Analyst warns that DStv is facing signficant challenges from streaming services

[mylesillidge]

DStv under siege

DStv is facing significant challenges from streaming services that are noticeably cheaper and offer a richer content library, Merchant West portfolio manager Izak van Niekerk has said.

Canal+ recently published its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, which revealed that MultiChoice's revenue had declined by another €36 million (R687 million).

 

[rustypup]

Good grief!

There must be millions of undiscovered "analysts" out there!

 

[JerryMungo]

DSTV was purchased to kill the competition. Convince me otherwise.

 

[chrisc]

The late 1990s when DSTV was introduced, there was a virtual monopoly, especially with SABC-TV being so bad
That was 30 years ago, times have changed
Their admin is getting more shoddy and the call centre agents more aggressive and unhelpful
One whiff of critisism and they cut the call

 

[RaptorSA]

Just here to see the first Steven Seagal movie poster post for my daily dose of what little in life stays consistent and predictable.

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

 

[Lupus]

The late 1990s when DSTV was introduced, there was a virtual monopoly, especially with SABC-TV being so bad
That was 30 years ago, times have changed
Their admin is getting more shoddy and the call centre agents more aggressive and unhelpful
One whiff of critisism and they cut the call

I disagree, the 90s was peak SABC era. Even E-TV and SABC could hold it's own with M-Net. SABC and E-TV would have things like Sliders, Ally McBeal, Frasier, Mad About You, Boston Legal, Cybernet, Xena/Hercules, Reboot, Formula 1, Survivor, Drew Carey Show, Becker, Dawsons Creek, Charmed and and. It was a really good time, even right up until the mid 2000s.

 

[Brian_G]

DSTV was purchased to kill the competition. Convince me otherwise.

What competition? Canal+ already have a lion's share of R.O.Africa if that's what you mean.

 

[Lupus]

What competition? Canal+ already have a lion's share of R.O.Africa if that's what you mean.

They do now, not before dstv

 

[JerryMungo]

What competition? Canal+ already have a lion's share of R.O.Africa if that's what you mean.

DSTV's RoA outnumbers their domestic presence. DSTV dominated anglo and lusophone countries while Canal + dominated francophone countries. It was very evenly split. Canal + struggled to compete in those markets.

 

[Brian_G]

DSTV's RoA outnumbers their domestic presence. DSTV dominated anglo and lusophone countries while Canal + dominated francophone countries. It was very evenly split. Canal + struggled to compete in those markets.

Canal+ was only mostly interested in the French speaking countries before. This does give them a greater presence now, but that's a new plan not a matter of "competition".

DStv hasn't been fit for years, this is opportunism by Canal+.

 

[Brian_G]

 

[Nephew_]

They should split Supersport and the movie/tv content completely. Oh wait, we have been saying this for 25 years.

 

[MrGray]

Any fool could have told them this 10 years ago, for free.

 

[Brian_G]

 

[JerryMungo]

View attachment 1926917

And now tell us why they didn't just open their own anglophone subsidiaries...

 

[Brian_G]

And now tell us why they didn't just open their own anglophone subsidiaries...

Try not to always need to be right.

 

[Brian_G]

They do now, not before dstv

Its increase a consequence though, not a conquest.

Not that I have the full story, far from it. Some of AI's answers today were news to me.
Then again, corporates feed the public with what they want them to hear.

 

[Lupus]

Its increase a consequence though, not a conquest.

Not that I have the full story, far from it. Some of AI's answers today were news to me.
Then again, corporates feed the public with what they want them to hear.

They are conquering Africa in a different way and French is more romantic.

 

[Pegging]

I disagree, the 90s was peak SABC era. Even E-TV and SABC could hold its own with M-Net. SABC and E-TV would have things like Sliders, Ally McBeal, Frasier, Mad About You, Boston Legal, Cybernet, Xena/Hercules, Reboot, Formula 1, Survivor, Drew Carey Show, Becker, Dawsons Creek, Charmed and and. It was a really good time, even right up until the mid 2000s.

Back when paying your tv licence was the right thing to do.