MultiChoice, one of Africa’s leading entertainment platforms, has announced a milestone of 6,000 hours of indigenous content produced in 40 languages each year, catering to about 50 countries and reaching more than 100 million viewers daily.
According to MultiChoice, the company provides a platform for Africans to see their rich cultural heritage and their own experiences reflected on screen. This provides entertainment and promotes a sense of national identity and pride, which is important for building a cohesive and inclusive society.
Commenting on the milestone, John Ugbe, CEO of West Africa, MultiChoice, stated that one of the motivations of MultiChoice Africa was to help shape the cultural landscape.
In his words, “We recognise the crucial role local entertainment plays in cultural education, and that is why we have invested over 50 per cent of our total general entertainment spend on African content this year. It is also a way to help shape the global perception of Africa as a continent. The entertainment industry can stimulate growth and improve livelihoods – especially in developing countries”.
On her part, Dr. Busola Tejumola, the Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice, explained that the pay-TV business enriches lives through its role in developing Africa’s contemporary cultural heritage.
She said, “In Nigeria, Africa Magic shows like Nigerian Idol, Big Brother Africa, Glass House, Sin, Dust, Checkout, and My Flatmates reflect and enrich the cultural identity of the country and dozens of others capture local imaginations on Africa Magic in ways that only culturally relevant entertainment can.”