DStv owner MultiChoice has begun piloting weekly subscriptions in Uganda, a strategic move that could expand to other markets if successful. MultiChoice Group CEO Calvo Mawela stated that the trial, which commenced seven weeks ago, will be evaluated over the next three to six months. This initiative aims to better align subscription periods with customers’ cash flows, similar to how prepaid options transformed the mobile industry.
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When asked about offering a customizable channel bundle, Mawela reiterated MultiChoice’s skepticism about such a structure. However, he confirmed the company is exploring a model where customers could subscribe to a base product and then add specific channels.
Mawela’s comments follow the release of MultiChoice’s results for the year ended March 31, 2025, which reported a net profit of R2.02 billion. This marks a significant turnaround from the R2.52 billion loss recorded on March 31, 2024, largely attributed to the sale of a 60% stake in its insurance business to Sanlam in late November 2024.
Despite the profit, the group’s overall revenue for the period declined by 9% year-over-year, driven by an 11% drop in subscription revenues. While MultiChoice South Africa’s revenue saw a slight increase to R41.73 billion, its Rest of Africa and Showmax operations experienced notable setbacks.
MultiChoice hopes weekly subscriptions will help retain customers in key markets, as the 2024/25 financial year results showed declines in both 90-day active subscribers and overall subscriber numbers. Total subscribers fell 8% from 15.69 million to 14.51 million, with 90-day active subscribers decreasing 11% to 18.59 million. “Linear subscribers were down 1.2 million or 8% YoY to 14.5 million active subscribers, with the loss evenly split between South Africa (0.6m) and Rest of Africa (0.6m),” MultiChoice Group stated, indicating broad-based pressure across its customer base.
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In a related strategic move, MultiChoice is also considering unbundling its popular SuperSport line-up from other DStv channels. This forms part of a broader review to address evolving customer preferences. The company has accelerated efforts to explore potential changes to DStv package composition, including whether “certain bundled elements, such as SuperSport and General Entertainment, could be offered differently in future.”
MultiChoice emphasized that this initiative is in its early stages, with commercial impact and customer value still being assessed. It’s too early to comment on specific models, including whether changes would be optional or how pricing might be structured. The company reiterated its commitment to delivering flexibility and value.
This isn’t the first time MultiChoice has considered separating sports channels. In September 2021, it explored a “DStv Flex” product: a mandatory 67-channel entertainment pack with optional, month-to-month Sport Pack bolt-ons. This would have allowed customers to save money during sports off-seasons. However, by July 2024, MultiChoice implied DStv Flex was no longer under active investigation, suggesting it was one of many tested product ideas.
