Around 8 years ago I cancelled my DSTV satellite television account and replaced it with streaming services that offered a far bigger library. The problem with DSTV is that you can only watch the same film or program so many times before you realize there is no new content.
DSTV was charging premium prices for content that was in most cases 5 years or older. Great if your viewers have never seen that show before but purchasing old television show bundles that no other country wants will only get you so far before people move away.
DSTV's decline has been fairly rapid and we can look at lockdowns for this because everyone needed internet at home in order to keep on working. This was never the case with the masses until it became a must have in order to stay employed.
Having fiber at home allowed people to find their own programs via streaming services or even watching the news on YouTube live broadcasts which run 24/7. Everything is accessible if you are prepared to look and find it.
The only reason why DSTV is still around is the sports package they offer and not because they are a great company offering great entertainment. The problem is they once had a monopoly which made them arrogant and complacent thinking they could continue to up their prices on April 1st each year.
R4.1 billion as a loss is a big number and if we compare that to 2022 when the company announced a R3 billion loss that figure is only going to increase. The writing is already on the wall and at some point they will be bought out or close down permanently.
I would guess that when the time comes for renegotiating their sports packages with various other television channels like SKY who have the rights for the English Premier League they will not be able to afford it. The deal they signed in 2016 -2019 was extended to 2025 and covers 50 countries in Africa. Back then they paid $438 million and now pay $222 million per year which will no doubt rise again next season.
Africa loves it's football and if DSTV does not have that English Premiership deal they are as good as gone. CANAL24 the French cable company has been sniffing around smelling blood and the chances are they will buy out DSTV next year or will wait for the company to collapse because then they are buying a company for cents on the dollar.
Premium subscribers was where the money was made and this has been in a steady decline since 2018. The mass market is only for football and those who have the decoder will pay for certain games and not a monthly package.
Looking at these figures which include Africa DSTV should have negotiated a sell off deal with CANAL24 last year and every month that goes by that price will be dropping in value. Once a company starts the downward trend or slippery slope as we know it this tends to pick up pace and there will be a threshold number they cannot pass before they are in financial difficulty. Will they be around in 2026 or 2027 as I highly doubt they will make it that far.
