30 Years of MultiChoice Ghana: Transforming television and empowering communities

Cast your mind back. So how did you get entertained a few decades ago? Friday night movie on national TV? Blockbuster movies on VCRs (videocassette recorders for the selfie generation), plus recorded German, Italian, EPL, and Dutch match highlights from? Then out of nowhere came satellite TV in the name of MultiChoice Ghana, and then changed the future of television.

Thirty years later, MultiChoice has grown to become a household name in Ghana, bringing entertainment and information to thousands of homes across the country, cutting across different ages and cultures. To the soccer fanatic, it is probably the most fascinating thing since Diego Maradona “hand of God” goal. Television has never been more powerful since September 1993. So, how has one company succeeded and dominated in this sector? “It is commitment to quality technological advancement”, says MultiChoice Ghana Managing Director Alex Okyere.

“Our mission is to provide high-quality pay television through cutting-edge technology, content and service, ensuring pleasant viewing and enjoyment for our subscribers,” he says.

And in line with this vision, MultiChoice has over the years invested heavily in the latest technology in digital television, including its decoders, which it has consistently improved upon.

According to Mr. Okyere, “MultiChoice Ghana is focused on building an innovative and sustainable business that offers subscribers reliable service, cutting edge technology and breadth of family entertainment at the most cost-effective price.” The company was also instrumental in the digital migration agenda of the country with the introduction of GOtv some ten years ago. Through its products, MultiChoice has strongly proved its commitment to creating a vibrant and exciting pay television industry for Ghana. MultiChoice is a pioneer of pay TV in Africa and Ghana in particular, with an unmatched track record of three decades in pay TV in Africa. And recently, the company diversified its content by including more local (Ghanaian) productions.

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“As a proudly African company committed to the progress and development of Africa, it is our goal to increase our investment in local content to nurture and celebrate home-grown talent in Ghana. This is demonstrated by SuperSport investment in showcasing sports in Ghana and increasing interest to solicit local content for programming,” Mr. Okyere said, adding that in May 2021,MultiChoice Ghana launched Akwaaba Magic to increase the amount of local content on DStv, with shows such as Dede, RSM, Tanko Villa, To Have and To Hold amongst many others.

These local productions not only improve MultiChoice’s viewership in Ghana, but also help local artistes and producers by providing them with a platform to showcase their talent before millions of viewers across the continent. The company is promising more local productions for the rest of 2023.

Giving Back To Communities

MultiChoice Ghana has not restricted its sphere of operation to the flat screen but has gone out of its way to help underprivileged communities. The company has over the years purposed to participate in Ghana’s economic and social development, uplifting those communities in which it operates through job opportunities, partnerships, training, and social investment programs. MultiChoice is a business born and bred in Africa and committed to the development of the communities in which we operate here in Ghana.

Since 2010, MultiChoice Ghana has supported over 120 school across the 16 regions in Ghana with free DStv installations used as a learning aid. With a strong belief that science and technology are key drivers for Africa’s economic and social development, in 2010, MultiChoice Africa partnered with Eutelsat Communications to initiate an annual Pan-African Student competition, helping learners to learn more about satellites and how they improve Africa’s development. Having so much interest in this contest, Ghana produced three winner (Michael Yeboah 2011, Lloyd Ossei Baffour 2013, Ayawen Asuinura 2015) who got first prize in this pan-African essay and poster competition.  All three prize winners were awarded a trip to Paris, France, with an onward trip to South America to witness an actual rocket launch.

The company has also supported the growth and development of open, democratic societies by recognizing excellence in African journalism through the hosting of the CNN MultiChoice Africa Journalist of the year awards since 2005. MultiChoice Ghana was a proud host of the maiden edition of these prestigious awards in 1995. Plus, Ghana has had several winners including Israel Laryea, Kofi Akpabli, Thomas Naadi Bitlegma, Veronica Narkwor Kwabla amongst others.

MultiChoice Ghana’s focus as far as Corporate Social Investment (CSI) is concerned over the years has been in the education sector. MultiChoice has invested in the development of the education sector in Ghana by partnering with the Ministry of Education on the MultiChoice Resource Centers (MRCs), as mentioned earlier. At the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic when schools were closed, MultiChoice Ghana partnered the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to distribute the Ghana Learning TV channel on DStv and GOtv at no cost across Ghana.

Similarly, MultiChoice Ghana has been the longest standing media sponsor of the Spelling Bee competition in Ghana organized by the Young Educators Foundation. MultiChoice Ghana, besides the financial support, has also been offering its facilities for the training of the spellers over the last 5 years at no cost to the organizers.

For the next 30 years, MultiChoice Ghana commits to providing a dynamic technology platform and an assembly of a range of bouquets built around compelling news, as well as premium movies, documentaries, and sports channels. Our mission is to constantly be at the cutting edge of new technology that enables DStv and GOtv subscribers to enjoy the very best home television experience through our DStv and GOtv bouquets. Mr. Okyere adds “we shall continue to provide world-class subscriber management services and promise to better our administration of the digital satellite television and digital terrestrial television platforms. This is so that we continue to provide you with DStv and GOtv bouquets consisting of the best channels from around the world to cater for the whole family.”

Major highlights in 30 years

• 1993 Business sets ground in Ghana
• 1995 MultiChoice Ghana introduced the DStv platform
• 1995 Maiden CNN MultiChoice Africa Journalist Awards held in Accra
• 1996 Multichoice Ghana opens first branch in Kumasi
• 1997 Multichoice Ghana opens two branch in Takoradi and Tamale
• 1998 MultiChoice Ghana launches of DVB-H transmitters to improve service to subscribers
• 2002 MultiChoice Ghana launches 910 decoder to improve viewing experience
• 2003 MultiChoice Ghana launches dual view decoder to improve on viewing convenience
• 2005 MultiChoice Ghana launches the SD PVR to empower subscribers with recording
• 2012 MultiChoice Ghana introduces the Walka for DStv Mobile
• 2013 GOtv launched on the Ghanaian market
• 2013 DStv Mobile becomes available in Kumasi
• 2013 MultiChoice Ghana/ SuperSport acquire broadcast rights for Ghana Premier League
• 2013 Explora decoder launched on the Ghana market
• 2014 DStv Box-office launched in Ghana
• 2016 Multichoice Ghana moves to its new offices in Abelenkpe, Accra
• 2017 MultiChoice Ghana moves to the Kumasi City Mall
• 2019 Launch HD Zapper 2 to bring local content on board
• 2020 MultiChoice Ghana opens full-service shop in Tamale
• 2021 MultiChoice Ghana launches Akwaaba Magic
• 2022 MultiChoice Ghana launches Akwaaba Magic Abusua