SHOWMAX
NEW VERSION LAUNCHING
MultiChoice launched Showmax 2.0, this morning in Johannesburg and Lagos, simultaneously.
Ten months after MultiChoice, Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky announced a joint streaming partnership for Africa. Which promises 3,5 hours of new content every day for the next year. MultiChoice stated that local content production will increase by 150% to feed the new Showmax alone. This excludes DStv Stream. The new Showmax also opens the door to no fewer than 21 new Showmax Originals launching in February, there will be more than 1 300 hours of Showmax Originals produced in the coming year.
The main feature of the new Showmax is the addition of a mobile-only product to watch the Premier League (PL). Which will have price packages at a lower cost than what was previously available on the South African market. It seems that rugby will still only be available on DStv Stream. Yet, you can add Showmax to the top DStv Stream package free of charge (basically included) or at tier discounted rates to the lower packages.
During Fame Week, that took place in Cape Town at the end of last year MultiChoice promised thousands of new content hours to film and TV producers. Which is great news for consumers and the industry alike as both can look forward to an exciting time in front of the screen. This will also support local job creation in the series/ film industry.
As The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) have basically stopped providing rebates to local and international content producers the industry has experienced a tremendous slow-down in production and job creation.
Compared to rivals such as Australia and South American countries we are losing a lot of coproduction to these countries. Which indirectly means that content is owned by overseas investors and other countries. The ownership of content assures that profits flow into the country that invested in the production, in the long run.
MultiChoice saves the day by providing local producers with empty slates of content that needs be created and the opportunity to partially own content. This in turn also helps local creators to build a portfolio and skillset that can bring in profits globally.
This shows us that the developing world with new mobile and fibre internet connections is the next big market for content producers. It will be a standoff between big streamers to who will win the market in the long run. A debate that has been furiously engaged throughout the entertainment industry. As traditional cinemas fight to survive due to your couch and favourite streaming service. The industry theory stands that a handful of big streamers will eventually buy up the small ones and prevail through time. Whilst traditional cinemas need to rely on big-budget box office hits such as; Top Gun Maverick, Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Competition is fierce and as film and TV crew fight it out to work on productions so do the bosses at the top to keep the streaming company profitable.
Netflix production of content has decreased in the last quarter of 2023. Whilst MultiChoice is broadening their slate. Which tactic will win over the African and especially the South African consumer? We are yet to see. The bundle of sport, series and film in one package might win the higher earning consumer. As Disney+ saw in the USA with their ESPN acquisition. MultiChoice is betting on mobile and giving it their best to lower data costs of content consumption. Another factor that will change the industry drastically will be satellite internet to mobile. As Starlink is currently testing. Blue Origin, HughesNet, Viasat and selection of other satellite internet providers are filling the atmosphere with satellites to reach your mobile device anywhere on planet Earth. Content will be available whenever and wherever without zone blocks (Regions) in a very short period of time. You will be able to call and stream at 2K, 4K or higher. Will the traditional mobile phone provider still exist? I doubt it.
Another competitor will be YouTube for the near future. Predictions have been published that forecast that YouTube will outgrow Netflix. Teenagers in the United States say they watch more video on YouTube than Netflix, according to a new survey from investment bank Piper Sandler. The data point shows that the streaming business is getting more competitive, and highlights YouTube’s strong position as a free provider of online video, especially among young people. (2023. Piper Sandler)
Yet it is predicted that by the end of 2024 YouTube TV streaming will outgrow Netflix.
Even if you get bombarded by advertisements. MultiChoice mentioned that an add based streaming tier might become available in the future of Showmax or DStv Stream.
Currently you do not have to worry about advertisements on Showmax.
The new Showmax app will be available from 23 January 2024.
Visit www.showmax.com to find out more about the new MultiChoice offering.
Rick Bronkhorst
Founder & Writer
Rick is a former commercial fixed-wing pilot who graduated with merit from City Varsity, earning a BA in Film & TV Production in 2021. He is the founder of Bioskoop.co, The Rainbow Mafia, and Skatte Doos, and co-founded Groovejet. With a strong passion for filmmaking, he aspires to produce streaming series and films for both the South African and international markets. Additional passions include psychology, reading, hiking, rowing, and good wine.
POPCORN TIME
Address
80 Strand St. #112, Cape Town, RSA 8001