This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
MultiChoice, Africa's biggest pay-TV group, is shifting its strategy to partner with streaming giants Netflix and Amazon, rather than competing with them.
According to the company's results presentation, the partnership will allow DSTV subscribers to access Netflix and Amazon Prime Video directly from their set-top boxes.
The new DStv Explora decoder will be the first to feature the 'shelf space' capability, allowing users to easily access the streaming services.
MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela stated, 'People will go for where content is available. With the proliferation of all of these OTT's, there are people who want to get access to this content and if we are a one-stop-shop where they can get all these services we'll be positioned very well in the market for us to gain customers out there.'
Imtiaz Patel, MultiChoice Group chairperson, added, 'It is where we see the opportunity to continue our aggregator journey. We broadcast and stream our own compelling local and international sports content and also make third-party streaming services available on our platform.'
MultiChoice will likely earn revenue through commission for DStv subscribers who sign up and use the streaming services.
However, Netflix and Amazon declined to comment on the partnerships when questioned by Reuters.
