MAXIME SAADA: To grow its creative economy African media needs more scale, talent and technology

As we consider 2024 and beyond, African media businesses must become bigger in every way. They must invest in more scale, local talent and stories, and best-in-class technology if they are to compete against the global streaming media giants.   

The creative industries — with film and television at their heart — have the power not only to fuel economies but to empower individuals and communities by telling unique stories that resonate, change perceptions and bring people together. Being able to tell your own story is at the heart of individual identity and collective cultural confidence and pride.

A nation’s creatives are those who are best able to provide a window to the rest of the world on the facets and strengths that make their home unique, diverse and interesting — flying a nation’s cultural flag thousands of kilometres away from its capital. This could give SA and Africa far more cultural reach and soft power than it has today.  

For  more than a century American and European stories dominated first film and then television. Many of their stories have already been told — over and over again on repeat. Yet there are thousands, millions maybe, of unique African stories that have never been told. The world does not know them. But if we put real money behind high-quality production, these unique African stories could have universal appeal and commercial success.  

We at Canal+ are in the business of telling stories, particularly African stories, with deep experience in creating, producing and distributing local content. This is as true today as it was three decades ago when we launched our business in Africa. Why? Because audiences want to see their local stars, sports and drama reflected back at them. This creates a mutually reinforcing economic and cultural ecosystem. That is why as CEO of Canal+ I am proud to lead a global media company that has put investment in authentic local story-telling at the heart of our service and strategy.

In 1991 we launched our first dedicated channels for French-speaking African audiences. Today, we are present in 25 African countries thanks to 15 subsidiaries and more than 270 partners and distributors, and now we are also the largest shareholder in the African entertainment platform MultiChoice. Our history of investing and operating in Africa has allowed us not only to curate but create an array of original content, including films, series and documentaries in collaboration with African creative talent. Here is where the future lies.  

We believe Africa’s creative industries have the potential to thrive on the global stage, and so we are providing the resources and a platform for African filmmakers and storytellers to reach a wider audience. Our investment in Africa is more than just a business strategy; it’s an acknowledgment of the richness and diversity present within the continent’s cultural tapestry.

Our investment in African productions differs from that of other global broadcasters because they buy 100% ownership of the content, leaving the production house with no enduring ownership interest in their creation. All profits from future blockbusters go to the broadcaster and none to the people who created it. However, at Canal+ we often invest directly in the production companies, leaving them with an ownership share of the future success of the drama, film or production they created. 

In recent years we have further strengthened our commitment to local content by launching a number of initiatives designed to invest in local production and skills, provide jobs and train those who live within the markets in which we operate. This has included Canal+ University, which each year offers  more than 1,000 aspiring young African creatives access to vocational training in audiovisual and cinema, directly and in partnership with local training schemes. 

As the leader of a company proudly embedded within Africa’s creative ecosystem, I believe its media sector, which supports so many great creatives across the continent, is at a crossroads. The sector in which we operate has become increasingly competitive and globalised. Titans such as Netflix, Disney, Apple and Amazon, all with huge resources and experience, have their crosshairs trained on the continent.  

It is only natural that these services would want to expand in a region where customer demand and expectations are high and growing, and where a young, diverse audience seeks access to world-class entertainment.  

But what does this mean for Africa’s own broadcasters, production companies and creatives? My first observation is that what Africa’s media companies require above all else is scale — they must be bigger, think bigger and invest at scale in high production values. Only with scale are they able to sustain themselves on a long-term basis, providing a platform for future success and growth.

Only with scale will they be able to invest in local creative talent and authentic stories, and high production values, both here in SA and in other countries across the continent. Only with scale will they be able to sustain jobs and train the next generation of talent across the media value chain. It is scale that provides the foundation for my next two observations.  

One is that they will need to invest in leading technology stacks – for example the suite of IT platforms that make a high quality streaming service possible. The viewer experience needs to match the expectations of a discerning and tech-savvy audience. “Cable or cord cutting” — the move away from one traditional linear service provider — is a global trend that will only increase at pace here in Africa. Technology is critical and cannot be fully outsourced without risk as it stands at the core of the business. In our view, developing this internally is a prerequisite to achieve scalability and control of the business’s destiny.

While satellite television remains essential in connecting consumers with content, as broadband services continue to roll out with speeds and reliability increasing, demand for quality streaming services will only increase. African consumers will rightly demand the best platforms to access content — resulting in the need for investment to provide viewer-friendly platforms capable of competing with giants such as Netflix.  

My final observation is that we, as broadcasters in Africa, need to continually invest in new expertise and talent to ensure our people are able to develop and execute strategies capable of delivering future success and growth, and provide viewers here in SA and across the continent with the services and content they really want. This will require drawing on the deep experience of today’s leaders while seeking out and developing the next generation of African media leaders. 

Canal+ remains committed to its long-term partnership with Africa’s creative industries, and the African media sector that supports them. We believe the continent has a rich and diverse culture that deserves to be shared with the world. We will continue to invest here — in local stories, quality production, and talent, and support some of the most well-loved media brands in SA and beyond.

Together, we aspire to unlock the continent’s boundless potential and pave the way for a vibrant cinematic landscape. 

• Saada is chair and CEO of Canal+ Group.