DSTV has declared war on South African viewers.
They are taking on non-subscribers, who have been piggybacking off subscribers.
But in the process, they are turning off loyal subscribers, who have been forking out up to R829 p/m for a premium package (R839 from 1 April).
This after the satellite TV company announced a new limited streaming rule.
The new policy, which comes into effect from March 22, will allow only one device to stream on the DStv Now app at a time.
Previously, up to four users could stream on different devices, using one account login.
This was kwaai of course – subscribers could share their email and password with family and friends and they could watch for free on their computers, laptops, TV boxes or smartphones.
Or the non-subscribing users could become “tenants” and club together to help pay the account holder’s bill every month.
It was a win-win for everyone – except MultiChoice, who felt that the “password sharing” and “piracy” was costing them subscription revenue.
Now it’s a lose-lose for both non-subscribers and subscribers.
You see, what this means for a subscribing household is that dad will not be able to watch Cyril having a family meeting on TV in the lounge at the same time as his laaitie who is watching Man United getting klapped in the Champions League on his tablet in his bedroom.
One of them will have to stop watching to allow the other to watch.
Not lekker – especially if you’re paying a premium rate.
South Africans are omtrent die moer in.
If DStv thought the new policy would somehow persuade non-subscribers to sign up, they got it completely wrong.
On social media, mense are calling for a boycott of DStv.
Non-subscribers took it as a moerse slap in the face and are more determined than ever to remain unsubscribed.
While subscribers – frustrated with the new streaming limit – are now considering cancelling their packages.
It’s hard to see this strategy attracting new subscribers and bringing in new revenue. Really.
MultiChoice Group, it seems, could care less. During the hard lockdown, they increased their subscriber base by 1 million to 21.1 million locally and in the rest of Africa.
Last September they reported a revenue increase of 8% to R17.8 billion and trading profit of R6.2 billion.
The key to their success is sports.
Not their repeated and recycled movies and series, which you can find on any streaming service.
It’s all about the sports. The premium package might as well be called the “live sports package”.
DStv has a monopoly on sports coverage – with nearly 20 channels, SuperSport really is the world of champions. They’ve got it all covered.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
When the SABC started dropping the ball with their coverage over 20 years ago, DStv stepped in and changed the game.
SuperSport channels deliver world-class programming with commentary by leading sports personalities.
DStv invested heavily in soccer and rugby sponsorship.
Today, SA Rugby and the PSL agree that without the money from selling exclusive broadcast rights to SuperSport, they would not even exist.
SARU earns about R750m a year in broadcasting rights, while the PSL’s five-year deal is worth R2 billion.
A year ago the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) debated broadcasting regulations, which say that subscription broadcasting services “may not acquire exclusive rights that prevent or hinder the free-to-air broadcasting of national sporting events, as identified in the public interest”.
In the end, Icasa said they cannot force sporting bodies to offer their competitions to free-to-air TV, nor do they have the authority to set price controls.
Meaning sports fans have no choice but to k** en betaal – R839 a month.
Which in the bigger scheme of things is not all that expensive, when you compare with other countries and what their viewers pay.
In the UK, for example, instead of accessing 20 sports channels on one platform, you have to pay for individual services such as Sky TV, Sky Sports, Eurosport, Amazon Prime, Virgin and BT Sport, which cost £5 to £10 per month for each.
Tally it up and viewers in Europe pay over 100 euros or £100 (around R2000) for the coverage we get on SuperSport.
Still, R839 p/m is a klomp geld in Mzansi, money that we don’t have.
In all likelihood, MultiChoice will lose subscribers as mense go in search of alternative streaming services.
Shop around, there are options. IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) is the new way to stream at a fraction of the cost.
taariq.halim@inl.co.za