Confessions of a Couch Potato sees us cosy up with our clients to find out all about their viewing habits.   This month, we chatted to Cheryl Dube Manentsa, Senior Manager for Media at Nedbank. What show are you currently bingeing, and on which platform can we find it? I am a content junky and subscribe to ALL platforms 🫣 . It might be an occupational hazard as I am always looking for new opportunities but right now, I am loving Paradise on Disney and Prime Suspect on Apple TV+.   What’s the one thing about this show that hooked you? (no spoilers!) With the newer shows, it is generally referral-based; I like to be in the know. I also like to watch with my husband in the evenings to wind down after a hectic day.   I love repeating old favourites like Friends, Modern Family and New Girl when I am feeling really stressed and cannot absorb new content; I find it helps calm me down.   If you had to pitch this show to a friend in one sentence, what would you say? Paradise: "Trust noone and always be prepared!” Prime Suspect: “Maths will get you into trouble.”   What brand of TV/ Connected Devices do you have at home? We own a Samsung TV and a Google Speaker. However, I’ve watched a show on Netflix recently called Cassandra and it has made me a little apprehensive about having a connected home LOL!   How many hours do you watch per week? TV is truly my way of winding down: 7-11 pm is my prime viewing time!   Do you still watch TV? Or only streaming? Linear TV is only for DStv Sport – and even this is streamed! I cannot remember the last time I willingly watched anything on a TV that was not streamed.   What's been your experience working with Reach Africa? I love the Reach Africa team; they’re an awesome group of people. Often, we do not interact with the team as much as I’d like to since we work through an agency, but as a lead on media from a client side I like to be up to date with what is happening.   Why do you choose to work with them? Reach Africa is open to knowledge-sharing and bringing creative solutions. Especially in a world where TV is not just TV anymore – it is now addressable. As a bank (Nedbank), we are moving in this direction and are hungry for ‘addressable’ platforms in the ‘traditional’ space.

