Last year, Econet Media launched its Kwesé’s free-to-air sports channel in Kenya bringing its fantastic sports programming to the Kenyan market.
Over the course of the year, the firm says it has signed up both international and local content and is now able to move away from just being a sports channel to a truly multi-platform and multi-screen broadcaster with over 60 channels aired via its Kwesé’s satellite set-top-box (decoder).
Kwesé TV will be banking on its premium programming and its “pay as you watch” payment model allowing subscribers to purchase 3, 7 and 30 day passes to its full channel bouquet for as little as 475 KES. The firm also says users can watch the content over their smartphones and smart TVs as it plans to fully get into the on-demand video streaming business. Though it appears late, Econet Media is just reading from a tried and tested Naspers script which runs from M-Cell, M-Net to MTN Group Multichoice, DStv and GOtv and ShowMax. Econet Media has its Liquid Telecom, and Kwese TV and several other formats of SVoD set to be launched across Africa.
According to Kennedy Ojung’a, General Manager for Kwesé TV Kenya, “Our flexible payment option gives viewers a way to structure their TV viewing to suit their lifestyle. In addition to this our ‘always-on’ Kwese Free bouquet means 24/7 access our free-to-air channels whether you have paid your subscription or not.”
Kwesé TV has rights to NBA and ESPN content, Premier League (EPL), Copa Del Rey, Netball Africa and the National Football League. Kwesé also holds rights to some of the world’s largest tournaments including the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup. Apart from local free-to-air channels such as KTN KBC and NTV, Kwese TV also has internatioanl content such as DreamWorks, CNN, DTX, VICELAND and Diddy’s REVOLT among others.
