The Netflix of Africa is...Netflix

41

It’s getting out of hand now, the trolls have come

https://twitter.com/netflixnigeria/status/685048094367563776

EDIT: tweet deleted. Weird for a troll account.

image.png750×1334 49.4 KB

42

Hmmn… so roughly $1 per episode of something reasonable (like HOC). I get the entire season at half that price from the guys in traffic here. CLEAR COPY. :sunglasses:

1 Like
43

I like to restart my Bloomberg too :clap:t5::grinning:

44

Ha, Jesus. N400/2 hours. I’m too broke for that kinda lifestyle, man. 2 hours is the average length for a movie.

So for 3 seasons of house of cards, roughly 30hours combined, I’ll be spending N6000. If I have a stay home family and my Netflix runs avg 10 hours a day, that’s 3000 hours a month.

Cost
Netflix Sub: $8 =N2400
Etisalat data. =N60,000
Cable(backup) =N7000

TV cost = N70,000(approx)/month
In a year, you’ll be spending N840,000

You need to be a senator before you can Netflix and chill, yo. Fuel to do the chilling is not accounted for o.

See ehn, last last, we are not ready for streaming here.

Netflix will have to chill!

8 Likes
45

Honestly this is not surprising (trolls will be trolls) but nevertheless, perplexing.

I think Netflix will be great for consumers, simply because it provides another choice. But I personally don’t think it means the end for Iroko as they cater to a niche. In any case, they simply will need to step up their game and execute like crazy. Frankly, that’s Iroko’s cup of tea and business to worry.

But what I don’t get is almost the sense of glee that Netflix is coming to kill Iroko. Is this typical how we love to self hate? Or is limited to Iroko? I don’t even care about Iroko personally but I consider its success to be good for the ecosystem, is that naive?

Slightly moving on, @akindolu & @xolubi you both make several reasonable points, so I’m super curious (I’m lame and haven’t ever used Netflix nor Iroko), is Iroko a poor product that Netflix is coming to rescue Nigerians from? Is that ultimately your core view? Or there’s more to it?

3 Likes
46

Nothing to do with iroko or Netflix as products. For me, I’m just not into Nollywood.

There are lots of.Nollywood fans out there, and iroko will continue to cater for them.

2 Likes
47

@Jason_Igwe_Njoku posted this on his blog - http://www.jason.com.ng/post/136800839840/netflix-in-africa

Summary:

1 Like
48

@PapaOlabode Personally, I believe the market is big enough for the two… and perhaps even more. Here in the US, there’s Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, and others. They are all doing well with their individual fanbase, or people subscribed to multiple (for instance, you will never get Game of Thrones on Netflix, so everyone subscribes to HBO Go between March and August. I love Homeland, and I can only binge watch it by subscribing to Hulu).

iRokoTV can keep doing what they are doing really… whether they need to make strategic decisions or improve their technology klout or whatever, I don’t know. Like you said, that is really their business.

What I don’t agree with is someone obnoxiously claiming Netflix is being chosen over iRokoTV simply because we would rather associate with a foreign product. I understand that in events like this, people like to draw parallels with something they perceive as a direct competitor but once the conversation starts tending towards its either one or the other, or some guys on one side start berating those on the other, everything stops being logical.

You could say that’s exactly what is wrong with our democracy, as the PDP affiliated populace are very vocal about their desire to see this administration fail, just to be able to say “I told you so”, even though they would also suffer for it. Incredible.

4 Likes
49

Fair enough @akindolu. I don’t also get what people see in it myself. I guess everyone to their own.

And @xolubi I know what you mean by ‘everything stops being logical’. Maybe it’s just purely human nature. But more importantly, it’s a democracy and a free world - people can definitely choose their VOD providers!

