MultiChoice adds 1.4m subs
June 14, 2021
By Chris Forrester
South Africa’s MultiChoice has prospered in the last 12 months. Including its DStv and SuperSport broadcasting brands, the pay-TV operator grew its subscriber base by 1.4 million over the past year. Subscriber numbers now total 20.9 million when its overall Africa viewers are added in.
South Africa itself has 8.9 million subs, with 11.9 million elsewhere in Africa as at March 31st.
“This represents an accelerated 7 per cent growth year on year, driven by heightened consumer demand for video entertainment products, continued penetration of the mass market and an easing of electricity shortages in southern Africa,” the company said.
The strength of its subscriber base drove group revenue 4 per cent higher at R53.4 billion. The broadcaster’s cost-containment programme had saved R1.5 billion during the year. The end result was a trading profit of R10.3 billion.
The results are all the more impressive considering that ad-revenues have been badly hit, and advertising revenues fell 11 per cent during the year.
On its South Africa trading, MultiChoice said the business “held up well” despite the tough economic environment, delivering year-on-year subscriber growth of 6 per cent — or about half a million linear pay-TV subscribers on a 90-day active basis.
However, the broadcaster’s monthly ARPU was under pressure, falling from R290 to R277.