Discover Digital has signed a deal with local content production collective Hashtag Live to create new content development opportunities for local producers and creatives.
Taryn Uhlmann, executive head of content at Discover Digital, says the memorandum of understanding signed between the two companies will see them collaborating on a number of projects, including upskilling young creatives in SA's townships and hosting a Hashtag Africa branded section on the company's digital entertainment on-demand TV service.
Hashtag Live is a black-owned tech start-up that intends to explore and support local creative culture through platforms that are built, coded and run internally. The company was established earlier this year and has Hashtag Hubs in Gauteng townships, where young content producers are involved in developing local content.
"The MOU signed will create new content development opportunities for local producers and creatives, help mainstream and commercialise local content, and upskill talent latent across SA. This mutually beneficial partnership will generate socio-economic benefits, skills development and growth of the entertainment sector overall. Importantly, it will provide a broader platform for South African stories to be told, and give local viewers more choice in entertainment," says Uhlmann.
Apollo Zake, chief creative officer of Hashtag Live, adds that both companies believe the collaboration has the potential to improve the industry through digital transformation, particularly in the townships. "Traditionally, with only a limited number of linear channels in the country, scores of young creatives simply did not get the opportunity to break into the market or have their content seen. But on-demand platforms open up the market for them and potentially get this truly authentic content to audiences across the world."
Discover Digital re-entered the SA's video-on-demand market in May this year, bringing direct competition to industry players Netflix and Showmax. Speaking at the time of the launch, MD Stephen Watson said Africa provided much opportunity as there is a rapid uptake of smartphones as well as improving telecommunications infrastructure on the continent. "The opportunity in Africa is to deliver to mobile phones a broad range of digital entertainment - from video and TV to music, magazines and radio."
In July, the video-on-demand solutions provider partnered with Sun International to offer the hospitality giants most valued guests a discounted offering on Discover Digital's premium digital entertainment on demand services.
Watson concludes that this is yet another addition to the firms' partnerships. "This partnership is the latest initiative in our ongoing efforts to add value through the development and distribution of quality local content and make premium content available to everyone."
According to a 2016 Nielsen report, nearly two-thirds of global respondents (65%) in a Nielsen online survey in 61 countries say they watch some form of video-on-demand programming, which includes long- and short-form content.
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