DSTV offer other interesting alternatives for as Nigeria accuse them of being boring
DSTV offer other interesting alternatives for as Nigeria accuse them of being boring
On social media over the weekend, users expressed outrage over what they describe as serial repetition of shows on Multichoice Cable TV, commonly referred to as DSTV. The controversy began when a Twitter user lamented about seeing Rush Hour repeatedly over the course of a month.
“For about a month now, DSTV has been replaying Rush Hour. Even National Geographic Wild, which I enjoy watching, is simply repeating the same documentaries. Indeed, I am familiar with every Lion in Kenya,” Twitter user Osca Ranking stated.
This tweet sparked a chain reaction among other Twitter users, who were likely looking for a way to express their dissatisfaction with cable television.
Abisola, a Twitter user, stated, "Dstv, bring your USB cord and allow me to copy movies for you." Another user identified only as Broztitute enquired as to how DSTV could have over 100 channels and still be boring. Another Tweep, Panda Footies, stated, "DSTV is constantly repeating movies, so I knew I shouldn't have thrown away my DVD."
Nigerians have long since lost patience with DSTV, which, despite charging some of the country's highest rates, fails to match its high prices with high-quality content. Numerous football fans have stated that, aside from live football games, DSTV does not offer anything extraordinary.
Therefore, why does DSTV rerun shows?
Why does DSTV rerun shows?
Complaints about repeated shows are not new, and they appear to be a necessary component of DSTV's programming strategy. In 2015, while defending himself against accusations of repetition, MultiChoice Chief Content Officer David Booth stated that a repeat is not a repeat if you have not seen it.
“Repeats are an integral part of the multichannel television eco-system. It's about providing audiences with another opportunity to view programming – the likelihood of seeing something for the first time is diminishing daily as a result of the increasingly fragmented viewing environment,” Mr Booths explained.
“Repeats and archive programming are gaining traction. Having exclusively live content available costs billions of dollars, and no broadcaster in the world offers that; the challenge for us is striking a balance between new hours of content and archive programming, which is a delicate act.” David Booth stated.
Tim Jacobs, who discussed how EPL rights affected DStv subscription fees, stated that EPL rights increased by 70%. “To absorb that increase in our cost structure, we needed to rebalance our content.”
While all of this makes economic sense from a business standpoint, it sounds like a load of higi-haga to viewers in Nigeria. So what are the alternatives to DSTV? Consider a few of them below.
Other DSTV Alternatives
It is no longer news that Nigerians are dissatisfied with Dstv. Apart from its apparent boredom, there appears to be a cost issue, as well as the company's proclivity for arbitrarily increasing its prices as it pleases.
Recently, a slew of new Pay-TV ventures have emerged, all promising superior entertainment content at lower prices. Consider the following:
1. Netflix
Netflix is the global leader in video streaming, enabling you to watch movies and TV shows on your smart TV, game console, PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet, among other devices. It offers an excellent selection of content – including critically acclaimed original series – in high definition and ultra high definition, and its apps are compatible with the majority of popular devices.
Each Netflix subscription plan is priced differently in Nigeria. The Basic plan is $7.99 (290), the Standard plan is $9.99 (360), and the Premium plan is $11.99 (440).
2. Startimes
The company was established in 1988 and is headquartered in China. According to its official website, it is a major player in the Asian country's pay-TV market, with over 7 million users. It has expanded operations into ten African countries, including Nigeria and Kenya.
Startimes offers a variety of channels, including news, music, and movie channels such as Iroko Plus, as well as local Nigerian channels such as Wazobia TV, children's programming such as Nickelodeon, and, of course, football, including exclusive rights to some leagues such as the Europa League and the German Football League.
Startimes propagates their signals within a defined geographical area via high-towered signal transmission masts. To capture this signal, all that is required is a special Ariel antenna connected to a digital signal decoder set to the same frequency parameters as the propagated signal.
3. FireStick
The FireStick is a device that runs on Android. Unlike the majority of Android devices, however, the FireStick does not support Google Play Services. It runs on a modified version of Android and supports the Amazon Store. You can use FireStick to stream movies, shows, live TV, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
While there is no monthly fee associated with using the Fire TV Stick, bear in mind that being a Prime member significantly increases its value. Hulu Plus, Netflix, HBO (required for HBO GO), and others all have their own subscription fees.
You can purchase a FireStick for between 12,000 and 45,000 Naira, depending on your budget.
4. Android TV Box
An Android TV box is a streaming device that connects to your television and enables you to access streaming services such as Netflix that are typically only available on portable devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, or on smart TVs.
Configuration: An Android TV box connects to a television via the HDMI port on the back. After the box is configured, various streaming services and apps can be viewed on your TV rather than on a tablet or laptop; no casting is required.
It ranges in price from 13,500 to 18,000 Naira, depending on the capabilities.
Conclusion
The other alternatives to Dstv are available in a variety of packages, depending on your budget, and almost all are simple to set up on your own. This is not to say that Dstv is completely out of favor, as many households still prefer it as their primary source of entertainment.
However, if you're tired of the routine and want to see something new, you can explore the other options.
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