Television broadcasters are tight-lipped about divulging how many viewers they have – especially in the case of satellite-based free-to-air television services, like OpenView HD.
Launched two years ago by the owners of free-to-air channel e.tv, the service was met with mixed responses, prompting questions about its viability and competitiveness.
But how many viewers do you think OpenView HD would have? Well, according to Platco Digital Managing Director Maxwell Nonge, the service will soon be broadcasting to its 200 000th customer.
According to TechCentral, Nonge said “Platco is meeting the strategic objectives outlined for the business” and that more channels will be added soon. Currently it has over 18 channels, including SABC and e.tv in HD, Beat Lab TV, Mindset and Spirit World.
OpenView HD works on a rather unique premise as far as satellite-based television services go. There is once-off fee of R399 for the decoder only, and R1599 for the decoder and dish, with installation. Thereafter, there are no monthly subscription fees.
OpenView HD’s subscriber base pales in comparison with Dstv, which reported a base figure of 5.4 million in July this year.
The top-end package, Dstv Premium, has 135 channels, 22 in HD, and 52 radio stations. The pricing model is different though, as Dstv demands a monthly payment of R699.
[Source – TechCentral, image – file]