By Leslie Adams, Sales Director at Reach Africa The TV licence system is on life support. Less than 20% of South Africans with a licence actually pay, and the costs of chasing payments often outweigh the revenue collected. People simply don’t see the value in funding a public broadcaster when they have an endless stream of content available elsewhere.   That said, the SABC still matters. It provides news, educational programming and entertainment for millions who can’t afford premium services. But its role goes beyond just content – it ensures that vital information reaches all South Africans, promotes local storytelling and supports cultural preservation. A strong, independent public broadcaster is essential for media diversity and democracy, making its sustainability a national priority.   Solly Malatsi, South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, recently announced that he was considering the possible introduction of a levy on streaming services as a funding option for the SABC, stating that the current TV licence model was inadequate due to "low compliance, high collection costs and the eroding effects of inflation."   Yet forcing streaming platforms to foot the bill isn’t as simple as it sounds.   Will streaming services absorb the levy or pass it to us?   Should the levy be implemented, the biggest concern is who’s really going to pay.   In some countries, streaming services absorb levies as part of their operating costs –  but that’s unlikely here.We’ve already seen Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ increase their prices multiple times in the past few years. If this levy goes ahead, chances are high that South Africans will be the ones covering the cost through higher subscription fees. And with the economy under pressure, that’s not great news. Many South Africans are already cutting back on entertainment spending. If prices rise again, more people might turn to illegal streaming, free ad-supported content or even ditching paid services altogether.   Could this hurt our film and TV industry?   Beyond funding the SABC, there’s a bigger conversation to be had about how global platforms support localcontent. Over the years, Netflix, Amazon and Showmax have invested heavily in local productions, giving ourstories a global audience. But that investment is starting to slow down. Some platforms are becoming more selective with local content, and Amazon has already reduced its spend in Africa. Moreover, as streamers shift focus from subscriber growth to profitability, content churn is set to accelerate. Viewers, constantly switching platforms for fresh entertainment, are pushing streaming providers to deliver more at a faster pace. This leads to reduced budgets and a drop in content quality.   If the government forces streaming platforms to pay a levy, it’s a real possibility that streamers will cut back on local investments even further. On the other hand, if the levy is structured properly, it could be channelled back into funding local productions, creating jobs and supporting the industry. But that’s the key – it needs to be done right. If there’s no transparency in how these funds are used, we could end up with another tax that disappears into the system without benefiting South African creatives and content producers.   Could streaming platforms exit South Africa?   Would Netflix, Amazon or Disney+ leave the country because of this levy? Probably not. South Africa is still a valuable market for streaming services, and global platforms have dealt with tougher regulations elsewhere. But they could scale back their operations, reduce local content investments or bundle the costs in a way that makes streaming less affordable for South Africans. It’s also worth noting that streaming services already face high costs here. Bandwidth isn’t cheap, and many platforms partner with telecom providers to keep data costs manageable. Adding another tax into the mix could make things even more complicated. What would a fair and sustainable levy look like?   For this levy to work, it must support both the public broadcaster and the local content industry – without making streaming unaffordable. Funds should be reinvested in local films and TV shows, not absorbed into government budgets. The levy must also be reasonable. If it’s too high, streaming platforms will pass the cost onto consumers or cut local investments, hurting both viewers and the industry.   Different streaming models must also be considered – a flat tax won’t work for platforms that operate differently. Additionally, private broadcasters like MultiChoice and eMedia could also contribute: a local content levy for these broadcasters would ensure that funding responsibility is shared more equitably, rather than placing the entire burden on global streaming platforms.   Finally, the SABC must prove it can manage funds responsibly. Before imposing a new tax, the government needs to fix inefficiencies and ensure transparency, so this revenue benefits South African content producers.   A levy could work – but only if handled carefully   South Africa isn’t the first country to try taxing global streaming services. Some places have made it work, while others have seen unintended consequences – higher prices, less local investment and frustrated consumers. If done right, a streaming levy could strengthen South African content creation and help sustain the SABC. But if it’s rushed or mismanaged, it could drive up prices, push people toward piracy and hurt local content investment.   The government needs to engage with all stakeholders – streaming services, content creators and consumers – to find a fair, effective solution that benefits the entire entertainment ecosystem.

As the entertainment and media landscape continues to evolve, staying ahead of trends becomes increasingly critical for media planners and buyers. According to PwC's Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2024–2028 , there are several key developments that offer exciting opportunities for the streaming and connected TV sectors. Here are three trends to watch in South Africa:   Growth of streaming services : OTT streaming services are projected to experience significant growth, supported by stable internet connectivity and the adoption of 5G technology. ​   Ad-Supported models on the rise : Digital advertising revenue is expected to increase from R26.3 billion in 2023 to R38.1 billion by 2028, highlighting the growing importance of ad-supported models. ​ Mobile and digital consumption : Mobile internet penetration in SA is anticipated to reach 78% by 2021, up from 52% in 2016, emphasising the dominance of mobile devices in digital consumption.

