Openview Outperforms DStv in Satellite TV Subscriptions in South Africa

eMedia has achieved impressive success with its Openview satellite TV service, outperforming MultiChoice‘s DStv in net subscriber additions in South Africa over the past five years.

Openview and DStv are the two major satellite TV providers in South Africa, with traditional terrestrial and satellite broadcasting still dominating despite the rise of video streaming in recent years.

In a comprehensive analysis of the operational data presented in their annual financial reports, it was found that between March 2019 and March 2023, Openview recorded approximately 2.139 million sign-ups while DStv had a net subscriber gain of 1.095 million.

Openview had over 400,000 set-top box activations in 2019 and 2020, which dropped to around 369,000 in 2021 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, activations started climbing again in 2022 and reached nearly 514,000 in 2023.

DStv’s net subscriber additions in South Africa exceeded Openview’s in 2019 and 2020, with approximately 526,000 and 441,000 additions, respectively. However, in 2021, DStv’s net subscriber additions dropped to 289,000, falling short of Openview’s 369,000.

Contrary to Openview’s recovery in the years following the Covid-19 pandemic, DStv saw a decline in subscribers, losing 17,000 in 2022 and an additional 144,000 in 2023.

While Openview’s performance appears superior to DStv’s, it is important to note that their business models differ. eMedia generates revenue solely from advertising, whereas DStv relies on both subscriptions and advertising. Additionally, Openview’s set-top box activations do not account for customers who deactivate their service.

Despite these differences, DStv remains the dominant satellite TV provider in South Africa, with 7.882 million subscribers as of September 2023, compared to Openview’s 3.280 million set-top box activations. However, eMedia’s Openview is rapidly closing the gap, with activations increasing by 143% between March 2019 and September 2023, while DStv’s South African subscriber base only grew by 5% during the same period.

As the satellite TV market in South Africa reaches a potential plateau, this competition highlights the evolving landscape of television consumption in the country.