{{short description|Satellite television service in Africa}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use South African English|date=August 2012}} {{Infobox company | name = DStv | logo = DStv Logo (2023).svg | logo_size = 200px | logo_caption = Logo used since 2023 | type = [[Public company|Public]] | area_served = [[Sub-Saharan Africa]] | industry = [[Pay television]] | products = {{ubl|[[Direct Broadcast Satellite]]|[[IPTV]]}} | services = {{ubl|Cable television|[[Streaming television]]}} | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|6 October 1995}} | location = [[Randburg]], [[City of Johannesburg]], South Africa | owner = {{Plainlist| * [[MultiChoice]] ([[Canal+ S.A.]]) (20.1%, SA only) }} | website = {{official website|www.dstv.com}} }}
'''Digital Satellite Television''', abbreviated '''DStv''', is a [[Sub-Saharan Africa]]n [[satellite television|direct broadcast satellite]] service owned by [[MultiChoice]] and based in [[South Africa]], with headquarters in [[Randburg]]. DStv provides [[audio signal|audio]], [[radio broadcasting|radio]] and [[television channel]]s and services to subscribers across 50 countries,<ref name=":0">{{cite web|first=Duncan|last=McLeod|date=11 November 2019|title=DStv rakes in subscribers, but they're spending less on average|url=https://techcentral.co.za/dstv-rakes-in-subscribers-but-theyre-spending-less-on-average/93953/|website=Tech Central|access-date=28 May 2020|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030172536/https://techcentral.co.za/dstv-rakes-in-subscribers-but-theyre-spending-less-on-average/93953/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Markets – The MultiChoice Group |url=https://www.multichoice.com/about-us/our-markets |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=MultiChoice |language=en}}</ref> mostly in [[South Africa]], [[Nigeria]] and [[Zimbabwe]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=DStv Stream - The home of entertainment. Anywhere. |url=https://unificationprod-admin.azurewebsites.net/en-za/buy/dstv-packages/dstv-stream |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=unificationprod-admin.azurewebsites.net |language=en-za}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ferreira |first=Thinus |title=DStv says costs will remain 'most affordable' despite increase: Here's what you'll pay in 2023 |url=https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/tv/dstv-says-costs-will-remain-most-affordable-despite-increase-heres-what-youll-pay-in-2023-20230214 |access-date=2023-10-14 |magazine=Life |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='DStv doesn't care about tourism recovery, high cost for hotels untenable' |url=https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/460277/dstv-doesn-t-care-about-tourism-recovery-high-cost-for-hotels-untenable |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=CapeTalk |language=en-ZA}}</ref>
==History== In 1986, pay-television came to South Africa when a single-channel analogue service, [[M-Net]], was launched by [[Naspers]] and local businesses/companies. For almost seven years, all of M-Net's operations were handled by a single dedicated company until 1995 when a second subsidiary company, [[MultiChoice]], was launched. This company would take over the operations of M-Net including decoder sales, subscriber services (which were also available in local shops) and account management. MultiChoice would also embark on establishing presence in multiple countries outside South Africa.
Not long after, a digital satellite service in [[South Africa]] was announced by [[MultiChoice]] and was launched that same year on 6 October 1995 as ''DStv'', an abbreviation for {{em|Digital Satellite Television}}. On its launch, DStv offered a package of 16 channels: [[Cartoon Network (Middle Eastern and African TV channel)|Cartoon Network]], [[CNN International Europe/Middle East/Africa|CNN]], a 40-channel [[DMX (music service)|DMX]] audio service, [[ESPN Africa|ESPN]], [[Hallmark Channel (international)|Hallmark]], [[K-T.V.]], [[M-Net]], [[M-Net Movies|Movie Magic]], [[Carlton Select|SelecTV]], [[Sky News]], [[SuperSport (South African broadcaster)|SuperSport]], [[TNT Africa|TNT]], [[Travel Channel International|Travel Channel]], the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]], [[TV5MONDE|TV5 Afrique]], [[MTV Europe|MTV]] and [[VH1 (Europe)|VH1]]. This prompted changes to the main M-Net channel, which, while having its formula unchanged, started concentrating more on African productions, while K-T.V., Movie Magic and SuperSport gained their own separate channels. Aside from the DMX service, subscribers also had access to Radio 702 and [[Voice of America]]. Multichoice expected the number of channels to be increased to 24 by early 1996.<ref name="Africa turns on">"Africa turns on digital satellite TV", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 7, October–November 1995</ref> The launch of DStv was deemed "satisfactory", with decoder sales having surpassed 10,000 units by November 1995.<ref>"dstv launch "satisfactory"", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 8, January–February 1996</ref>
Within weeks of its launch, DStv added its first new channels, [[Discovery Channel Europe|Discovery Channel]] and [[BBC News (international TV channel)|BBC World]]. The latter was available over the terrestrial frequencies of M-Net eleven hours a day; this enabled subscribers to watch the channel 24/7.<ref>{{cite news |title=Discovery Channel and BBC World join Multichoice dstv |work=Africa Film & TV Magazine |issue=8 |date=January–February 1996}}</ref> By September 1996, DStv had 55,000 subscribers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cosper |first1=A.C. |title=Africa: The sleeping giant awakens |work=Satellite Communications |volume=20 |issue=10 |date=1996 |pages=24–27}}</ref>
