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Pay channel gives more to stay ahead of pack [Star, The (South Africa)](Star, The (South Africa) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) PAY TV appealed to the couch |potato in us all. But that isn't the only avenue available these days. Technology and broadband have opened a gateway to other attractive entertainment portals. While HDDs (hard disk drives) remain popular storage devices for downloaded content, South Africa also welcomed Vidi, it's first online streaming service, two weeks ago. That said, it is noticeable that pay channels are operating within an evolving competitive climate. MultiChoice, which is favoured as the premier entertainment destination, offering various tier packages for consumers, is aware of this shift in viewers' needs. With its range of channels and freshness of content, it is leaps ahead of rivals like OpenView HD and StarSat. Aleta Alberts, the head of content at MultiChoice, spoke |of the wave of change and their strategy to keep up with the times and demands. Since last March, there have been more than 30 channels launched on DStv for South Africa and the Pan-African region. Some were only on the premium bouquet, others were inclusive of the compact, extra, family and access packages. That's not forgetting the event channels like Idols' Extra, Big Brother Africa - The Chase and, |one that attracted a gargantuan following, The Oscar Pistorius |Trial: A Carte Blanche Channel. Alberts notes: "As we add more, our strategy is we should have the full spectrum at every level." Of course, the decisions take into account popular genres, what the market wants, demographics etc. As things stand, the various packages comprise: Premium, Extra, Compact, Family, Select, Access, Easy View, Access Fee, |M-Net/CSI, Indian and Portuguese. "Children's channels are huge drivers in each bouquet. From that perspective, you have to have enough to cater for younger audiences and older children. Often, in the ratings three of your children's channels are in the Top 15." That said, there are various ways in which viewers catch up. Aside from TV, some watch via their laptops, PCs, Walkas, iPads or tablets as well as smartphones. With Express becoming quite the hit with viewers, Alberts shares: "It has been really successful. Piracy is a big issue. If you don't make content available immediately, your consumer will get it elsewhere." Of course, although content is made available shortly after the US airing, the process isn't without challenges. Alberts explains: "In the US, if the show comes from a network like ABC, CBS or NBC, what happens is when those shows go on a hiatus, which isn't always at a set time, like with Suits now, it could be for four to eight weeks. With Suits, it is only coming back in January. So we have to manage that. And in the US, they understand the interruptions, which could sometimes be due to elections or the Superbowl. On our side, we have to manage that and think how many series we can do; day and date, without frustrating consumers. We are constantly thinking about how we can make that a better experience. When content comes from a cable network, like HBO or Showtime, they don't ever take a hiatus. Depending on |the season, you have to decide. Those are the things we are grappling with all the time." With the ongoing research, MultiChoice continues to tweak stuff all the time. "We try not to take anything away. We are not going to buy something that's on for six months and then we take it off. Obviously, if we have something that doesn't work, we will place it with something better for the subscriber. As the base grows, and as it becomes more diverse, we will look at packages and say: 'We need |more entertainment here.'" Alberts used the Telemundo channel as a case in point. Where telenovelas have been trending in the rest of Africa, it hasn't been on the same scale in South Africa. At the end of the day, it is more about "the sum of the offering and a full rounded bouquet". Providing a quick overview of the forthcoming content that will be attracting a fair amount of hype, she shares: "You will see it from about October 12. You will see the return |of Blue Bloods, Grey's Anatomy. You are going to see new shows like Stalker with Dylan McDermott, Madam Secretary with Téa Leoni, The Mysteries of Laura with Debra Messing. There is a new Katherine Heigl series (State of Affairs). There are new seasons of Rookie Blue and Castle. On top of them, it's been a big year for action figures, so there is Agent Carter." Of the different genres, Alberts reveals that anything procedural in nature or action-orientated always does well, as do sitcoms because of their short format. "I think the more discerning stuff like Game of Thrones and Ray Donovan - that you are going to see on M-Net Edge. All that content is starting to become a little bit more mainstream because of the hype around it globally. Hawaii Five-0 might be regarded as fluff, but it |still draws the family audiences, like Revenge and The Fixer. There is a new NCIS franchise - NCIS: New Orleans as wells as CSI: Cyber." And local content, whether it is on the reality front with offerings like Our Perfect Wedding or dramas à la Saints & Sinners, operates from a platform swollen with ideas that are constantly developed. And the more advances in technology in our country, the |more consumers can expect an expansion of services from MultiChoice - that's another |key point on the agenda. The Star (c) 2014 Independent Newspapers (Pty) Limited. All rights strictly reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |