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New pay-TV service promises high quality, lower cost
Television viewers in Africa could soon be enjoying a new diet of programming courtesy of a new pan-African pay-TV service.
NAIROBI – The company, GTV, is expected to employ an entirely different approach to satellite-based pay-TV in the middle of this year with a phased roll-out across sub-Saharan Africa.
It is claimed that the advanced and efficient delivery platform will substantially reduce the cost and ease of set-up for customers and that the direct-to-home, satellite-based service will deliver the highest quality digital reception across the continent.
“The African market has been artificially constrained by monopoly pricing and non-relevant content. Consumers want to watch the latest high-quality television programming that combines international and local content at an affordable price. Whether for sports, entertainment, news or education, GTV will ensure quality content is accessible to many rather than a select few,” says Julian McIntyre, founder of GTV.
The GTV service is provided by Gateway Broadcasting Services (GBS), a subsidiary of Gateway Communications. Gateway is one of the leading providers of communications services to telecoms operators and corporations in Africa.
The new service will offer various choices and quality to a whole new audience – at what the company says will be an affordable price. Viewers will have access to major international channels as well as GTV’s own channels created especially to satisfy local tastes. Programming will include a diverse range of news, sports, movies, popular series, music, and religious content.
Among GTV’s own channels will be ‘G Prime’, an entertainment and movie channel, and ‘G Sports’ showing live international and African sports including European football.
The company says GTV will keep its customers at the heart of everything and will offer local African content as well as major international programming. With an innovative model that champions African consumer demand, the company says it is completely redefining the pay-TV market and home entertainment.
Less than 1% of television owning households in sub-Saharan Africa currently subscribe to pay-TV services, compared to 15% in Eastern Europe, 36% in Western Europe and 93% in North America.
In Kenya, of the 2.2 million households with television sets, only about 23 000 subscribe to a satellite service.
GBS was founded by Julian McIntyre, also President of Gateway Communications.
About Carole Kimutai
Carole Kimutai is a writer and editor based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is currently an MA student in New Media at the University of Leicester, UK. Follow her on Twitter at @CaroleKimutai.
