The variety that make GOtv contents tick

The longing of most Nigerians, particularly low–income earners, for premium television programmes, with clear visual and audio was fulfilled with the introduction of low-cost digital terrestrial pay television (DTT) service providers over three years ago.

In October 2011, GOtv was launched using the more modern digital video broadcast technology II, known as, DBV-T2, prescribed by the regulator for the digital migration. A year after, the exotic channels offered on GOtv platform and enhanced by high picture quality and clear audio made the brand very popular with Nigerians. This translated into a rush for GOtv boxes across the country.

In a bid to make its services accessible by different categories of people in the mass market, two bouquet types – GOtv with 28 channels, and GOtv Plus 41 channels – were introduced. The bouquet types meant that more channels than the initial 27 channels had been created without any price increase.

These choices, while increasing the volume of indigenous programmes subscribers can watch on the two bouquet types, made GOtv a favourite brand for family entertainment on the digital terrestrial pay-TV platform.

The suite of AfricaMagic Channels is an example. Nollywood movie buffs are treated to a variety of programmes that promote culture and tradition with the five AfricaMagic channels, namely Africa Magic Family, Africa Magic (Hausa), Africa Magic(Yoruba), Africa Magic Epic Movies, and Africa Magic World. These channels have so far become the most veritable culture export for Nigeria and Nigerian films.

Apart from movies, sports, a popular content to a wider audience, enjoys huge prominence on the GOtv channels menu. GOtv’s sporting content is distinct for its SuperSport channels. The innovative state-of-the-art Supersport studio which offers pre, interlude, and post-match analysis from seasoned sports personalities is second to none and part of GOtv’s winning ways.

Studio guests, including ex-football players, like Victor Ikpeba, Daniel Amokachi, Dosu Joseph, Peter Rufai, Etim Esin, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Mutiu Adepoju, to mention but a few are a delight to watch on GOtv SuperSport channel.

By this alone, subscribers on the GOtv platform have access to superb off-field excitement, with scintillating dialogue from some of Nigeria’s cherished football idols. As feature guests, viewers are reunited to their favourite football stars, some of who have become shorn of public attention, in a rather affectionate way.

Telemundo, another exclusive 24-hour Telenovela channel on GOtv, has grabbed a large audience among the female folk. Launched in August 2013, this channel has taken Nigeria by storm, including notable celebrities. One of such is popular on-air-personality of Cool FM in Lagos, Freeze, who confessed to have been captivated by this channel.

Freeze couldn’t be quiet about it, as he recounted episodes of Forbidden Passions, one of the Telenovelas aired on GOtv earlier this year.

Subscribers with fervour for secular and gospel music are not unlikely to have them in sufficient doses. GOtv’s six local and international music channels make the brand the only DTT pay-TV to offer the most channels in the programme genre.

Revolutionary music channel, Channel O, has helped indigenous music artistes gain considerable mileage across African countries, just as the Africa Magic channels to actors and film producers. The rise from local stardom to international superstars of a few of Nigerian singers, including red carpet reception by heads of government in few African countries where they have performed, will not go without a mention of how vigorously Channel O publicises their music across the continent.

Something for the kids? GOtv offers four entertaining and educative kiddies channels, namely Nickelodeon, Disney Junior, JimJam and Channel ED. Channel ED comes as a knowledge enhancer for teenagers, dwelling on new developments in science, technology, and general interests.

While GOtv’s foreign news channels, like CNN and Aljazeera, keep viewers informed with up-to-date news and happenings around the world, documentary channels like NatGeo Wild and Discovery World, have spurred a bond of sorts with subscribers. Other channels, like Mnet Movies Zone, PRTV, Sony Entertainment, BET, E! Entertainment, MTV Base, HipTv, TBN, Islam channel among others, show GOtv’s gravitas as a choice family entertainment pay-tv.

In its belief of being a prime aggregator of premium television content, the GOtv brand has confidently invited scrutiny and attestation from subscribers, journalists and industry experts through various fora initiated by it.

One of such was the content showcase held last year to commemorate GOtv’s second anniversary in Nigeria, and through which the brand publicised its rich content to the admiration of the attendees, largely journalists.

Delightedly, GOtv General Manager, Elizabeth Amkpa, at the event, lauded the brand for “bringing subscribers television that is all about quantity and quality.”