Mabutho rules out pay-as-you-use TV
Pay-as-you-use content cannot work in the TV world, according to Martin Mabutho, general manager of sales and marketing for pay TV giant MultiChoice Nigeria.
Speaking at the sixth edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference last week, Mabutho addressed concerns about the lack of a pay-as-you-use option on MultiChoice-owned platform DSTV.
“There is nothing like a pay-as-you-use service on any TV service in the world,” he said. “We have stated this over and over again. Yes, there is pay-per-view but pay-as-you-use is non-existent.
“Furthermore, it can’t work because we buy rights and it will affect us if we offer a service where you switch on a channel like you are turning on a tap and, when you have no need for it, you switch it off. It can’t work like that.”
Mabutho also spoke about the launch of the DSTV Now mobile app. “150 channels can be accessed on DSTV Now, unlike years ago when DSTV Mobile could only offer 10 channels. Traditional TV is not dead but many individuals are fast preferring access on the go,” he said.
The exec’s comments came a few days after DSTV reality hit Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) had concluded, having delivered huge audiences across the previous 12 weeks.
“The next big thing after BBNaija is the World Cup,” Mabutho said. “We are official partners of [Nigerian national football team] Super Eagles and we aim to ensure that our subscribers get access to the Russia 2018 World Cup wherever and whenever they want, which is why we have created DSTV Catchup, where content can be downloaded to be viewed afterwards.”
MultiChoice is the parent company of pay TV platforms DSTV and GOtv. It is one of the leading digital television operator in Nigeria.
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