entities which fall under the Times Media Group umbrella.