By Lenah Bosibori
Nairobi, Kenya: MultiChoice Kenya (MCK) has assured protection of all local content producers from piracy by involving law enforcement authorities saying that it is a threat that destroys local content production.
Speaking in Nairobi on Monday during the launch of Two Brand New Local Shows, Zari & Ka-Siri, on Maisha Magic Plus, Nzola Miranda the Managing Director of Multichoice Kenya said that content rich in content is consumed illegally
“We are working with law enforcement authorities to ensure the enforcement of piracy of local content is protected and also ready to embrace digital transformation,” said Miranda.
He added that their biggest challenge currently is streaming piracy which is a bit more difficult as compared to the past when it was easy to spot it because of the use of cables going out of buildings through to people’s homes
“80 percent of our piracy now is what we call streaming piracy, but we are ready and working with technology and with our parent company which is at the forefront of technology,” added Miranda
Miranda added that they have already developed many technologies to support streaming piracy as it cannot be stopped completely.
“We have two strong streaming products that are catering for that streaming technology, right here in Kenya, 10 percent of our base is already streaming our content and in the next five years we are going to grow more massively,” said Miranda.
According to Miranda, local stories create local jobs and also change narratives. “Local content is growing and we are happy to listen to what we have,” he added.
Multichoice Kenya (MCK) is currently the country’s leading pay TV and entertainment provider, it is also a joint venture between MultiChoice Africa and the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), The two shows will be accessible on Maisha Magic Plus which is now available on DStv Access and GOtv Plus and up in a campaign dubbed “Tumefungulia Magic”
“Ka-Siri”, a telenovela explores the proverbial theme of “the rich also cry”. The gripping story unfolds around an extremely wealthy man, Zula, who is killed in a home invasion, leaving behind a home that is wrapped in passion, lies, discoveries, secrets, and shocking revelations. Viewers will embark on a rollercoaster of drama to uncover who ultimately claims victory in the end. Ka-Siri” boasts an impressive lineup of over 100 episodes, promising a long-lasting and captivating journey for its audience. Episodes will air every Monday to Wednesday at 19:30 EAT from Monday 9 October 2023,”.
Zari is a modern Cinderella story that follows the story of Nina, a young woman whose rightful family – and fortune are hidden from her. Will Nina and her true biological father, Dylan ever be reunited and will her adopted family pay for their duplicity? Zari premieres on Monday 23 October 2023 and will air every Monday to Friday at 20:30 EAT.
“The launch of these new local shows underscores MultiChoice’s unwavering commitment to delivering family-friendly exceptional entertainment experiences to its viewers with content that resonates with them,” noted Miranda,
The producer of both shows, Rashid Abdullah expressed his appreciation to MultiChoice Kenya for the support of local productions in Kenya. “Film production is very expensive and as filmmakers, investing and putting money behind productions is not easy, access to finance and capital too has many barriers,” he revealed.
“As industry players, we are delighted to have partners like MultiChoice who allow Kenyans tell their own stories that are authentic are speak to the cultural and societal nuances that are alive in them while creating jobs for actors, actresses, chefs, transporters, real estate owners, make-up artists, video editors, sound producers, camera crew, set designers among others in the film ecosystem.”
Speaking to MultiChoice Kenya’s investment, in local content, Timothy Okwaro, Channel Director East and Southern Africa remarked, “With an annual investment of over $5m in content production and licensing, translating into well over 5,600 hours of content annually, we have lined up some of the biggest, most exciting shows that will give our viewers more choice and more entertainment.”
“Since 2015, we have brought to our customers over 89 shows (35 commissioned and 52 licensed), with up to 15 shows expected between April this year and March 2024, in other words, Tumefungulia Magic” Okwaro concluded.