In February 1998, DStv had 70,000 subscribers across the continent. By June that year, the number skyrocketed to 215,000 in Sub-Saharan Africa and 31,000 in Egypt and the Middle East. With the launch of [[BBC Prime]] in March 1999, it had risen to nearly 350,000, an increase of 30% within the past ten months. This also coincided with the arrival of National Geographic Channel and the South African business network Summit.<ref>{{cite news |title=MultiChoice DStv subscribers rocket |work=Africa Film & TV Magazine |issue=21 |date=May–July 1999}}</ref>
Interactive services started in 2000 with six datacasting channels aimed primarily at the South African market. These channels featured games, news, weather, and soon, the possibility of accessing internet services, banking, video-on-demand and camera angles during key sporting events.<ref>"A new television experience", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 25, May–July 2000</ref>
Over the 2 decades since then till today, television channels launch on the platform when channel carriage contracts are signed and/or renewed between MultiChoice and another [[media conglomerate]]/[[Broadcasting|broadcaster]] and ceases transmission when channel carriage contracts are not renewed or by decisions made by the latter.
In July 2003, DSTV launched [[Africa Magic]] as a movie and general entertainment channel geared at showcasing Nollywood talent and African culture. At the time of its launch it received high popularity amongst DStv subscribers, especially in South Africa and Nigeria.
This was followed by the launch of new services including: W4 Eutelsat satellite with Ku-band services to [[Sub-Saharan Africa]] and the [[Indian Ocean islands|Indian Ocean Islands]] in 2000 (which Multichoice bought five transponders),<ref>"Multichoice books Eutelsat W4", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 26, August–October 2000</ref> [[Interactive Television]] in 2002, the Dual-view decoder in 2003, and the DStv PVR decoder and the DStv Compact subscription package bundle in 2005.
Thanks to the new contract with Eutelsat, DStv vastly improved its channel offer by starting Ku-band signals in West Africa, as well as the inclusion of new Lusophone channels in Angola and Mozambique ([[RTP Internacional]] – already in South Africa up until then, [[SIC Internacional]] and [[TV Globo Internacional]]), three channels from India (Sony Entertainment Television India, B4U and Zee TV) and the possibility of adding Arab and Lebanese channels in West Africa.<ref>"MultiChoice expands in West Africa", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 27, November 2000-January 2001</ref>
The interactive services were provided by American company OpenTV and launched in the first half of 2002.<ref>"MultiChoice to launch Interactive TV in Africa", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 32, February–April 2002</ref> SuperSport had already started an interactive service, SuperSport Zone, in May 2001.<ref>"Major re-launch for Africa's sport on TV", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 32, February–April 2002</ref> By March 2002, the roll-out was completed, by means of a new decoder, 720i.<ref>"MCA launches interactive television", ''Africa Film & TV Magazine'', nº. 33, May–July 2002</ref>
In November 2006, DSTV added KBC and KTN to its Kenyan subscribers' package.<ref>{{cite news |title=Africa: NTV, KBC Link to 'The Dish' |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200611280800.html |work=[[AllAfrica]]}}</ref>
The year 2008 saw the introduction of the HD PVR decoder, the XtraView decoder and the high definition feed of the M-Net channel. On 1 September of that year, it launched [[BBC Entertainment]] (replacing [[BBC Prime]]), [[BBC Lifestyle]], [[BBC Knowledge (international)|BBC Knowledge]], [[CBeebies]] and, in a separate agreement, [[ESPN Classic (UK)|ESPN Classic]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walufa |first1=Walter |title=Africa: Multichoice Africa to Broadcast Five New Channels |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200808270079.html |work=[[AllAfrica]] |agency=[[Daily Monitor]] |date=27 August 2008}}</ref>
In 2010, [[DVB-IPTV|DVB over IP]] (Digital Video Broadcast over Internet Protocol) and DStv Catchup services were launched, as well as the HD PVR 2P decoder same year and [[M-Net Movies|M-Net Movies 1]] got simulcast in high definition for the first time. DStv BoxOffice (a film/movie rental/on-demand service) and ''DStv Mobile'' were launched in 2011. Since 2012, DStv has also been re-broadcast on [[Saint Helena]], but with only 30 selected channels.<ref>{{cite web|title=Television {{!}} Saint Helena Island Info: All about St Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/television.htm|website=Saint Helena Information Website|location=[[Saint Helena]]|access-date=5 November 2021|archive-date=4 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104162241/http://sainthelenaisland.info/television.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
