Poor broadband holding back TV: MultiChoice exec
The biggest constraint for MultiChoice to provide “TV everywhere” in Africa has been the speed and cost of broadband, Aletta Alberts, head of content at MultiChoice told attendees at a Discovery Networks panel discussion.
Discovery Networks was unveiling their new research report entitled “The Rise of the TV Everywhere Audience” at an event on Johannesburg on Tuesday (13 November 2012), where Alberts was a panelist.
Alberts said that she believes many people in management in the TV industry think fast, affordable broadband in South Africa is 5–7 years away, but she thinks it’s 2 years away.
To substantiate her view, Alberts said that Dimension Data indicated in meetings with her that they believe fibre connections will be common in urban South Africa in 2 years.
Aletta Alberts
Internet Solutions, a subsidiary of Dimension Data, previously predicted that fibre-to-the-building connections would be a common occurrence in 2–3 years and would pave the way to more pervasive fibre-to-the-home connections.
Alberts went on to say that she always finds it fascinating that something like Big Brother Africa generates the amount of online interaction it does in spite of the continent’s broadband constraints.
“We do only put the shower scenes online,” Alberts added to much laughter. She explained that they can’t broadcast even implied nudity in some countries, which is why the shower scenes are online and not broadcast.
Another aspect in which the Internet has changed broadcasting, Alberts said, is that social media has become the new electronic programme guide.
“Gone are the days that broadcasters recommend content to viewers,” Alberts said. She said that they will still do it, but that it’s more important to let content speak for itself on social media.
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