SABC, South Africa’s publicly-owned TV and radio broadcaster, is looking to launch an OTT streaming service and – over time – regain some of the rights to its own shows which are currently licensed to third-party operators.

Reports suggest that all current and recent SABC shows will be available to registered license-holders (as part of a ‘freemium’ service). However, a fully-fledged pay-OTT service is expected to emerge and SABC has stated that it didn’t want to allow its rivals to operate without competition.

Madoda Mxakwe, SABC CEO, last week said: “The SABC has developed an integrated OTT strategy with the goal that the SABC develops or acquires its own OTT streaming platform as a medium-term goal. This will allow the SABC to control its own destiny into the future. Previous funding challenges and an inquorate board for over five months this year has slowed us down but not stopped our OTT plans.”

But SABC is coming rather late to the OTT party. Netflix is already active as is Multichoice’s Showmax, Amazon Prime, Vodocom’s Video Play, DEOD, VIU, Acorn TV and Cell C Black, all of which operate in the country.

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