Earlier this year reports emerged that MultiChoice was considering adding ‘adult content’ to its DStv offerings. Jackie Rakitla, MultiChoice’s GM of Corporate Affairs, said at the time that MultiChoice has been inundated with requests to provide adult content on DStv over the last few months.eTV, through its pay - TV subsidiary e.Sat, will launch South Africa’s first adult entertainment channel on the DStv platform
MultiChoice then conducted research to establish the extent of the interest in adult content and the feasibility of introducing such a service, but after a backlash from the public decided to scrap the idea.
In early March, MultiChoice said that their research indicated that a significant portion of DStv subscribers are against adult channels, while some are indifferent to it and another significant section positive.
“It was unfortunate that the research conducted was misinterpreted by some people to mean that a decision was made to introduce an adult content channel on our bouquets,” said Nolo Letele, Group CEO of MultiChoice South Africa.
Porn channel from e.Sat
In December 2007 – soon after being announced as one of South Africa’s newly licensed pay-TV operators - e.Sat, the sister business to free-to-air television channel eTV, said that it will initiate a multi-channel strategy and in 2008 launched South Africa's first independent 24-hour television news service on MultiChoice's DStv platform.
eTV/e.Sat has now surprised the market with the announcement that its second product will be an adult entertainment channel to be offered on the DStv platform.
The new 24-hour adult channel planned by e.Sat will only be available to DStv premium subscribers as a ‘bolt-on’ package, and will not appear on any standard DStv bouquets.
The price for the bolt-on adult channel is not yet known, but an e.Sat spokesperson said that the subscription is likely to be in the region or R50 per month.
eTV has become well known for its late night adult movies on its eTV free-to-air channel, and according to the company the popularity of these movies clearly indicate that there is a demand for adult content on television in South Africa.
According to e.Sat adult content manager Jeremy Sloof the channel will be commercially available from mid 2010, and will feature content from respected adult entertainment companies like Playboy, Hustler and Vivid.
More information about the e.Sat adult channel and the programs that will be featured is available here.
