:: Multichoice Africa unveils six new channels for DSTV
October 2007

Leading digital satellite operator MultiChoice Africa further enhanced its position at the forefront of the pay-TV market in sub-Saharan Africa today when it unveiled plans to add six new channels to its DStv offering at no additional fee. Launching in the first five days of November, five channels set to make their debut on DStv are: the newly created movie channel M-NET STARS, the wildlife focused NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD and an English language version of the music channel TRACE TV which all launch on November 1. Then on November 4, the spiritual family channel ONE GOSPEL launches, followed on November 5 by the lifestyle and fashion channel THE STYLE NETWORK.

Esther Wahome, a leading Kenyan Gospel artist will be soon seen across Africa on the ONE GOSPEL CHANNEL on DStv starting this November

Meanwhile, local commercial channel KTN is the latest addition on the DStv W4 platform starting Sunday October 14th 2007. MultiChoice Africa believes that the inclusion of African national television channels on the DStv bouquets is important, not only in showcasing and demonstrating the emergence of a vibrant television industry on the continent, but in providing localised, relevant and pertinent content to its subscribers. KTN joins NTV and KBC in adding significant value to Kenyan subscribers by keeping them up to date with local news and entertainment and enabling Kenyans in remote regions of the country which previously were not able to receive these channels to access them.

All six channels will be available to all DStv Premium subscribers in East Africa.

In addition, KTN, ONE GOSPEL, THE STYLE NETWORK, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD and TRACE TV (English) will be available to DStv Compact subscribers. Plus KTN ONE GOSPEL and NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD will also be available to subscribers of DStv’s Family package.

MultiChoice Africa General Manager for Content Aletta Alberts said the new channels formed part of the service provider’s commitment to bring subscribers the best premium content available. “The six new channels expand our already unrivalled choice of family entertainment. The additions continue our tradition of providing top quality programming across a range of genres,” Ms. Alberts said.

The announcement of the new channels comes just weeks after MultiChoice Africa performed an extensive channel re-shuffle across its products, in a move specifically aimed at creating additional channel space. With all channels on DStv moving from 2 digit to 3 digit channel numbers, the six new channels can now be effectively accommodated on DStv, with the additional benefit of channels fitting into their relevant genres.

Providing convenient, logical channel surfing for subscribers, the channel re-shuffle in the first week of October translated into a direct subscriber benefit, with the new channels launching just four weeks later.

“With the expansion of the DStv offering over the past few years, the channel re-shuffle was a natural next step in the evolution of our business,” Ms. Alberts said. “It’s always been our intention to introduce new channels and the channel re-shuffle has given us the ability to do this successfully. We now look forward to bringing audiences more of the best international and local programming that they’ve come to expect and enjoy with us. And there’s more to come so stay tuned.”

First to air from the six new channels is KTN on October 14. From business shows, children’s programming, soaps and series to local news and views, this channel will provide another dimension to family viewing for subscribers across Kenya.

Encompassing movies that are firm favorites and contemporary classics, M-NET STARS is aimed at anyone who loves ‘feel-good’ films!

Also launching on November 1 is NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD. See the natural world as never before! Encounter animal and plant life at its wildest - from the most remote environments, to the forbidding depths of the oceans and the protected parks on our doorsteps.

Meanwhile audiences tuning in to the English language TRACE TV can expect great beats and rhythm across a range of music categories from rap, R&B, reggae and ragga to adult contemporary and dancehall! Coming to you straight out of its Paris home, Trace TV is urban television entertainment at its finest. It joins Channel O, Mtv and Mtv Base in the music offering on DStv.

On November 4, it’s the turn of ONE GOSPEL to debut on DStv. A dedicated 24/7 TV channel showcasing gospel music from all over the African continent and the world, ONE GOSPEL includes studio-generated and live performances from both world renowned and up-and-coming artists. Complementing its extensive music line-up, the channel will also include spiritually themed talk-shows, magazine programs and game-shows, making ONE Gospel more than just a music channel. Some of the artists that audiences can expect to see on the channel include Kenya’s very own Esther Wahome.

Rounding off the new channel line-up is THE STYLE NETWORK on November 5.

Elegant and fashionable, THE STYLE NETWORK showcases original series and specials featuring beauty, leisure, home, weddings and fashion.

CHANNEL HIGHLIGHTS FOR NOVEMBER 2007 -

M-NET STARS (DStv channel 154):

On M-NET STARS in November, look out for the undeniable talent of screen queen Bette Midler as she stars in Hocus Pocus, Down & Out in Beverley Hills, Ruthless People and Outrageous Fortune. You can also join in the laughs as funnyman Steve Martin features in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Father of the Bride 1, Father of the Bride 2 and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. And don’t forget to tune in to see Kevin Kline in I Love You To Death, comedian Leslie Nielsen in Spy Hard, Kirsty Alley in It Takes Two, Val Kilmer in Top Secret, Adam Sandler in WaterBoy, Robin Williams in Jack, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lloyd Bridges in Airplane 1, Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal in Throw Momma From The Train, Tom Selleck in Three Men and a Baby, Meryl Streep in She Devil and Richard Pryor in The Toy.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD (DStv channel 261):

In Deadly Bugs, find out what survived the dinosaurs and defines the phrase ‘Survival Of The Fittest.’ They can be brutally aggressive and can attack quietly without warning. They outnumber humans on earth by 500,000 to 1. And, although many benefit the environment, many others can seriously damage it. Also on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD, tune in for Deadly Reptiles, which takes a closer look at some of the most feared creatures on earth from the fer de lance and the gaboon viper to alligators and cobras. Experts believe that reptiles get a bad rap so tune in and decide for yourself.

