Public broadcaster’s vision making headway, numbers show
Vuyo Mthembu
When the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) first over-the-top (OTT) streaming app, SABC+ was launched amid much public anticipation and fanfare on November 17, 2022, the public broadcaster in its vision for the platform anticipated the disruption it would cause to the media broadcasting landscape of South Africa.
The public broadcaster in its launch press release said “SABC+ signals a new digital era for the SABC and a key accomplishment in addressing universal access for all citizens.
“The SABC+ app also presents a growth path to enhancing our value offering to clients and customers to build a strong foundation for future financial sustainability of the SABC”.
Since the launch of SABC+, over 600 000 South Africans have registered, and with a public mandate, to ensure access for all South Africans to its local and international content, SABC+ has become another avenue for the public broadcaster to deliver its compelling television and radio content on an all-encompassing digital bouquet.
The app provides the best that the SABC has to offer, with its 19 radio stations and three free-to-air television channels SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3, as well as the SABC Sports Channel and the SABC’s 24-hour news channel.
For example, the bouquet offers an array of video entertainment content, ranging from edutainment, retro, drama, documentaries, and top sports programming.
Viewers can catch up on exciting shows such as The Sauce, My Testimony, Paw Patrol: Pup Tales and The English Premier League.
“In addition, our award-winning radio stations are available for live streaming. This is done with the aim of enhancing the corporation’s mission to inform, educate and entertain citizens – everywhere and anytime.”
The SABC Sport Channel, which broadcasted The Rugby World Cup 2023 on the app, was a prime example of the power of the SABC+.
With the national rugby team, the Springboks vying for their second world championship back-to-back, SABC+ peak viewing was in the final match between South Africa and New Zealand, with over 100 000 unique viewers tuned in for the finals on the digital platform.
Furthermore, between September 8 to October 28, which was the duration of the rugby tournament, there were 931 812 new users (as per Google Analytics) and 309 924 new registrations; 28 941 958 page views and 75 526 498 minutes watched (Source: DISCOVER DIGITAL January 1 to November 2023).
This additional platform added to the SABC’s viewing power, as another 2.5 million viewers tuned into the Rugby World Cup on free-to-air channel SABC 2 (Source: TAMS September 8 to October 29, 2023 ).
During the ICC 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup in India, the public broadcaster once again used SABC+ to connect to the people we serve, and we urge you to be on the look out for the broadcast of more big sport events on the app.
As the corporation continues to grow the SABC+ app, with plans to aggressively push the number of registrations on the platform, it will revolutionise how the public broadcaster provides unique and exciting local and international content, while delivering on its public mandate.
The SABC celebrates this incredible milestone and thanks its loyal SABC viewers and listeners who have joined the platform and the others who will surely follow.
To download the app and register, the public can go to www.sabcplus.com and follow on these social media platforms.
- Vuyo Mthembu is the SABC media relations manager
Twitter: @SABCPlus https://twitter.com/SABCPlus
