In this monthly Africa and Middle East video spotlight feature, S&P Global Market Intelligence provides a roundup of news related to over-the-top, video-on-demand and other online video initiatives in different African and Middle Eastern markets.
TOP NEWS
* 21st Century Fox Inc.'s Fox Networks Group is gearing up to introduce a National Geographic on-demand service in Africa in 2018, Variety reported Dec. 4. National Geographic+ will be available on telco Cell C (Pty.) Ltd.'s Black service in South Africa.
* PCCW Ltd.'s video-on-demand platform Viu will launch original Arabic content for the Middle East market beginning December 2017, Rapid TV News reported Nov. 27. Viu's audiences in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will have access to the platform's 10 new Arabic Viu Originals.
OTHER NEWS
* South African media platform Soccer Laduma will provide match updates from German soccer league the Bundesliga in Sub-Saharan Africa, NexTV News Africa reported Dec. 5.
* Nigerian pay TV service Play TV, formerly Consat, has discussed a planned content partnership with the British Broadcasting Corp. for the former's launch in the country, NexTV News Africa reported Nov. 24. The service has about 50 channels spanning movies, sports and lifestyle.
* StarTimes, the Chinese-owned pay TV platform which also operates in Africa, nabbed exclusive media rights for FIFA Club World Cup UAE for 2017 and 2018 in Sub-Saharan Africa, NexTV Africa News reported Nov. 23. All matches will be broadcast live on ST World Football.
* Cell C's Android-based media player, the blackBOX, will provide access to Black's streaming service, such as live TV, subscription video-on-demand, as well as movies and series rentals and purchases, NexTV News Africa reported Nov. 21. The offering will include various channels, such as Fox Africa, Sony, CBS Reality, TCM, True Movies, BBC and Bloomberg, as well as on-demand films and channels.
* Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Media Group LLC said Nov. 20 that it secured exclusive rights to broadcast England & Wales Cricket Board content in the Middle East and North Africa. As part of the six-year deal, beIN Media Group will air premium cricket matches, including India's 2018 and 2022 tours to England, and the Ashes series in the U.K. in 2019.
* South African pay TV operator MultiChoice added three new channels to its DStv Now streaming platform, Telecompaper reported Nov. 14. Subscribers will have access to GHOne TV, UTV and TV Africa on all DStv packages. MultiChoice has also added Walt Disney Co.'s Disney Channel on DStv's Compact Plus and Compact packages beginning Dec. 1, NexTV News Africa reported Nov. 30.