Multichoice Nigeria has faced significant challenges. The company lost 243,000 subscribers across its DStv and GOtv platforms between April and September 2024, primarily due to Nigeria's severe economic conditions, including inflation exceeding 30%. This decline is part of a larger trend, with an 18% drop in subscribers in Nigeria reported earlier in March 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iboh |first=Michael A. G. |date=2024-11-13 |title=MultiChoice Nigeria Loses 243,000 Subscribers In 6 Months |url=https://reportafrique.com/news/multichoice-nigeria-loses-243000-subscriber/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Akintaro |first=Samson |date=2024-11-12 |title=Multichoice Nigeria loses 243,000 subscribers in 6 months, blames economy |url=https://nairametrics.com/2024/11/12/multichoice-nigeria-loses-243000-subscribers-in-6-months-blames-economy/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Nairametrics |language=en-US}}</ref>
The economic pressures have forced many Nigerian households to disconnect from the pay-TV service. Additionally, the company faces growing competition from streaming services and changing consumer viewing habits, which continue to pressure its traditional pay-TV model. However, MultiChoice is taking steps to address these challenges. The company has invested ZAR1.6 billion in its streaming service, Showmax, which has shown impressive growth of 50% year-over-year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moyo |first=Admire |date=2024-11-13 |title=MultiChoice eyes Sanlam deal to exit technical insolvency |url=https://www.itweb.co.za/article/multichoice-eyes-sanlam-deal-to-exit-technical-insolvency/xA9PO7NE8pAvo4J8 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=ITWeb}}</ref>
===Acquisition by Canal+ S.A.=== Nearly a year later, on February 1, 2024, Canal+ made an offer to MultiChoice's investors to acquire remaining shares, subject to regulatory approval, offering a price of R105 per share, 40% higher than the price of R75 offered the previous day.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vivendi's Canal+ Group Makes Move To Acquire African Entertainment Giant MultiChoice|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|first=Melanie|last=Goodfellow|date=1 February 2024|access-date=1 February 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/vivendi-canal-plus-group-acquire-african-entertainment-multichoice-1235810717/}}</ref> MultiChoice rejected the offer believing it undervalued the company and following a reprimand by the Takeover Regulation Panel, Canal+ revised its offer and upped its bid to R125 per share, the share price was 67% higher than the MultiChoice share price.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-05 |title=Canal+ raises buyout offer for South Africa's MultiChoice |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/canal-raises-bid-safricas-multichoice-2024-03-05/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-05 |title=South Africa's MultiChoice rejects Vivendi's Canal Plus buyout offer |url=https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2024/south-africas-multichoice-rejects-vivendis-canal-plus-buyout-offer/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=www.cnbcafrica.com |language=en}}</ref>
In June 2024, Canal+ Group and MultiChoice released a joint circular with the French broadcaster that has obtained 45,2% of company shares with an interim board approving on the revised offer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DStv owner's big year |url=https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/572787-dstv-owners-big-year.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |language=en-ZA}}</ref> Both companies made a filing to local regulators in September 2024 with the terms of the agreement remaining unchanged.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sharenet.co.za/v3/sens_display.php?date=20240930153600&seq=64 | title=SENS Headlines }}</ref>
Under the deal, Canal+ will spin out MultiChoice SA's broadcasting licence which includes DStv as an independent entity to comply with the Electronic Communications Act, which prohibits foreign entities from owning more than 20%. New shareholders set to enter the transaction include Former Telkom's CEO Sipho Maseko's Afrifund Investment and businesswoman Sonja De Bruyn's Identity Partners that will form the entity known as LicenceCo to handle the operations in South Africa and give it 51% economic interest with the remaining 49% for Canal+.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-04 |title=Canal+ buyout: Sipho Maseko to invest in MultiChoice entity - TechCentral |url=https://techcentral.co.za/canal-buyout-sipho-maseko-multichoice/258726/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Channels and bouquets== {{more citations needed|date=May 2019}}
===DStv=== DStv airs more than 200 television channels and radio stations. The list of channels differ and vary across the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. DStv offers six bouquets/packages of (Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family, Access, Easy View), each with a different price range, and four add-on packages for premium film and series channels, Indian, Portuguese, French channels.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Compare DStv Packages|url=https://www.dstv.co.za/get-dstv/compare-packages/|website=DStv South Africa|access-date=25 May 2019|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427171919/https://www.dstv.co.za/get-dstv/compare-packages/|url-status=live}}</ref> Most current-day DStv decoders also offer access to MultiChoice's streaming platform, [[Showmax]], along with other third-party apps through [[broadband|broadband connection]] and/or [[Wi-Fi]] connection.
