differentiator for the MultiChoice Group . Through M-Net , Africa ’ s most loved storyteller , we partner with both local talent and the world ’ s best production studios to ensure our customers have an unrivalled selection of the best general entertainment content . We are the biggest investor in local content on the continent and this has played a significant role in bringing the local Film and TV industries to life not only in Kenya , but across the continent .
What challenges do we see in content creation today and do we anticipate that these challenges will prevail into the future ?
The future can only be brighter if we jointly as industry and Government tackle these issues ;
• Industry capacity to create quality content which is hampered by lack of skills and funding . Currently , M-Net via its Maisha Magic Channels is mitigating this by commissioning its content which it funds 100 %.
• Quality is also hampered by lack of the right skillset . M-Net has been conducting producer workshops for existing industry creatives and using international experts to upskill creatives . The MultiChoice Talent Factory has been instrumental in training raw talent across East Africa which is now getting absorbed into the local market . Jointly , we hope to continue igniting African creative industries .
• Investment - A single channel broadcasting 24 hours a day needs
We believe in uplifting , supporting , and investing in the communities where we live and work , to grow our operations and in turn meet the growing social and entertainment needs of the people in those communities .
To survive and grow , industry players have to find new ways of engaging more effectively with viewers when there are more choices than ever , more free content than ever , shorter , entertaining versions of it and our customers are becoming more and more accustomed to receiving personalized content that talks to their specific requirements often seemingly for free .
8,760 hours of content a year . There are only about 600 new movies made every year , giving just 1,200 hours of movies . This means there is room for additional investment . We can never produce enough to fill 24 hours of fresh content per channel meaning there is always room for growth !
• Currently , the biggest risk to our industry is piracy which negatively affects every single person working in the entertainment and technology industries , and their supply chains . Piracy occurs when someone other than the copyright holder copies the product and resells it for a fraction of the cost that the legitimate producer charges or even gives it away to consumers for free .
Piracy means there is less money to invest in new technology , developing music , artists , and movies . There is less work for entire content value chain - from developers , testers , sound engineers to videographers to every other type of person who goes into creating , packaging , advertising , distributing , supporting , promoting or reviewing these products and services . This includes the effect on artists and filmmakers ’ rights and their payments . Unfortunately , many people think sharing software , games , music , eBooks , pictures , etc . is just a convenient tool to help reduce costs .
Digital piracy is often portrayed as a victimless crime , but that portrayal is false . Piracy has a detrimental effect on any industry and will lead to the longterm erosion of the sector . Piracy comes in various forms in Africa , including signal piracy , illegal streaming and bootleg DVDs . Because there is a demand for content , when distribution rights don ' t keep up with demand , piracy fills the gap .
A conservative estimate for digital piracy affecting the Western movie industry ( i . e . mostly Hollywood ) is about US $ 22 billion annually .
What is the future of content distribution ?
If you speak to any of the people involved in the early days of MultiChoice , one of the things they say is the absolute necessity to not just understand what the future holds but to shape the future , to be a disrupter and if necessary even to cannibalize yourself . The rapid advances in digital technology in Africa have created new opportunities for us to innovate on content delivery .
The entertainment industry has undergone a seismic shift over the last year , and now streaming is at the forefront of its future , with the African streaming market set to increase five-fold in the next five years . Looking back at 2020 , there ’ s no need to reiterate just how much has changed on a global level as we ’ ve had to adapt to a radically new lifestyle . The impact on the entertainment industry , and particularly the streaming industry , has been extraordinary . With millions of people around the world stuck at home , unable to go to church , weddings , funerals , the shops , the cinema or even meet up with friends and family , the adoption of streaming services has accelerated rapidly .
With our investment in technology , we are able to merge the changing consumer trends and offer our customer viewership on demand via online platforms - The DStvApp and Showmax .
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