S09 CAF 3 2020 Coverage and capacity_Layout 1 18/06/2020 12:34 Page 28
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Streaming content in Africa: the big (and small) picture Stephen Watson, MD of African OTT and VOD specialist Discover Digital, recently authored a short commentary on key over the top (OTT) and video on demand (VOD) trends affecting the African market. Here, Ron Murphy and Stephen Watson discuss these insights in more detail.
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Tablets and smartphones, rather than TVs, will be the primary screens for many consumers.
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FRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES hoping to succeed in the streaming market must look at the big local picture. That’s the message from African OTT and VOD specialist Discover Digital. Stephen Watson, MD of Discover Digital, in a recent release from the company, says that the African market is significantly different from North American and European markets. Over the top (OTT) and video on demand (VOD) services for the continent cannot simply copy and paste models that have worked in the US and European markets, he argues. Of course, he adds, streamed content is currently booming across the continent as people in lockdown both produce and consume video content. This, he feels, will encourage a far more digital-savvy consumer than before. Thus, if you’re a market entrant in Africa, he suggests, to succeed you have to take into account key factors that are aligned with an audience’s interests, as well as whether they are banked, and what your unique selling point is. 28 Communications Africa Issue 3 2020
Watson also points out that subscription pricing and payment models are challenges unique to much of the African continent. Africa is also unique in that tablets and smartphones will be the first, and primary, screens for many consumers; high definition (HD) will not be a key requirement of most of the market in the foreseeable future. With a presence and partnerships across several African markets, Discover Digital has found that local content and short videos are particularly popular among African audiences. “Local content is crucial, especially music and comedy. Linear TV also still has a place in Africa – more so than elsewhere in the world,” Watson says. African operators, he suggests,
Discover Digital has found that local content and short videos are particularly popular among African audiences.
need to be strategic in offering services they and their audiences can afford, and content that resonates with their audiences. For example, service providers should look to an affordable mobile quad play, offering combinations of voice, messaging, data, music and video, bundled along with devices. They could also incentivise the use of off-peak data for streaming, capped by time. Watson adds that the technologies used should also be designed for the varying conditions throughout Africa. “You need to think what will work best locally – you can’t just copy or accept global standards.” These are interesting points, so we invited Watson to tell us more. First of all, there’s his suggestion that tablets and smartphones will be the first, and primary screens for many consumers. Does that mean that some content can or should be produced with these screens in mind? “Absolutely,” he says. “The duration and definition standards should be taken into consideration. Pushing HD content to a threeinch screen does not make sense; SD with www.communicationsafrica.com