Another must-watch highlight on NATIONAL GEOGPRAHIC WILD is Africa’s Big Five Night, when audiences can tune in for one roaring night which kicks off with Eye of the Leopard. Switch on and journey deep into the rarely seen lives of leopards, courtesy of film-makers Dereck & Beverly Joubert. Then take a closer look at what may be triggering hippo attacks in Hippos: Africa’s River Beast and don’t miss Lions Behaving Badly and Elephants of Kilimanjaro.

TRACE TV/English (DStv channel 680):

From the latest urban videos to the sounds tearing up the charts, TRACE TV will keep you on the beat.

ONE GOSPEL (DStv channel 331):

Highlight programming on ONE GOSPEL includes the series Tonight. The show is literally a roundup of “today” and how things affected the ONE Gospel viewer. Starting with stories from newspapers across Africa and ending with stories from viewers, ONE GOSPEL exposes and covers it all. Talk, debate, celebrate and investigate with Tonight! Meanwhile in BehindThe Vision, ONE GOSPEL goes behind the scenes to find out just how the stars shoot their gospel videos. Plus in Witness, tune in as ONE GOSPEL sits down for a chat with the world’s biggest gospel stars. On The Mic, a weekly open MIC session gives up and coming artists can showcase their skills to the ONE GOSPEL audience.

THE STYLE NETWORK (DStv Channel 183):

Programming to watch on the STYLE NETWORK includes the uber-glam Style Star, which celebrates the fabulous fashion sense of your favourite A-list celebrities. Audiences can also join trendsetter Robert Verdi in the half-hour series Fashion Police, the ultimate insider's guide to the hottest looks on today's catwalks, red carpets and movie screens. Glamour guru Verdi hits the streets to spotlight the latest in high-end trends and reveals what’s hot and what’s not! In How Do I Look prima fashionista Finola Hughes rids the world of fashion disasters, one makeover at a time. You can also tune in for Modern Girl’s Guide to Life, a series dedicated to useful tips for today's busy woman. From selecting the perfect gift to assembling a well-stocked toolbox, finally there's a show that tackles your daily challenges with a take-charge attitude. And revealing reality show Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? digs deep into the hectic lives of party pros as they scout locations, juggle seating charts and dole out tissues to moms on the big day.

KTN (DStv channel 139)

Local and international news, business shows, dramas and a variety of entertainment programming.

NOTES:

DStv Equipment Cost:

The cost of a DStv Installation is as below

DStv Singleview unit fully installed – KSHS19,900

The price for the single view is inclusive of a DSD decoder, smart card, 20 metres cable, 90 CM dish, and installation to 1 point within 25 KM of the nearest retail outlet.

DStv PVR – KSHS 45,000

The PVR price encompasses 1PVR decoder, smart card, 90 CM Dish with quad LNB and 100metres cable, with installation to 2 TV points within 25 KM of the nearest retail outlet.

Please note that subscriptions are not included in the above equipment prices and are charged separately.

DStv Subscription Packages:

The price of the three main DStv subscriptions packages is as follows:

DStv Premium (57 channels) – KSHS 4,825 per month

DStv Compact (33 channels) – KSHS 1,725 per month

DStv Family (27 channels) – KSHS 1,350 per month

Other Channels added onto the DStv’s offering in early 2007

MultiChoice is constantly in pursuit of channels that are at the forefront of new trends and that offer our customers more choice and satisfy their diverse viewing needs.

Early this year, customers were very pleased with the addition of the internationally successful Crime and Investigation Network to the DStv documentary offering. Crime & Investigation Network is about real crime and real people, providing a behind-the-scenes look at criminal investigations, probing unexplained mysteries and examining the lives of infamous murderers and villains.

Two more channels were added onto the DStv Premium and Compact bouquets late February - PLAYJAM GAMES and SUPERSPORT SELECT!

A games channel, designed to provide interactive family fun, PLAYJAM GAMES offers DStv audiences the choice of three games – an updated version of peg solitaire called Day Job, the simple but challenging Nutz, and a classic darts game adapted for TV called East End Arrows. Each game includes a scoring system and allows viewers to play as many times as they want for no additional fee. Popular in the other territories where it is available, PLAYJAM GAMES is the result of continuous technological development undertaken by MultiChoice Africa and offers great animation, engaging screen elements and an opportunity for light-hearted entertainment for audiences looking for an alternative television experience.

The SUPERSPORT SELECT channel, which follows on from last years launch of SuperSport Maximo, showcases Nigerian Football League excitement, FA Premier League highlights and more from the magazine show Futbol Africa. It also serves up aces with ATP Tennis coverage, international triathlons, boxing’s KOTV and KOTV Classics.

The new channels notwithstanding, DStv is undoubtedly the market leader in both quality content and value for money. In addition MultiChoice has the reputation for pioneering the introduction of top-end TV technology products such as the Personal Video Recorder and Decoder (PVR) which launched in Kenya last year and has performed very well in this market.

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