Multichoice continues to be the home for the vast majority of premieres in South Africa through its SVOD offering, "Showmax," and its traditional Pay TV business operating a suite of Pay TV channels branded under "M-Net." Despite the presence of global SVOD platforms, particularly Netflix, and the launch of Disney+ in 2022, Multichoice has continued to dominate the acquisition market.
Multichoice remains the leader in acquiring US and UK TV shows, with Showtracker revealing that it had the highest number of acquisitions from the 2021 Annual TV season onwards. Moreover, it had the had the highest number of premiers (69 in 2021/22 TV Annual season) by any individual service in South Africa since 2021.
In 2023, Multichoice entered into a deal with NBC Universal and Sky, in which these Comcast-owned services acquired a 30% stake in Multichoice’s SVOD platform "Showmax." This partnership gives them an advantage in terms of accessing First Window premieres of NBC Universal’s content. Besides NBC, Multichoice has secured content licensing agreements with other major studios like Warner and Paramount. TV shows from Warner, NBC Universal, and Paramount have constituted over 50% of Multichoice's acquisitions since 2021.
Disney+ has employed a vertical integration strategy for content distribution in South Africa, whilst Paramount+ recently launched in South Africa as a branded block on DSTV instead of launching as a direct-to-consumer service which has enabled Multichoice to continue to access Paramount+ premieres as part of their proposition.
Drama TV shows are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa compared to comedies; approximately 90% of the TV shows aired in 2023/24 were dramas. Another notable trend is the time it takes for a TV show to premiere in South Africa after its original release. Since the 2021/22 season, shows distributed by Sony, Paramount, Disney, and NBC Universal have been appearing on South African screens closer to their original premiere dates. The high-profile TV show 'American Gigolo' premiered in South Africa the day after its original release date, while 'A Murder at the End of the World,' 'The Other Black Girl,' and 'Shogun' premiered on the same day in South Africa as their original premiere dates.
Even though OTT platforms have volume deals with major studios, numerous TV shows have yet to find a buyer. These include shows like “Suspect,” “BMF,” and “Gotham Knights.”
Multichoice maintains a strong lead in US and UK TV show acquisitions since 2021. Despite the entry of Disney+ and other global platforms, Multichoice's strategic deals with major studios like NBC Universal, Warner, and Paramount have solidified its position, particularly with the increasing popularity of drama TV shows in the region.
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