The SABC and eMedia Investments have launched a new Channel-Carriage Agreement, which has, among others, formalised Openview’s broadcast of SABC 1, 2 and 3.
The public broadcaster’s 19 radio stations will now also be carried on Openview as well as three more SABC TV channels.
SABC COO, Ian Plaatjies, says the partnership will give South Africans access to more quality content in the language of their choice.
“We haven’t finalised the other two channels but the first one will be the sports channel. The strategy is to exploit our very rich content. Our initial go to market will be about 80% existing content and 20% new. The channels will be self sustaining. For the first time our audiences, our listeners out there will not be limited to their location or to data. They will be able to listen to their favourite radio station on the eMedia platform at no cost to them,” says Plaatjies.
The launch date of an SABC Sport channel will be announced within a month, while that of the other channels is expected within the next three months.
More on this story in the video below:
Commenting on the new multi-year signal distribution and channel carriage agreement, eMedia Investments COO, Antonio Lee, says, “This is an exciting development for both the SABC and ourselves. The agreement ushers in a new level of collaboration between a private free-to-air satellite platform and public free-to-air broadcast services.
There is no doubt it will boost the offering of Openview and will extend the SABC’s audience reach. We can now offer our Openview audience additional quality content and access to digital broadcast radio in the widest variety of languages possible in South Africa.”
Lee says eMedia Investments hope this is the start of a stronger and more fruitful relationship between Openview and the public broadcaster.