The latest report from global analyst and advisory firm Omdia has set the internet ablaze with its 2025 Trends to Watch report, which predicts 2025 to be the first year that streaming will outpace traditional pay TV – and by a significant margin – earning $213 billion compared to pay TV's $188 billion.   Declaring the "streaming wars" over, the report also revealed other key streaming themes: advertising will become omnipresent, standalone or “skinny” subscriber video on demand (SVOD) bundles will rise to the fore, and key services will be reinvented as pay TV 2.0.   While our South African market is slightly less mature than the US and other developed markets, we are seeing a similar scenario play out locally – with certain unique factors layered in.   SA audiences are nimble and highly dynamic. We are constantly finding new spaces and ways to consume content in the most affordable way possible – and marketers are being kept on their toes as they struggle to keep up with these movements. This has profound implications for those seeking to reach audiences as they engage with their favourite content.   Here are several key trends that will shape the SA streaming landscape in 2025.   CTV becomes 2025’s new buzz acronym   Connected TV (CTV) is a device that connects to or is embedded in a television to support video content streaming, such as Xbox, PlayStation and other Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Hisense and more. CTV advertising is a form of digital advertising that reaches people while they're using CTV, and has been earmarked by analysts as a +R28 billion advertising opportunity.   While CTV is not by any means brand new to the market, it will become ubiquitous in 2025 as CTV advertising takes off. As streaming subscriptions reach saturation point, many streamers have introduced ad-funded tiers to grow their profitability. However, as we’ve seen both globally and locally, the mass move of viewers from traditional and paid TV to various streaming over-the-top (OTT) providers has segmented and split audiences even further, creating multiple mini-ecosystems.   But advertising solutions are coming and the answer lies in CTV.   CTV advertising offers marketers an unmatched opportunity to reach audiences, regardless of which streaming service they’re using. CTV provides the extensive audience reach of traditional television while delivering the targeting and measurable impact of digital advertising. Moreover, thanks to its non-skippable ad formats, CTV achieves some of the highest engagement and video completion rates in the digital ad space.   CTV is set to become 2025’s new favourite marketing buzzword.   ‘With Ads’ is the new ‘Subscribe Now’   Streaming platforms are seeing slower subscription growth, pushing them to diversify revenue streams by introducing ad-supported tiers or dual SVOD and advertising video on demand (AVOD) models, where viewers trade ad views for free or lower subscription costs. According to PwC, advertising will account for 55% of revenue expansion in the media and entertainment industry over the next five years.   With more and more choice in streaming platforms (there are now more than 26 streamers legally available in SA alone) – and with consumers facing increasing financial pressure due to the rising cost of living – these models are fast gaining popularity.   Nearly 40% of Disney+ subscriptions in the US and Canada are now ad-supported (up from just 3% in 2022) while Netflix –  in its Q4 2024 earnings report – revealed its largest-ever quarterly subscriber growth of 18.9 million, which was  largely driven by its advertising offering.  It stated that 55% of sign-ups in ad-supported markets were now opting for its ads plan, which saw membership grow nearly 30% quarter-over-quarter.   Ad-supported models make sense. These models offer viewers affordable and accessible viewing, while streamers benefit from the advertising revenue provided by brands that want to reach audiences en masse .   The real opportunity for streamers today lies within the middle market, with these consumers searching for great content at a low cost or for free.   Streaming enters its Content Churn Era   As streamers move from subscriber growth to profitability as a core metric, content churn will speed up. More is more as viewers toggle between different streamers in a quest to feed their bottomless content appetites, with OTT providers under increasing pressure to keep them engaged with fresh new content. This means less investment from big players and lower production budgets – with the result that the quality of what we’re watching will take a nosedive.   We’re seeing this already, as ‘quick content’ fills our libraries. The flip side of this is when good material finally drops, it will hit hard, making a real impact among audiences.   As CTV reshapes advertising, ad-supported tiers redefine access and the content churn era accelerates, our landscape will continue to shift quicker than a Gen Z cancelling a celebrity.   The future of streaming in 2025 is not just about who dominates the market but how platforms, brands and viewers adapt and respond to this constantly changing ecosystem.

