MultiChoice Showcase: An exclusive glimpse into what's in store for the exciting future

MultiChoice Africa believes in the power of entertaining and telling stories conveniently, not only to touch people’s lives but to celebrate African talent and creativity from all corners of the continent. This was keenly displayed through the various content and product updates which were presented at their latest showcase.

The event set the stage for the leading broadcaster to exhibit their latest development and share an exclusive glimpse into what’s in store for the next few months highlighting that their local investment and ever-evolving product offering has ensured that their platforms continue to keep the African creative economy growing.

“It’s that time of year again when we celebrate our unique strength as Africa’s Most Loved African storyteller, and remind viewers that everything we do, from curating series and movies to offering innovative products and experiences, is done with the core intention of enriching the lives of viewers through entertainment” said MultiChoice Kenya managing director, Nancy Matimu, “Our dedication to providing the best in local and international entertainment on innovative platforms drives us in all that we do.

Exciting new channel additions showcasing local talent

Over the past year Multichoice has launched new local channels across the continent with Akwaaba Magic in Ghana, Abol TV in Ethiopia, Pearl Magic Prime in Uganda as well as a once-off pop-up channel to celebrate Africa Month. The most recent to have joined the list of new channels are Maisha Magic Poa and Maisha Magic Movies.

On Wednesday 1 September, Tanzanian channel Maisha Magic POA (DStv Channel 144) launched . This channel is tailor-made to give customers access to even more exhilarating, locally produced content. It’s a game changer when it comes to Tanzanian television and features iconic shows, such as Kapuni, Sarafu and Huba. The channel will also be used to launch the much-anticipated talk shows Ni Yeye and Salama Na.

Another new addition to the East African MultiChoice family is Maisha Magic Movies (DStv Channel 141). The content has been sourced with Ugandan, Kenyan and Tanzanian audiences in mind. The channel’s team has worked alongside local producers in these regions and are continuously grooming and mentoring creatives to produce world-class content that resonates with the cultural nuances of the market.

Something for everyone in Africa

The carefully selected content caters to the unique tastes of the markets in which the Pay TV provider operates, virtually across the continent. Wherever viewers are in Africa, there is a range of DStv and GOtv content that appeals to each region and that is the direction in which upcoming content will continue to go.

Added to the specific regional content cherry-picked and produced for audiences for the various regions, DStv also offers a uniquely African channel which caters to a continent-wide audience. When it comes to pan-African content, HONEY (DStv channel 173) the standout channel on many watchlists across the continent which launched earlier this year promises a very exciting line-up for the coming months.

Adding clarity and even more value to local channels

As of Thursday 26 August, eight local channels were upgraded from Standard Definition to High Definition at no additional cost to DStv customers. Viewers with relevant decoders can now experience an improved viewing experience for channels including Africa Magic Urban and Epic, Akwaaba Magic, Abol TV, HONEY, Pearl Magic Prime, Maisha Magic Bongo, and CNN.

Fhulufhelo Badugela, newly-appointed CEO of Multichoice Africa Holdings, said that over the next year Multichoice Africa will continue investing in local talent and channels adding that keeping our audiences entertained with content that they can relate to is critical to the success of Multichoice: “This ultimately has a direct impact in changing the lives of people in the countries we are operating in,” she said.

Ramping up on international flair

First-class, international entertainment has an important role to play in the lives of any movie and series lover and the showcase event also shone a spotlight on some of the best content the world has to offer. Upcoming pop-up channels accommodating niche tastes of international movies are in store for the very near future including MNet Movies Lethal Legends, and Hollywood’s Sexiest.

Meeting the needs of a diverse market

DStv and GOtv, come in a wide range of package options to ensure that budget does not determine accessibility to great content. The event reinforced the variety available from entry level options such as DStv Access, which features over 100 channels, to Premium which provides a full bouquet of all of the content available and the many add value benefits such Showmax at no cost. On the GOtv platform, it was revealed that customers can look forward to a fifth general entertainment package – GOtv Supa, adding even more variety.

Movie fanatics will be in for a treat as Multichoice introduces Movie Add-On, a new functionality where consumers on any DStv bouquet will have the option to add additional movie channels to their existing DStv packages at a fraction of the price.

Making content available to consumers no matter where they are

Living in the digital age means never having to miss your favourite shows or movies again. Aligned to this current reality, and never missing a beat, DStv, in addition to their streaming offer online and on the immersive app, will also be launching a new streaming service that will be formally announced soon. Yolisa Phahle, CEO of General Entertainment and Connected Video at Multichoice said: “We are committed to growing the Multichoice Africa business as we have seen the benefits it brings into the communities. Our online streaming strategy has also continued to give African viewers more choice particularly as the streaming products were developed specifically for the African market.”

The event also evidenced their how the business has been able to enrich young African lives through MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF). The MTF program has empowered young creatives to develop their talents in film with many graduates now providing content for DStv and GOtv and owning production companies which produce content for M-Net channels and Showmax.

These are just some of the exciting channels and shows that consumers of DStv and GOtv have to look forward to as the business continues in its commitment to look for ways to create more value for customers and bringing stories from across the globe to Africa as well as showcasing the best of what African storytellers can do.