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Alex Okosi, senior vice-president and MD for MTV Networks Africa, does not want to say too much about the group’s plans for radio because it’s still involved in negotiations with a prospective partner in the broadcasting sector. But it has already concluded a deal with a radio station in Kenya to run a two-hour weekly show featuring inserts from MTV guests and presenters.
Okosi says MTV’s plans to become a player in the mobile phone market are progressing well. He says it’s “investing heavily in mobile content” and that consumers will be surprised by the offering. “We are looking beyond ring tones and wallpaper,” he adds.
MTV has already made some of its content, such as its animated comedy skit Jacko — the adventures of a 23-year-old Eastern European man who wants to become a supermodel — available for mobile phones on its Dutch website.
MTV’s expansion into radio and mobile phones typifies the inexorable convergence of broadcast and Internet content provider interests. MTV now finds itself competing with Internet-based rivals such as MySpace and YouTube, which provide music videos on demand as well as direct access to recording artists.
Okosi is not losing sleep over these rivals. MTV has its own Internet music site, and the low level of Internet penetration in Africa means that it will be some time before it becomes a tangible threat to the music channel, he says.
He believes TV will continue to be the company’s main means of reaching the youth market on the continent. He points to the success of its channels on DStv, where MTV is the most popular TV channel for young people, with MTV Base coming second after only two years of operation.
But Okosi is cagey about the future of MTV’s relationship with DStv.
He pauses before saying, “They have been our partner for a long time and we are committed to building our relationship with them.
But, that said, it has to be a mutually beneficial relationship.”
Then he asks to see how his comments have been noted.
His caution is understandable; the entry of new players such as Telkom Media into the pay-TV market means that MTV now has more than DStv to form partnerships with. Should MTV decide to switch, it would take a chunk out of DStv’s lucrative youth market.
Okosi says MTV has an exclusive agreement with DStv, but he refuses to say when that contract will come up for renewal.
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