Confessions of a Couch Potato sees us cosy up with our clients to find out all about their viewing habits.   This month, we chatted to   Sam Joshua, Senior Business Director at Kintaro. What show are you currently bingeing, and on which platform can we find it? There are a couple of shows I am hooked on right now, some new and some old. Parenthood on Netflix and The Wire and On Call – both on Amazon Prime.   What’s the one thing about this show that hooked you? (no spoilers!) Parenthood: Nostalgia! It is an early-to-mid-2000 production but is so relatable right now and it provides an overall "feel-good" vibe!   The Wire: One for the books with a fantastic cast and an even better storyline.   On Call: This was something promoted to me by Amazon Prime based on my watch history and I am loving it thus far!   If you had to pitch this show to a friend in one sentence, what would you say? Parenthood: "Your parenting is far from bad!” The Wire: "South Africa, in some respects, is not so different - there are more similarities than we realise.” On Call: "New age police drama series.”   What brand of TV/ Connected Devices do you have at home? Vidaa - Hisense & whatever is readily available on Skyworth!   How many hours do you watch per week? TV is truly my way of winding down (outside of my treadmill time 😉) and generally, it is 2-3 episodes a day.   Do you still watch TV? Or only streaming? We have no access to free-to-air in our household; everything we watch is based on the access our CTV offers - and then we subscribe to every OTT platform accessible in SA!   What's been your experience working with Reach Africa? A team of well-versed CTV and non-linear experts. Pushing the boundaries within these spaces while educating the media & advertising industry. Not simply for increasing sales, but rather to provide the industry with the knowledge that leads to stronger CTV strategies.   Why do you choose to work with Reach Africa? I love working with companies that encourage mutual knowledge growth, with a solid reporting structure and where proposals are ideated for the client’s specific objectives (i.e. are not generic.) Reach Africa is a team that hears what you have to say and supports idea exploration.

From series to sports and smash hits, we round up how to stream smart these holidays if you’re watching your budget.   The festive season is finally here, and you suddenly find your diary filled with school concerts, cocktail parties and end-of-year luncheons while Mariah Carey’s ubiquitous “All I Want for Christmas is You!” provides the seasonal backing track.   And when you find yourself with a moment to breathe, you reach for the remote to kick back with an episode of your favourite series; a moment of calm amidst the seasonal storm that is December. Suddenly, your device announces that your debit order for the streaming subscription has bounced – your bank balance a casualty of the world’s most expensive month. What now?   There’s no need to be gloomier than the Grinch in December, because there are affordable and even free ways to get your content fix.   Leverage the free trial. Many streamers offer free trials, so when you’re in a pinch, you might want to take advantage of this option to tide you over till payday. However, make sure that you cancel before the trial expires or be prepared to commit to the monthly fee. Apple TV and Amazon Prime are two streamers that offer free trials.   Subscription snacks. Another option is to seek streamers that offer more flexible subscription offerings. ‘Subscription snacking’ sees users subscribing for shorter periods, at a lower cost than the standard monthly fee. Viu Premium, for example, allows viewers to subscribe daily or weekly. This is a great option for when you don’t want to commit to a full month (and pay the accompanying fee), but still want to enjoy your favourite show on your day off.   Stream free, with ads. More and more streamers now offer ad-funded tiers, which allow viewers to watch for free or at a reduced rate, with intermittent ad breaks. This is the most cost-effective way of catching your favourite content.   South African viewers can stream for free on Viu, SABC+ and eVOD. While Netflix currently offers an ad-supportedtier in other markets, this is currently not available in SA.   Here’s where to stream your favourites when your wallet is feeling thinner than your friend’s excuses when it’s their turn to buy a round.   Soccer Stream selected games on SABC+ for free.   Kids entertainment YouTube Kids is a great free option, with limited advertising, to keep children busy over the holidays. A bonus is that it offers interactive options, such as dance-alongs, which get them off the couch and moving, helping alleviate the parent guilt that comes from allowing a bit too much holiday screentime while trying to wrap up work!   International content Viu, renowned for its contribution to the K-wave phenomenon, is the home of Korean content, with a wide selection of K-dramas guaranteed to captivate viewers. It also offers shows from markets such as Turkey and Scandinavia, dubbed in local languages to appeal to SA audiences.   The Real Housewives Viewers can enjoy the Real Housewives of Dubai for free on Viu.

If you were a TV series, what would you be and why?  Yellow Jackets. Whether it's navigating difficult situations or simply embracing life's unpredictability, I am always up for an adventure – much like the characters who face challenges head-on.   Describe your perfect December in three words.  Serene. Vibrant. Fun.   Share one of your personal highlights from 2024. Embarking on a health and wellness journey, which has left me feeling better than I have in years and healed so many parts of my life – physically, mentally and spiritually.    What is your most-used app? (email and WhatsApp don't count!) TikTok!   What is your mantra for 2025? “The future is made of what you choose today.”

