BritBox, a digital streaming service by BBC Studios and ITV, will stop operating in South Africa in August 2024 to focus on more established markets with higher growth opportunities. The service, launched three years ago, provided access to British series and films from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5. Annual subscribers were informed that their plans would automatically convert to monthly subscriptions at R99.99 ($5) per month without any required action.
In June 2023, BritBox expanded its reach in South Africa by partnering with MultiChoice Group to include its content on DStv Explora Ultra and DStv Streama boxes. Despite this, BritBox has decided to withdraw from the competitive South African streaming market, which features players like Prime Video, Netflix, Showmax, DStv, Apple TV, Disney+, and Stream Premium.
This move comes as a surprise to many, especially given BritBox’s disclosure in May 2022 that South Africa contributed to its 2.5 million international subscribers. In September 2022, BritBox’s global CEO, Reemah Sakaan, highlighted South Africa’s significant engagement, noting it as one of the most active markets in terms of volume, hours, and minutes streamed.
The South African streaming market remains competitive, with Amazon Prime Video currently leading in user ratings. As of February 2024, Amazon Prime Video had an average rating of 4.55 out of five on the Apple App and Google Play Stores, charging R79 ($4) per month and offering 9,509 titles, including 1,350 TV series and 8,159 films.
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