TechCentral reports that Super 5 Media (formerly Telkom Media) plans to launch a satellite and cable pay-TV service on 1 June, hot on the heels of this month’s launch of South Africa’s second satellite pay-TV service, TopTV. It is reportedly planning a phased roll out, initially targeting hotels with an IPTV service before moving into the residential sector.
Super 5 Media enters a newly competitive market. On the same day that TopTV launched, incumbent MultiChoice launched its DStv Lite bouquet as direct competition. Earlier this week newspaper articles reported that TopTV’s initial stock of 50,000 decoders had sold out over the weekend. A further 150,000 are to be released into the market before the end of June.
According to the TechCentral article, Super 5 Media, whose major shareholder (ie. 75%) is Shenzhen Media South Africa, is experiencing problems with its minority shareholders. These are Videovision Home Entertainment (15% shareholding), WDB Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd (5%) and MSG Africa (5%). Shenzhen Media South Africa is made up of Sino-Africa DG and Imbani Media. Over a year ago Shenzhen Media South Africa bought out Telkom Media’s shares in the business.
In the meantime, Super 5 Media is awaiting the issuing of a telecommunications licence from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).
