Close-T Broadcast Network Holdings, together with its branded PayTV platform CloseTV, is preparing for today’s application for a new subscription broadcast license from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).

“We have approached the growing need for choice in the PayTV market from the consumers’ perspective and developed niche audience specific bundles that won’t be made up of rehashed bouquets of older or lower quality programming, but rather high quality international and local programming,” says Mia Groenewald, director of Close-T Broadcast Network Holdings.

The company’s intention is to allow consumers to custom-build their viewing preferences, by paying only for the bouquets that are of interest to them, as opposed to paying a monthly subscription for a premier service and then only watching 20% of the total bouquet.

Should something of interest fall outside of the bouquets that form the basis of the subscription, a “pay-per-view” demand-based service will also feature as one of the service offerings.

As part of its launch phase, CloseTV will offer the country’s first PayTV bouquet for the dynamic and thriving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA) community and has set up exclusive partnerships with global content providers such as OutTV group, LOGO TV and OUT in African Film Festival.

“Our research shows that there are approximately six million LGBTQIA lifestyle consumers in South Africa, with virtually no television based programming,” adds Groenewald.

To complement non-LGBTQIA interests, the bouquet will include independent and art house movies; cinema nouveau, foreign language films, cultural programming, travel and fashion events.
CloseTV has already identified other niche audience groups that will form a critical part of its growth and service extension strategies.

Close-T Broadcast Network Holdings will present at the ICASA Subscription Broadcast hearing this afternoon (25 July 2013).