Tag Archives: Michael Lumley

Econet receives IBC prize

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Econet Media picked up this year’s Judges’ Award at the IBC media, entertainment and technology convention in Amsterdam this month.

Michael Lumley

The company was chosen for its effectiveness in pioneering mobile TV and OTT in South Africa through its streaming service, Kwesé Play. This was made possible by various partnerships with technology firms.

Kwesé Play uses technology from Roku and offers access to content like You Tube, Netflix and other channels. Other tech contributors include Verimatrix, for content security, and AWS Elemental, for coding.

Michael Lumley, chair of the IBC judging panel, said: “In our discussions, we recognised that the way the technology partners had collaborated on this project was innovative and successful, but we also felt that the outcome transcended the technology, delivering social change by connecting local people to global content.”

Econet Media is now able to transport its services through its content delivery network with the help of sister company Liquid Telecom. Mobile and broadband networks can access OTT content at low latency across central and southern Africa.

Kwesé Play has content partnerships with more than 150 studios and distributors worldwide, including Disney, Warner Bros, Paramount, NBC Universal, Fox, CBS, BBC, Sony Pictures and Discovery.

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Econet to be honoured at IBC

News,

Econet Media, the main backer of African pay TV platform Kwesé Play, is to receive this year’s judges’ award at Amsterdam trade convention IBC.

Michael Lumley

IBC is a world-class entertainment and media show and will be attended by dignitaries from countries worldwide. The award show is set to take place on September 15, 2018 in the RAI Auditorium.

Kwesé Play not only partners with Netflix but also offers a combination of content that is both local and international. It is accessible on various kinds OTT gadgets but focuses on areas that have limited broadband services.

The technology partners that worked with Econet to develop Kwesé Play are Verimatrix, AWS Elemental and Roku.

Michael Lumley, chair of the IBC judging panel, said: “Kwesé Play is a game-changer, bringing sport and entertainment to viewers in a part of the world which has been hard to serve.

“In our discussions, we recognised that the way the technology partners had collaborated on this project was innovative and successful, but we also felt the outcome transcended the technology, delivering social change by connecting local people to global content.”

Lumley understood the relevance of this award ceremony, as he added: “We are pleased to recognise the social as well as technical importance of this project.”

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