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Cape Town – MultiChoice launched a new mid-tiered package for its DStv satellite pay-TV service called DStv Extra.
It's the second new DStv bouquet launched this year following DStv Family, which was launched with an adjusted new channel selection in April to replace DStv Select.
DStv Extra which was not announced to the press, will cost R380 per month placing it between the most expensive DStv Premium, and the DStv Compact bouquets.
DStv Extra has 86 channels as opposed to the 119 of DStv Premium and the 73 of DStv Compact. It also has less premium sports than DStv Premium but includes more first-run general entertainment premium TV content than DStv Compact.
DStv Extra will also not afford viewers any high definition (HD) television watching but do offer DStv subscribers the ability to make use of the DStv BoxOffice service to rent movies through an HD PVR.
Growing lower subscriber base
DStv Extra contains a number of channels not offered on the DStv Compact bouquet such as BBC Entertainment, Comedy Central, E! Entertainment, kykNET, AfricaMagic Movies 1, FOX in standard definition, Crime & Investigation Network, Tracel Channel, History Channel, TRACE Sports, Nickelodeon, CBeebies, VH1 Classic and Sky News.
DStv Extra includes SuperSport Blitz, SuperSport 3 and SuperSport 4 but not SuperSport which mostly carries rugby coverage.
Eben Greyling, Naspers' CEO of pay-TV business said on Tuesday in the press conference discussing the media giant's financial report for the financial year ending 31 March 2013, that MultiChoice is focusing on penetrating and growing its lower subscriber base.
MultiChoice is doing this through its cheaper DStv bouquets such as the popular DStv Compact offering.
"Growth in the lower priced DStv Compact bouquet remains strong," said Eben Greyling.
Online delivery of content
He also said that Naspers' pay-TV business division is strongly focused on increasing the online delivery of content as broadband internet penetration in South Africa and across Africa grows.
"Regarding competition we continue to see an increase in competition across the continent from both traditional players as well as online players," said Greyling.
"Existing players in the broadcasting space are aggressively growing their business and we're also seeing new players. Regarding the online delivery of content there's also video-on-demand (VOD) services and international players such as Apple expanding their online business here."
"We're sure that this trend will definitely increase in the future and our own online developments will continue in future to help face this onslaught," he said.
Greyling said the popular DStv BoxOffice service on PVR's was recently made available online. The DStv Catch-Up service was also recently expanded to more devices like the iPad and that MultiChoice will later this year expand it to Android tablets and other devices.
It's the second new DStv bouquet launched this year following DStv Family, which was launched with an adjusted new channel selection in April to replace DStv Select.
DStv Extra which was not announced to the press, will cost R380 per month placing it between the most expensive DStv Premium, and the DStv Compact bouquets.
DStv Extra has 86 channels as opposed to the 119 of DStv Premium and the 73 of DStv Compact. It also has less premium sports than DStv Premium but includes more first-run general entertainment premium TV content than DStv Compact.
DStv Extra will also not afford viewers any high definition (HD) television watching but do offer DStv subscribers the ability to make use of the DStv BoxOffice service to rent movies through an HD PVR.
Growing lower subscriber base
DStv Extra contains a number of channels not offered on the DStv Compact bouquet such as BBC Entertainment, Comedy Central, E! Entertainment, kykNET, AfricaMagic Movies 1, FOX in standard definition, Crime & Investigation Network, Tracel Channel, History Channel, TRACE Sports, Nickelodeon, CBeebies, VH1 Classic and Sky News.
DStv Extra includes SuperSport Blitz, SuperSport 3 and SuperSport 4 but not SuperSport which mostly carries rugby coverage.
Eben Greyling, Naspers' CEO of pay-TV business said on Tuesday in the press conference discussing the media giant's financial report for the financial year ending 31 March 2013, that MultiChoice is focusing on penetrating and growing its lower subscriber base.
MultiChoice is doing this through its cheaper DStv bouquets such as the popular DStv Compact offering.
"Growth in the lower priced DStv Compact bouquet remains strong," said Eben Greyling.
Online delivery of content
He also said that Naspers' pay-TV business division is strongly focused on increasing the online delivery of content as broadband internet penetration in South Africa and across Africa grows.
"Regarding competition we continue to see an increase in competition across the continent from both traditional players as well as online players," said Greyling.
"Existing players in the broadcasting space are aggressively growing their business and we're also seeing new players. Regarding the online delivery of content there's also video-on-demand (VOD) services and international players such as Apple expanding their online business here."
"We're sure that this trend will definitely increase in the future and our own online developments will continue in future to help face this onslaught," he said.
Greyling said the popular DStv BoxOffice service on PVR's was recently made available online. The DStv Catch-Up service was also recently expanded to more devices like the iPad and that MultiChoice will later this year expand it to Android tablets and other devices.
