There is the famous fable of how an opportunist steals a glass of water from under the noses of a pessimist and optimistic while they are busy arguing about who is right. I think it applies perfectly to the issue of OpenView attempting to block decoders being used outside Zimbabwe. People, including OpenView themselves, are busy trying to figure out whether the act is justified and right or it’s unfair and wrong they are missing the big picture here.
If you are wondering what I am harping about, yesterday we learnt that OpenView will be blocking access to decoders that are outside South Africa. Generally, that means those hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans with OpenView HD might wake up to find that their coveted decoders are now reduced to nothing but paperweights. To be honest, I am not sure that it’s possible to do what OpenView is claiming they can do.
Why not just expand?
Whether or not they can do it is not the point of this article. My point is they have a receptive and ready market in Zimbabwe already. People are so in love with their product they are willing to go to another country, buy a decoder, go through hoops to have it activated, take it to another country and install it. That is the sort of brand and customer loyalty marketers dream of. OpenView is essentially a company of marketers as they make most of their revenue from advertising so they ought to know better.
Given all that why are they choosing to cut loose such a large following? The opportunists in them should be embracing this. At the very least they could just tacitly target the market by not disturbing the status quo. All they need to do is keep quiet and do nothing. They can even profit by selling ads targeting Zimbabweans. I remember in 2008 certain savvy Zimbabwean companies, individuals and organisations capitalising on the Wiztech and Philibao proliferation by advertising on eTV.
They can even do the formal thing, approach the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, kowtow before the powers be and hopefully get a licence as a reward for their submissive contortionism. This will allow them to have an even better presence in Zimbabwe. They can start selling decoders locally, keep a more accurate database of their customers and obviously boost their revenue.
There is a cost to doing this naturally but tentative evidence suggest that it will be far outweighed by the increase in revenue. Also, most shows are regionally licenced as opposed to just being licenced to South Africa it’s usually Southern Africa.
It’s a rather radical idea but for me, it seems like that natural next step for OpenView. How long do they intend to just stay in South Africa?
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Etv never do anything for no reason. When they pulled their signal out of the other decoders they launched openview. When I had them talk of trying to block outside decoders something is telling me they obviously are planning something.
How much revenue will they get from Zim versus the extra money they have to pay for broadcasting in Zim? I don’t see them getting much money from Zim. I might be naive, but I don’t see an opportunity for them here. Their model will not work in Zim
I see Techzim have stirred the pot with this. I don’t see why they had to ask OV when Techzim know it’s illegal and have OV themselves. Not a clever move.
I think you are right there, the openview company must not concentrate to SA, alone. Their market is already established, whats left here is them coming down and officialize it.
Oddly and sadly, we now profess ignorance to the Zimbabwean environment, especially when related to issues surrounding broadcasting. Anyway, like they say “talk is cheap”, and for all you know they may have already tried to expand to Zim.
If the business is so lucrative and straightforward, my fellow Zimbos, why not take up a franchise locally? Those prohibitive reasons that start coming to your ahead apply to them as well.
Exactly
How will they know it’s being used in Zim??? The decoders were activated by people in SA with SA phone numbers!!! It won’t be possible
They should just keep quiet and get revenue from decoder sales.
It’s most probably for legal reasons.
So Openview has to be seen to be doing their utmost best.
OpenView does not charge monthly subscription fees but instead relies on carriage fees and advertising.
The carriers probably did not have a problem with the fact that the Openview signal was available to decoders outside South Africa . Even though they had payed and signed a contract to have their channels broadcast in South Africa only, they were not going complain about getting more than they paid for.
The problem probably came from the producers of the shows being shown on the carriers platforms.
The TV shows on SABC channels for instance and also those on the E TV platforms are probably not licensed for the region of southern Africa but for South Africa only.
And so when the producers of these shows noticed that their programmes were being viewed in a wider area than previously agreed to in the signed contracts they brought up grievances to the carriers of their shows and demanded a solution.
For the TV show producers this has probably resulted in the loss of the potential revenue,since no other broadcasters will buy their shows since they are already available on Openview. The only solution would be to either pay more for the tv shows or to implement measures to ensure that terms of contract are adhered to. The carriers don’t want to pay more to the production companies so Openview was put under pressure.
Whether or not its feasible for Openview to block decoders outside South Africa is still moot. But all Openview has to do is to be seen doing its utmost best in trying to solve the problem, the success or failure of the solution is another issue altogether.
Here’s something totally off topic 😏
Netflix also has the same problem,with some shows not available in certain regions. But almost everyone has a favourite VPN that can help them get around this issue . But does anybody not under 8 years of age think that Netflix is not able to shut down VPN’s from Netflix for good? Netflix just wants your monthly subscription so they will pretend to be working very hard on the problem but they are not not doing their best.
guys its tough game-going back to dstv
Perception versus Reality
Maybe Openview could approach the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe to get a licence and they’ll be welcomed with open arms by BAZ as a cheap and viable way to implement the Digital Migration programme in Zimbabwe. And then Openview will be able to enter a new market with exciting possibilities.
Or they Openview will made to jump through a lot of unnecessary regulatory hurdles by BAZ and also end up signing a deal that will have them potentially facing a anti corruption inquiry in South Africa. All the while being at the mercy of the government that sometimes issues out some poorly thought out Statutory Instruments that wreak havoc upon the economy which may result in their initial investment losing value. And then failing to repatriate whatever profit they manage eke out due to the constant forex shortages.
So the Perception versus Reality of risk involved in investing in Zimbabwe really depends on the appetite for risk. Those of us who really have nothing to lose either way tend to look at the situation with rose coloured glasses whilst others might have a different view.
