While MultiChoice has seen a “strong shift” in viewing towards DStv Stream, the broadcaster says it will take a data-led approach to deciding whether its podcast-to-TV experiment should become a bigger part of its television offering.
Last April, MultiChoice began putting established podcasts on its television channels, Mzansi Magic (Channel 161) and Mzansi Wethu. This bridges the gap between traditional linear television and digital media by acquiring the broadcasting rights to eight of SA’s most popular, YouTube-originated podcasts.
These include: Podcast and Chill with MacG, Awkward Dates with Lasizwe, PNC (People Need Comedy) with Mpho Popps, Against The Wall with Skeem GP, Spreading Humours, Open Chats Podcast, Piano Pulse and Joseph Dary: Exchanging Phones.
In an interview with ITWeb, Willington Ngwepe, MultiChoice CEO, said the company remains open to further podcast partnerships, but its future investments in the initiative will be guided by what audiences watch, engage with and request, rather than a predetermined expansion of the format.
“Podcasts have become a popular part of the entertainment ecosystem, so it made sense for us to test the format on our platforms,” Ngwepe explains.
“They performed in line with what we expected, given that they weren’t exclusive to DStv. We’re always looking at and exploring new ways of storytelling that our viewers want. We are very much guided by the data – what people watch, engage with and ask for.”
Ngwepe did not disclose audience, viewing-hours or engagement figures for the individual programmes, noting MultiChoice is continuing to assess different formats according to audience behaviour.
“We’re always open to meaningful partnerships, whether it’s podcasts or drama or reality, as long as there’s audience demand and it’s the right fit.”
Rather than relying solely on established television formats, MultiChoice is looking at where audiences are already spending their time and what types of programming generate engagement.
Podcast and Chill with MacG was later pulled from DStv’s schedule, highlighting some of the challenges of translating established digital formats into linear television.
Becoming digital hub
The podcast experiment is unfolding as MultiChoice consolidates its broader entertainment offering around DStv and streaming.
Since Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice, the group has been reshaping its entertainment portfolio as part of a larger international media operation.
This includes the decision to shut down the standalone Showmax service.
Canal+ has also consolidated MultiChoice into its financial reporting, with MultiChoice contributing to the French group’s stronger revenue, earnings and cash generation in the first half of 2026.
Following the discontinuation of Showmax, Ngwepe says core content was transferred to DStv Stream, as the company looks to transform its streaming service into a digital hub.
DStv Stream is MultiChoice’s online service that allows viewers to watch live television, sports, and on-demand shows over the internet without a satellite dish or a physical decoder.
“Following the wind-down of the standalone Showmax app, core content assets, original productions and local titles have been migrated into the broader DStv ecosystem to consolidate digital entertainment touch points.”
The shift puts DStv Stream at the centre of MultiChoice's efforts to adapt its entertainment business to changing viewing habits, with the platform increasingly available across smart TVs and connected devices.
Ngwepe says future development of its streaming platform will focus on simplifying product architectures, expanding value-focused digital access tiers and reconsidering the role of high-end hardware as consumers increasingly move towards streaming applications.
“This includes balancing traditional PVR products, such as the Explora Ultra with the growth of streaming apps, effectively requiring MultiChoice to maintain its established satellite-TV infrastructure, while developing a digital proposition that can operate independently of the decoder.
“MultiChoice does not routinely disclose subscriber metrics for DStv Stream, but the company has seen a strong shift towards the platform and expects uptake to increase as internet and fibre access expand.”
The company has also introduced features such as Reverse EPG and Cloud PVR to improve the viewing experience across devices.
Ngwepe says its partnership with Canal+, which provides MultiChoice with technology services in SA, is expected to support further enhancements.
Digital-native programming is also expected to be distributed through the same ecosystem as established television, sports and film content, giving MultiChoice more opportunities to test formats and audience behaviour across its platforms.
Betting on sport
As MultiChoice shifts towards streaming, it is relying heavily on live sport and local content to distinguish DStv from international streaming platforms.
Ngwepe says DStv Stream combines live sports, entertainment and movies with localised African storytelling and language-specific programming, including kykNET, Mzansi Magic and Wethu+.
The strategy is designed to exploit content categories that global streaming platforms may find difficult to replicate, particularly exclusive local programming and major live sporting events, he points out.
“Engagement across DStv’s streaming offerings is anchored by high-demand live sports (including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and PSL) alongside entertainment and movies. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, DStv Stream recorded more than 900 000 concurrent viewers for Bafana Bafana’s opening match against Mexico, nearly double its previous streaming peak and a new live-sport record for the platform.”
The surge also demonstrates the technology challenge associated with streaming major sporting events. Unlike on-demand content, live matches can produce large numbers of viewers accessing the same service simultaneously, placing significant pressure on capacity and distribution networks, he continues.
“Traffic patterns during major sporting events are relatively predictable; determining where they will peak is more difficult to predict. Generally, predictions are fairly accurate, but we still ensure we have capacity over and above that to cover the platform in the event that viewership is higher than expected.”
Once an event is live, MultiChoice monitors system performance and last-mile delivery in real-time, while using a combination of in-house and third-party distribution platforms.
“It's all about real-time visibility. We can observe system performance as well as last-mile delivery as it happens. Pair that with a mix of in-house and third-party distribution platforms and we have the flexibility to keep video quality solid even during the biggest tournaments.”
While global platforms compete strongly in on-demand entertainment, major sporting events create a different type of viewing demand and give DStv a reason for audiences to remain within its ecosystem, he explains.
AI for customer experience
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also becoming part of the infrastructure supporting MultiChoice's digital entertainment operation, extending from content discovery into customer service and business processes.
Ngwepe points out the company has deployed emerging technologies across DStv Stream to analyse viewing patterns and automate routine customer interactions.
“From a content discovery viewpoint, machine learning models analyse viewing patterns and rich metadata to deliver precise, intuitive content recommendations, making it easier for audiences to find programmes they love.
“The deployment of conversational AI assistants, like our chatbots, enables round-the-clock customer service capable of handling routine queries like clearing errors, checking balances and managing packages instantly.”
This places AI across several stages of the customer experience, from helping viewers find programmes, to resolving basic service queries without requiring human intervention.
MultiChoice is also applying automation behind the scenes to platform reliability, resource allocation and business operations, according to Ngwepe.
Share
