South African television viewers who are unable to afford subscriptions to the country's two satellite services will soon have more than just the four free-to-air channels they are currently able to watch.
National public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), will be teaming up with commercial broadcaster, e.tv, during next year's digital migration, when SA's television broadcasters will switch from current analogue broadcasting to digital DVB-T2 television broadcasts and digital terrestrial television (DTT).
During the digital switch-over, which will begin in April 2012, the SABC and e.tv will launch a free digital TV offering, which will include at least 18 television channels. This free-to-air bouquet will be known as Multiview, a name critics have been panning since it is so similar to local satellite service provider, MultiChoice - the parent company of DStv - and is bound to cause confusion.
As well as offering additional television channels, the SABC plans to make all its radio services available on Multiview, too. The television channels will reportedly include its current free-to-air offerings - SABC 1, SABC 2 and SABC 3 - a dedicated sports channel, called SABC Sports; health and education channels; and a 24-hour news channel.
“The channel offering that we will be providing will be about attracting and retaining existing viewers,” says Richard Waghorn, the SABC's chief technology officer.
E.tv will also be rolling out its own additional, commercial free-to-air TV channels on Multiview during the first half of 2012. The broadcaster is apparently already in the process of building control studios, and is developing content for the new DTT channels.
Viewers will have to shell out about R700 for a special set-top box, and in some instances, also buy a new antenna, in order to keep watching after current analogue signals are turned off in a few years' time.
Those who cannot afford to invest in the set-top box will apparently receive a government subsidy to buy one. However, government has yet to hash out the details on who will be eligible or how the process will work.
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