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Maxwell Dodd
Maxwell Dodd

Kwese is here, but for how long?

Exactly two weeks ago, a new pay television service was launched in Ghana. I remember vividly because it was the day on which Ghana was shellacked by Cameroon at the semifinal of the just ended African Cup of Nations.

We had gathered at the Polo Gardens in a tentative beautiful contraption created for the purpose to watch the big match on a very humongous screen and Ghana really suffered in the hands of the inexperienced Cameroonians.

This was after the launch had taken place earlier in the evening and Kwese TV had been added to the few pay TV services we have in the market. Of course it meant the Ghanaian viewer would have several choices to pick their bouquet of television channels from.

Kwese TV is a multi-channeled satellite dish and decoder enabled service which operates a few countries on the African continent. The service is owned and operated by Econet Media Group of Zimbabwe.

There are about 45 channels on the Kwese TV bouquet some of which are Kwese Prime, Kwese Stories, Kwese Movies 1, Kwese Movies 2, Kwese Movies 3, Kwese Know, Kwese Kids, Kwese Family, Kwese Free Sport, Kwese Sport 1, Kwese Sport 2, NBA TV, Revolt TV, E!, Trace Africa, Dreamworks and JimJam.

At the launch, both Group CEO and Country Manager gave speeches that suggest that Kwese TV was in town to challenge what has been done by other service providers and to offer the best television experience to those who would allow themselves to be Kwesefied.

For instance, the Country Manager, Maxwell Dodd spoke about how they were giving an opportunity to viewers to pay for only what they watch. According to him, the Kwese TV offer gives the opportunity “for pay as you watch (pay per view), power of choice, flexibility and affordability.” Thus enabling consumers to choose between three subscriptions, which are monthly, weekly and 3 days.

He also spoke about how Kwese is the only television service that would allow viewers to watch their content on different platforms. “With Kwesé, not only do we offer the best in programming but we also give viewers “unlimited” choice to access content where and when they want,” he said.

Dodd added that “the multiplatform, multiscreen content distribution model offered by Kwesé includes traditional linear and “catch-up” subscription (paid) and free-to-air (FTA) television via satellite direct to home (DTH), fibre to the home (FTTH) broadband and/or digital terrestrial platforms,” which is unique to Kwese TV.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Kwese TV, Joseph Hundah, said they were here to show the most compelling content to the Ghanaian viewer as they have done in the other markets where they operate on the African continent.

He assured Ghanaians that Kwese TV has been scouting the world to talk to content producers and marketers to acquire the best content. For example, he said, even though ESPN exited Africa, they have managed to speak to them to come back the channel with its rich content can be found on Kwese TV.

He also said, emphatically, that Kwese TV would win the rights to the English Premier League in 2019 when the sale of rights would be due. His key selling point was that “Kwese is revolutionising the media industry in Africa by catering to the changing needs of today’s globally connected African viewer.”

Those are some tough talking and confidence from the two executives of Kwese TV and it is an assurance that they believe in what they have introduced to the Ghanaian market. The question though it that, in spite of what they say, does Kwese TV have what it takes to survive?

There is no kidding about it, television is a very serious business and you need to have the deep pockets and the staying power to succeed. Intent is not enough to survive in this cutthroat market of television. Even more so is the multi-channeled platform such as Kwese.

We saw what happened to GBS as it was called in Ghana or GTV as it was known in other markets. They had big potential showed the intention of surviving and even gave DStv some sleepless nights with the acquisition of the rights to the English Premier League. Eventually bubble burst and they collapsed.

There have been several others also coming into the market, some just single channel and yet others with multiple channels who all came with similar gusto, but the cost to get the bets content, relevant to the sustenance of such a business always led to their demise. 

Indeed the television content space in Ghana and most other countries on the continent is choking. There is little space for new entrants. The likes of DStv and their little brother GoTV, StarrTimes and the online streaming services, Netflix, iFlix, extra along with the local services are not giving space to new entrants.

Eventually though all television stations win on content. GBS collapse was because they lost the premier league’s rights and their content spread wasn’t strong enough to sustain their existence.

Kwese comes also at a time that the digital migration effort has taken steam and will be completed soon. Do they have the content that would make them compete with the local digital channels? Can they stay for as long as they hope they do?

Maxwell Dodd thinks the acquisition of Viasat1 TV by Econet and branded into a 24 hour sports station on free-to-air TV will help to consolidate their presence in the market. “Ghana is an important market for us as we expand our offering across the continent,” he said.

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