Canal+ Ethiopia A Brief, Impactful Journey
In March 2021, right after the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictive public activities ended, Canal +, a French premium television channel, announced the launch of its services in Ethiopia. The channel, launched in November 1984 and broadcasts to Metropolitan France, decided to open its office in Ethiopia. The large French TV company already had operations in Francophone countries in West Africa and identified Ethiopia as a unique market with a large, youthful population passionate about football and eager for entertainment options. However, after over three years of broadcasting, CANAL+ Ethiopia has announced that it will shut down its services. EBR’s Dr. Brook Genene takes a closer look at the operations of CANAL+ Ethiopia and the challenges faced along the way that ultimately brought its service down.
As Ethiopia’s first 24-hour sports channel, CANAL+ Ethiopia played a unique role in the local sports scene. The announcement of its major sports event broadcasts sparked palpable excitement among fans, including avid sports fan Robel Tsegaye. ‘I had been a CANAL+ Ethiopia customer since they first entered the market. It was my first opportunity to follow German Bundesliga and French Ligue 1 games in my native language, Amharic,’ he shared with EBR.
In addition to the leagues, Robel was excited to listen to some of the best sports analysts. “They are both passionate and professional,” he added. However, sports weren’t the only offerings from CANAL+ Ethiopia. The company provided two cinema channels that showcased Amharic movies and supported local filmmakers. Additionally, there were two kids’ channels in Amharic named Dikdik and Jumbo and novella channels featuring translated Turkish soap operas, similar to what Kana Television has been doing since 2016. The Gebeta cooking channel and Discovery channels further enriched the entertainment options. Later, CANAL+ opened Afaan Oromo channels to cater to a broader audience.
While the variety of entertainment channels attracted many viewers, the sports channels created a significant buzz. After all, CANAL+ is one of the biggest brands in sports broadcasting, boasting over 7,700 employees, generating five billion Euros annually, and having 20 million subscribers worldwide.
When the sports channel launched, it held rights to the German Bundesliga, French Ligue 1, and National Basketball Association (NBA) games. Given that most Ethiopian football fans support Manchester United or Arsenal, there was hope that CANAL+ would acquire rights to the English Premier League and Champions League in Ethiopia. While CANAL+ Afrique already had these rights, they were only broadcast in French in selected countries.
In addition to football and basketball, the sports channel covered various other sports, such as boxing, athletics, and rally racing. A weekly show called Sport Zeta provided updates and analysis from multiple sports worldwide and was unique in Ethiopian media. One significant beneficiary of the sports channel was the sports journalists themselves. Both new and experienced journalists had the opportunity to showcase their talent and improve their skills thanks to CANAL+’s unique platform.
One of these journalists is Melaku Habtu, a 27-year-old basketball commentator who covered NBA and African basketball competitions for three and a half years on CANAL+. Although Melaku was a huge sports fan, he had yet to gain experience in media before taking on this challenge.
“I didn’t expect to be working as a commentator on TV. I usually associate Bisrat FM with commentary,” he told EBR. An Information Technology graduate from Addis Ababa University, Melaku ran his business before this opportunity arose.
“I have a cousin who is a sports journalist in the US, and I asked him for advice. I didn’t know what to expect during the examination process before I took on the role. I remember that a replay of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers was our test game on March 27, 2021,” he recounted. “I was told it was hard to find a basketball commentator,” he added, reflecting on his first time in the studio.
“I had the opportunity to work with Simon Tsegaye, who is a famous actor and radio host. He made things easy for us because of his vast experience,” he said. Melaku stated that once he started broadcasting, all his anxiety vanished, and he enjoyed himself. “I even started laughing during the funny moments of the game,” he noted. Melaku and his commentary crew often posted videos of their reactions to significant moments in the studio, which garnered positive attention from fans.
Another experienced journalist on the commentary team is Leoul Tadesse, who has over 15 years of experience in sports journalism across newspapers, radio, and TV. He described covering new leagues and teams as an exciting journey.
“Most fans here want to follow the big English teams, but it was a unique challenge to cover the German, French, and even Saudi leagues,” Leoul told EBR. He also believes that the coverage of a wide range of sports has boosted the profession in Ethiopia. “The coverage of tennis, boxing, mixed martial arts, and rally was exciting,” he added.
Melaku and Leoul, experienced journalists on the commentary team, expressed their disappointment about the end of CANAL+ operations in Ethiopia. Their disappointment is palpable, as they acknowledge that penetrating the Ethiopian market without the major football leagues would always be challenging.
CANAL+ has been collaborating with Bruh Entertainment PLC since the start of its operations in Ethiopia. Both companies have jointly decided to close the satellite pay-TV distribution business in Ethiopia this year. In a statement, they noted that Ethiopia is a dynamic market with a strong presence of free-to-air channels. CANAL+ stated that they have decided to set new strategic directions for their activities in Ethiopia and will continue to invest in content production through various partnerships. However, the closure of CANAL+ Ethiopia will significantly impact local filmmakers and artists the company has supported. They highlighted a commitment to supporting Ethiopian artists, producers, and media professionals as purchasers of content and services from local companies.
Currently, CANAL+ is working on acquiring South Africa’s MultiChoice to enhance its presence in Africa. This investment will boost MultiChoice’s global competitiveness, positioning CANAL+ among the top five entertainment companies worldwide.
The French company aims to challenge major international media players such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and Apple TV+. Its strategy includes strengthening existing markets and entering new ones through new ventures and strategic acquisitions.
Recently, Canal+ and MultiChoice outlined the next steps in Canal’s mandatory takeover of the South African pay-TV provider. Reports indicate that Canal will purchase all outstanding ordinary shares of MultiChoice, excluding treasury shares, for 125.00 South African Rand per share.
The merged entity will operate in both French and English-speaking markets. While CANAL+ has a stronghold in French-speaking African countries, MultiChoice excels in English-speaking regions like South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia. Sources suggest that CANAL+ could leverage MultiChoice’s influence in Ethiopia to create content that appeals to a broader audience.
“The news of CANAL’s exit from the market is disappointing. I was really looking forward to following Roberto De Zerbi’s Olympique de Marseille in the French Ligue 1 this season, but now I’m left with no options. I hope they will return soon,” Robel told EBR.
13th Year • December 2024 • No. 136
