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An Analysis of the Future Prospects of Television in Africa

Advancements in technology have caused regular interruptions in many industries, but the media, especially the Africa television industry, seems to have felt the most impact.

With new streaming services and many other ways of watching television, traditional television providers are losing their relationship with their viewers.

These trending streaming media like Netflix, Google, Amazon, and lots more are loaded with advanced models to engage their consumers.

However, traditional television distributors in Africa are already evolving to fill the gap in content creation, distribution, advertising, and other components.

Let’s explore the present changes in Africa television broadcasting and how they plan on unraveling the puzzles of the future.

The History of Television in Africa

In the year 1926 in Japan, the world recorded the first-ever available electronic television. The television on demonstration had 40 line resolutions on a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), among other features.

On the other hand, North America had its first television broadcast in 1939, while Europe had its first in 1936. Television broadcasts continued to expand in other parts of the world to date.

However, in Africa, the Western Nigeria Television Service (WNTS) had the first-ever television broadcast on the 31st of October1959.

During the introduction of television in Africa and other parts of the world, families, friends, and neighbors gather to view and entertain themselves.

As time went on, there were mass productions of televisions and broadcasting stations, giving rise to almost everyone having one in their homes.

A General Idea of the Present State of Television in Africa

Presently, Africa has more than 600 television stations, including public and private stations in almost all African countries.

Nigeria boasts of having the most significant TV market, with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) being the most prominent television in Africa with more than 94 stations.

The majority of homes in Africa consume satellite televisions, with a recent rise in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Over 80 percent of Ethiopian families have satellite dishes in their homes, while there is also an estimate of over 56 percent in Tanzania.

Another growing market in satellite television in Africa is from Nigeria with over 7 million homes and Kenya with over 1 million homes depending on satellite for their television.

Recently, people perceive television differently as they watch whatever they want through other devices like the mobile phone and less on traditional television.

The latest trend is the merger of traditional television providers with social media. Facebook alone has thousands of live streams from television channels across the globe.

Other media like YouTube, Twitter, and Google are also launching their streams from TV channels. The models of business by media companies are enhanced to fit into the new trends.

Satellite operators and traditional television providers use different approaches, all ensuring consumer satisfaction, and widespread distribution.

Since the global introduction of Amazon and Netflix around 2016, their subscribers have been growing, giving a significant gap among other operators.

The Prospects of Television in Africa

We have mentioned the latest alterations and developments in African traditional television; it’s also important to analyze where media companies should focus.

The analysis here will also expose and predict what the future of television will look like in the upcoming years. There will be mention on content, market, and transmission.

Outlook on the Contents of Africa Television

First of all, let us consider the necessity of examining the experiences of television users as this will help determine distribution concerning demands on local content.

Ethiopia and Tanzania have a great craving for religious content, whereas Nigeria and Kenya prefer television series, movies, and general entertainment.

Also, during the development of content for television channels, providers are supposed to consider transmitting in major local languages like Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo for Nigeria, Swahili for Uganda, DRC, Tanzania, and Kenya.

Content is the key. Therefore, even if the mode of distribution is perfect, the content of the media can impede its growth.

Other areas of interest in the future of television in Africa include;

Growth of African Television Market

According to the International Association of Broadcast Meteorology (IABM), the television market will rise rapidly in five years to come from 2021.

The demand will be more on High Definition Television (HDTV) because of the present growth in the order and compatibility of homes for this market.

Future of Television Transmission Protocols in Africa

The world has become more innovative and digital. Therefore, it is pertinent that television providers consider how their consumers receive the content on transmission.

The current method of delivering content through IP made way for more profound research. African pay-TV service providers will improve their internet services and videos distribution as telecommunication companies expand their horizons.

As Netflix and other video providers gain ground in the television industry in Africa, so will the OTT business in Africa grow by ten percent.

OTT providers offer a better user experience in data during the distribution of contents which is a better advantage.

Expectations on the Consumption Model of Television in Africa

The consumption, delivery, and production of any content in the future of television in Africa require data.

Imagine when you have a lot of content to consume – it will surely need a considerable amount of data. Most contents with high amounts often come from social media and mainly through YouTube.

Here is the present experience on content consumption, especially on YouTube. Let’s say your friend sent you a video; on the first click, you will spend a couple of minutes or hours watching clips before your intended content.

These clips are tailored and serve as recommendations on what you might be interested in, among many other contents online.

People have already started juggling the screen. A user can be chatting on social media while also seeing a movie on YouTube. The future trend on television will be on virtual reality and ARs.

However, no matter the mode of production, distribution, or consumption, excellent content is the way as that is what attracts consumers.

Summary

Africa television providers should also map out strategies that will draw the attention of their desired consumers, ensuring that users have the best experience.

They should intelligently strategize the advertisement strategies to attract reasonable rates that can help in their advancements.

The margin between providers of different television networks should be tin because, with good tactics, the industry will be very competitive.

As major foreign players are figuring out new techniques to meet future competitions, African television providers are also putting heads together to give the best outcome ever.

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