Do you this dstv has nothing to do with this move, since they are loosing market share.
It’s for legal reasons open view is a free to air Chanel carrier and also carries sabc channels which are not licensed to be viewed outside South Africa, that is why when you buy your local dstv package it comes without etv or sabc, so it has always been illegal to have OVHD outside of South Africa, even content producers will demand more for their programs because they will now be showing outside of South Africa and yet ovhd has no subscription, how will they pay extra to content producers when they are licensed as a free to air company without subscriptions
It’s really hard, remember DStv tried it but failed. They should take advantage of that sell more decoders in Zim whilst they keep their database in SA. No one prohibitive measures since they do their things in SA. Deal done
Murombo haana chake zvokwadi. Totangira poyi? Tozviudza aniko? Totaurira aniko? Zvakaoma zvokwadi.
Taura hako Tafadzwa. We the wretched are always targeted. Todiiwo shuwa?
Etv just launched eVOD, maybe they want people outside SA to connect online via it as it tries to grow and maybe compete with Netflix’s expansion in Africa??
true.
It’s all becoz of poor management in th broadcasting arena in Zim..we can’t be having 1 tv station since 1980…Broadcasting authority should issue licence to those ready to transform broadcasting..Kwese was denied th licence to operate here,it’s operational in the next door..it’s a pity…
Technically that’s a senciless move I’f Open View wama make it a CLOSED-VIEW now yet maintain their brand name .OPENVIEW KKKKK. How can they achieve the feat when they done have their own Stratos satellites to control . They are still getting what the need Hardware sales 60% and Advertising slots income. 40% In a 50 000 000.00 demographic sales potential RSA market .As for now tell them ZIM is still 1/3 of RSA potential market at +-15 000 000.00 demographic market yet have bought their OPENVIEW HARDWARE as excess Income to the RSA yet unsaturated ( domestic ) sales .that’s conservativelly USD 40.00 x2 000 000.00 of 15 000 000.00 that’s USD 80 000 000.00 ( R1 600 000 000.00 B ) they shouldn’t have got if their services where intra-RSA . THEY ARE UNFERNTILE IF THEY FAIL TO SEE AN OPEN FACT THAT THEY THEMSELVES GOT INTO BUSINESS TO SHOW PEOPLE MOVIES YET THEY DON’T HAVE THEIR OWN MOVIE PRODUCTION STUDIOS LET ALONE ACTORS ON THIER PAYROLL .THIER ADVERTISERS SALES HAVE GONE UP FROM ZIM MARKET WHO OPENLLY VIEW THEM IN ZIM AND TELL THIER RSA DIASPORA FAMILIES TO PURCHASE XYZ TO SEND THE GROCERIES &FURNITURE & EQUIPMENT PHARMACEUTICALS TO ZIM . I SEE THAT BLACKMAN MINDEDNESS IN THEIR MARKETING DIRECTOR MYOPIC SELFISHNESS . THAT’S BAMD ON ILLINFORMED CAPITALISTIC PLANS TO BE AFFLUENT YET ON OTHER PEOPLE IDEAS BUT INVERSELY VERY MEAN WITH THIER OPERATIONS PORTEMTIAL SPINOFFS SERVICES/ BUSINESSES TO EMPOWER OTHERS GLOBALLY IT’S PATHETIC .MOST CORPERATIONS ASPIRE THIER BRAND TO BE KNOWN AND ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONALLY YET OPENVIEW MAMAGED THAT WITH THEIR EYES CLOSED AT ZRRO EXPENSE BUT THEY WILL RATHER REATRUCT BACK TO INTO RSA ONLY . IT’S A LIMITED BUSINESS ACUMEN TO TREAM OFF A SECOND ON A PLAMTED POTATO OR THROW BACK A FISH THAT JUMPS IMTO YOUR BOAT WHILE YOU. ARE. FISHING .
Those are facts. There is nothing “Open” about them kkkkk
Here we go again!!Another soon to be redundant stb.It never stops.Zim viewers are probably the most abused subscribers of any pay/open tv platform.An average Zim householder has 3 or more reduntant stb’s(set-top-box).Obsolete Pace DSR’s,Dstv Dsd’,Fortecs,Wiztecs etc,Kwese stb.Now OVHD.BAZ,Zimdigital have not helped the situation at all to improve or even provide wothwhile viewing ,even at nominal cost.Are we trully and totally dependant on outside providers,just for TV??The sky is littered with zillion satellites,& we cant get one decent channel!!!
How is it possible that their decoder was broadcasting a signal in Zimbabwe without due diligence. They pretentiously ignored the heed once the sales have reached a certain target. Actually to their knowledge Zimbabweans we’re their target sales market and that revenue has absolutely being used to diversify to other innovative products like the new econnection and evod.
However that is a myopic move, the exodus of many Zimbabweans from DStv as a result of Multichoice complacency should present as a lesson to Open view.
Customers switch to lucrative alternatives now that DStv have learnt their lessons,we are actually ready to enjoy DSTv once more.Open View will not compete with the former on pay TV, however if they want to be relevant in the market, quick decions in keeping the current market share in Zimbabwe and partner with MNOs in Zimbabwe to offer the econnection and evod.Restricting themselves to SA market is a shooting themselves in the foot.
Guys zvemahara zvinoshura mazviona kkkkk but vatigona manje iiii apa ndipo parangarakunakidza kkk
But vakati varira dont worry tongoisa mafree channels aya echechi anowanikwa pamaphilibao paopen view zvinoita
Before we fire shots at OpenView, let’s not forget what happened to KweseTV. Kana zvichiomera pamuti munyoro kookuzoti wakaoma.