===DStv Angola & Mozambique=== DStv offers nine Portuguese-dedicated packages (Mega & Premium, Bué, Grande+, Grande, Família+, Família, Fácil, Básico), which are available in Angola and Mozambique.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Compare DStv Packages|url=https://www.dstv.com/en-ao/buy/compare-packages/|website=DStv Angola|access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref>
===CANAL+=== DStv offers two French-dedicated packages (French Touch & French Plus) courtesy of [[Canal+ Afrique|CANAL+]] from [[Canal+ S.A.|CANAL+ S.A.]] providing a selection of over 15 channels across specific genres (excluding South Africa).<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=French Touch |url=https://www.dstv.com/en-rw/buy/dstv-packages/dstv-french-touch/ |website=DStv Rwanda|access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=French Plus|url=https://www.dstv.com/en-ke/buy/dstv-packages/dstv-french-plus/|website=DStv Kenya|access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref> These include:
{{div col|colwidth=10em}} * [[Canal+ Sport (France)|CANAL+ Sport 1]] * CANAL+ Sport 2 * CANAL+ Sport 3 * [[Canal+ (French TV channel)|CANAL+ Première]] * [[Canal+ Cinéma(s)|CANAL+ Cinéma]] * CANAL+ Action * [[:fr:Canal+ Pop|CANAL+ Pop]] * [[:fr:Infosport+|Infosport+]] * [[:fr:A+ (chaîne de télévision)|A+]] *[[Piwi+]] *[[Novelas TV]] *[[Nollywood TV]] *[[TF1]] *[[France 2]] *[[France 24]] {{div col end}}
==Reception equipment== DStv has their [[set-top box]]es manufactured by domestic company, Altech UEC, along with [[Arris International]] (for South Africa only) and Chinese electronics company, [[Skyworth]], for the rest of the continent. The choice of boxes include a standard box with "XtraView" capabilities, an older [[personal video recorder]], and the then-newest PVR box known as the Explora. An additional decoder known as the currently-discontinued Drifta allows the conversion of a DStv [[DVB-H]] signal to another digital device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone for portable in-home viewing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Drifta – decoders|url=https://care.dstv.com/main.aspx?ID=2072|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526233252/https://care.dstv.com/main.aspx?ID=2072|archive-date=26 May 2012|website=DStv|access-date=23 June 2013}}</ref>
===DStv Stream=== DStv also offers five packages of (Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family, Access), on [[mobile app]] for [[mobile phone]] and [[tablet computer|tablet]] devices, along with PC to control [[digital video recorder|DVRs]] and [[TV Parental Guidelines|parental controls]] and allow access to recorded content and [[video on demand]] services. The app was previously known as ''DStv Mobile'' until 2016 and ''DStv Now'' until 2020, with the app called DStv Stream as of 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dstv.com/en-za/buy/dstv-packages/dstv-stream/ |title=The home of entertainment. Anywhere.|website=DStv|access-date=28 November 2025}}</ref>
== Slogans ==
* TV that can turn you on! (1995–1998) * Expand Your View (1998–2001) * So much more (2001–2014) * Feel every moment (2014–2023) * The home of entertainment (2023–present)
==Controversies== === Price fixing === In May 2017, DStv admitted to price fixing and contravening the Competition Act and agreed to pay R22 million in penalties as well as R8 million to the Economic Development Fund of South Africa.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lindeque|first=Mia|date=26 May 2017|title=DStv agrees to pay R22m penalty for price-fixing|url=http://ewn.co.za/2017/05/26/dstv-agrees-to-pay-r22m-in-penalty-fees-after-admits-to-price-fixing|website=EWN|access-date=30 August 2017|archive-date=12 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112103451/https://ewn.co.za/2017/05/26/dstv-agrees-to-pay-r22m-in-penalty-fees-after-admits-to-price-fixing|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.dstv.com/}}
{{CATV}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:DStv}} [[Category:Television in Nigeria]] [[Category:Television in South Africa]] [[Category:Television in Ghana]] [[Category:Direct broadcast satellite services]] [[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1995]] [[Category:Mass media companies established in 1995]]