If you could work remotely from anywhere in the world, where would you choose? South Africa - I've been to a few countries; but nowhere like home!   What’s a hidden gem on Viu that you’d recommend people to watch? Men in Black - for the old timers!   Describe your perfect weekend in three words. Coffee, hike, couch.     What’s a piece of advice you’d give someone new to your industry? Best learn to enjoy tequila.   If you could swap roles with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and why? Hanel Arieli - she has 25 hour days!

By Leslie Adams, Sales Director at Reach Africa.   In a Johannesburg township lives an entrepreneur; one who is going about his business in a uniquely African way.   Miles Kubheka’s business ‘ Gcwalisa’ is a shipping container-based retail outlet kitted out with bulk dispensers, apportioning essential goods like maize and sugar. The store operates on a weigh-and-pay basis: Kubheka purchases goods in bulk from food manufacturers, taking advantage of the wholesale discounts. He passes these savings on to his customers, who only pay for the amount they choose to purchase. Goods are brought home in reusable containers, further reducing costs.   The idea behind Gcwalisa was born from the reality that many township residents shop at pricier local stores, which sell goods in smaller quantities. According to Khubeka, these items often come with a markup of 30% - 50%. Additionally, he says that packaging can contribute around 8% - 15% to the overall food cost. “We believe that people are not poor –  they are poorly paid – and oftentimes, poorly paid consumers bear the brunt of poverty tax, where food and other household items are more expensive when not purchased in bulk,” he has been quoted as saying.   Incremental purchasing – an African way of doing business   Miles’ business is a beautiful example of incremental purchasing, which – in this context – means to pay for something bit-by-bit or to only pay for as much as you need.   This is not a new concept. Think of lay-by, a cornerstone of the SA economy. Lay-by allows individuals to pay for an item in instalments, interest-free, with the item remaining at the store until it is paid up and the consumer can take it home with them. However, what we are seeing is the rapid growth of incremental purchasing aided by tech, which is now becoming embraced by all facets of African business.   Why is incremental purchasing so popular here? Firstly, with a vast number of consumers under severe financial pressure or living in poverty, options that allow people to only pay for what they need are highly attractive and make financial sense. Secondly, is the continent’s unbanked status. In SA, for example, almost a quarter (23.5%) of the country is unbanked, with a sizeable informal economy (which accounts for 29% of SA’s GDP), and so contracts that require the holder to have a bank account or commit to a monthly debit order on a fixed date (when their money might come in at different times of the month) simply don’t work here.   Pay-as-you-go everything   Think of pay-as-you-go. Telecos have alway s been ahead of the game –  today, you can even buy one-day TikTok and WhatsApp packages. In the early days of telecoms, the landline was the vastly more affordable, widely-scaled and government-funded option, meaning that almost every household had access to one. When mobile phones entered the market, they came with higher costs – for the device as well as call and SMS charges – meaning they were largely inaccessible for most people, barring the business elite. Telcos had to figure out how to drive mass usage so they introduced the pay-as-you-go model, which was quickly embraced by Africans across all earning categories. You know how the story ends: today, landlines are rarely seen, except in office buildings. In time, they will go the same way as the fax machine: into tech obscurity. Then there is a South African financial services start-up that caters primarily to low-income consumers. What did it do to make payment easier for its customers? It recognised that a large part of its consumer base belonged to the informal economy, which meant that they didn’t necessarily get a paycheck on the same date every month. So, it allowed clients to pay their premiums at different times of the month, via different means, and in different amounts, adjusting cover levels up and down with what the policyholder could afford while always maintaining a base level of cover. This is not only smart, but it also drives financial inclusion. It’s financial services, the African way. We’re seeing a similar pattern in streaming. Consumers now want over the top (OTT) providers that allow for the incremental consumption of content through more flexible payment offerings and hybrid subscription models. Africans don't want steep subscription fees or debit order commitments; we want the pay-as-you-go of streaming. Telco banks, again one step ahead, have realised this and are feeding our consumption. Viu South Africa, a streamer that understands emerging markets better than most, has been there from the get-go. While it offers a monthly subscription, viewers can also subscribe for a single day or week – or even enjoy its content for free, with ads. It knows that its viewer is typically a mobile-first, cash-conscious consumer, who might be distrustful of financial institutions (and thus loathe to pay via debit order) and so it allows payment via different methods. Most importantly, it understands that its audience is community-centric, meaning that viewers will likely share their login details with friends and family. And so it doesn’t try to restrict this behaviour with password crackdowns – rather, the streamer embraces it, with no password restrictions or limits on content downloads.   Pay-as-you-go is innovation, the African way. And businesses that want to succeed on the continent are realising this, and changing their models to embrace how we do things here.   And really, it’s about time.

Who is Rochè? A mum and wife; dreamer and reader.   Tell us something that not many people know about you? I'm a wallflower who has learnt that moving around the room is not so bad after all.   What is the best part of your job? I love that I can offer a service that ultimately generates success for the brands and clients I am lucky to partner with. I also love working with a team of highly motivated and like-minded, passionate people; where being kind and putting people first is at the forefront of what we do.   What was the last thing you watched on Viu? Snow Angel - a Nordic Noir crime drama dubbed in Afrikaans.   What is your favourite app? Playbooks, Viu, Netflix and Prime are my downtime go-tos for entertainment.

Our Sales Director Leslie Adams sat down with presenter Jeremy Maggs to discuss the way forward for pay-TV and streaming in SA.   “We all have this unending content need as consumers, but at the same time we also have this limited budget to apply to it. So the one who can meet all of those needs at the best cost, at the most easiest way to access, will obviously win.” – Leslie

Viu South Africa has added two new bingeworthy Turkish drama series – dubbed in Afrikaans with English subtitles to appeal to local audiences – to its library of exciting local and international content.   Eerste Liefde Laaste   (Twist of Fate) , is live on the streaming platform from 21 October. Childhood friends Ada and Kerem face unexpected challenges as they navigate adulthood. A fortune teller predicts their destinies are intertwined, and they find themselves at a crossroads after a betrayal from a trusted individual. Ada pursues her dreams while Kerem grapples with his feelings for Ada. The story explores their choices: should they embrace their fates or let their life’s twists tear them apart?  Also available on Viu South Africa from 21 October is  Die Stokman   (The Stickman) . This psychological drama series tells the tale of software developer Tamer, who becomes wealthy after creating a popular video game. Tamer struggles to move past his troubled background and after falling in love with Peri, a bank manager, Tamer abducts her and locks her in a bunker. While trapped in the bunker, Peri learns about Tamer's psychological wounds and their intense interaction starts to blur the line between captor and captive.    Turkish dramas are fast-growing in popularity with global audiences given the country’s strong tradition of storytelling, as well as the deep emotions and intense human interactions displayed on screen. The ability of characters to effectively portray a wide range of emotions may be why these stories resonate with audiences from various cultural backgrounds.   Data from Parrot Analytics reveals that the global demand for Turkish television series surged by 184% between 2020 and 2023, making Turkey a leading exporter of television shows worldwide. Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, sales soared to a record-breaking $600 million in 2022, according to figures released by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO).   These two drama series find an ideal home in Viu, which is renowned for its diverse content offering. Viu features the country’s best-loved shows, including  Uzalo, Muvhango  and  Skeem Saam  while its international content library is home to hit movies, shows and series from Korea, Turkey, Scandinavia, Hollywood and more. Viu also offers viewers increased flexibility with affordable daily, weekly, or monthly subscription plans while its ad-supported option allows for free viewing, catering to cash-conscious South Africans. Moreover, Viu allows five simultaneous streams, unlimited downloads and no password-sharing restrictions.