But the plot will surely thicken when/if Netflix release original content for Nigeria. Watching how we react to it will feel like a ‘movie’ in itself. Interesting questions like:

  1. Will Netflix original content be ‘better’ than our local providers. Better in terms of cast, storyline, production etc
  2. Or will be better because it’s Netflix. (Note: not referring to ‘foreign’ per se but referring to the brand - see below from Fred Wilson who articulates this better)
  3. If Netflix thrives/fails will it be because of unfair advantage/disadvantage that will be due to regulation. (Note: commercial deals don’t count as unfair but govt interference counts).
  4. If Netflix thrives - does this usher in the era of reliable internet connection. (If Telco steps up for Netflix, then that opens up more potential reachable customers).

Either way, it’s definitely going to be interesting how this all pans out.

http://avc.com/2016/01/is-it-the-content-or-the-packaging/

50

Here is my take on that. Chances are that we would find a Nollywood themed Netflix original someday but that’s probably not going to happen anytime soon. Typically, writers submit their scripts to Netflix, who then decides whether the story is worth purchasing and producing. Narcos is easily a good example of content themed, set, and shot outside of Hollywood’s usual confines.

I don’t know about “better”. That is subjective and my take will probably annoy some people here but whatever. It’s no secret that Netflix puts the best resources to make a great show. They also have the ability to do some mad data science to figure out exactly what their viewers enjoy and produce more of such content in new and intriguing ways. One does not need to go further than House of Cards, Daredevil, Orange is the new black, etc to see production quality that rivals those of other networks in the US. While watching certain scenes in Daredevil literally give me a hard-on for well executed cinematography, the guy who would rather watch Nigerian home videos will do just that - watch Nigerian home videos and will consider the preceding bit of this paragraph mindless fawning. And that is fine.

I don’t know how the problem of streaming in Nigeria hopes to be countered. In fact, every single Netflix show I have, I downloaded in 1080p. That’s considering the fact that most of them are recorded and streamed in 4K here in the US. Of course at best you will be able to watch a show on your internet connection in Nigeria by streaming in 480p (maybe graze 720p on Smile) without buffering provided you aren’t doing anything else… but that takes away much of the allure for me and will definitely necessitate putting kickass to use, just like old times. :smile:

5 Likes
51

Yeah ‘better’ is subjective but at the end of the day it all boils down to content. I don’t think your views are controversial actually and moreover, even the most ardent Nollywood fan will agree, quality of films could be better.

But while narcos is a great example, I don’t see how Netflix can roll out similar fare for 130 countries. Of course if they double down on a region or country (e.g. ‘Nollywood Netflix original’ like you mentioned), that’s another matter entirely. Because at that point, consumers are not thinking loyalty or patriotism, they just want to watch great content irrespective of where they find it.

2 Likes
52

Passing by,

I stopped patronizing DSTV since I discovered Spectranet… Because YouTube et al. @Oboraxe, interesting perspective… Read Lugard

1 Like
53

They created this last year. It cost them $6m (small change) but there are plans to create more.

1 Like
54

No. Not even close to what I meant.

So ‘Beasts of no nation’ is not targeted content for Nigerians. Despite the fact that it’s based on a Nigerian story, and the book was of course written by a Nigerian. It was actually Netflix’s first feature film which was an arty work for general consumption up for Golden Globe, Venice Film awards etc. So that’s like saying Blood Diamonds was meant for Sierra Leone or Last King of Scotland was meant for Uganda.

So what’s closer to what I mean? Well if they did a series like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black or Daredevil with Nigeria/Africa in mind, taking demographic taste and consumption (they’ve got data & production chops) into consideration, it will have great potential.

An example that comes to mind is MTV’s Shuga. Started in 2009 with focus on Kenya youths but that singular focus, probably made it resonate with other African youths (there’s Shuga Naija now) and it spread to 40 other African countries.

55

I doubt they’ll make content targeted at Nigerians. They launched in 130 countries, will they make targeted at every country. They’ll focus on content that transcends geography, which is probably the smart play.

1 Like
56

Yeah me too. Like I said…

But who really knows? And…

Then…

To be honest, what will be disappointing (at least in my view), is if they just treated content as just ‘software’ to roll out to more users. You know make more money by reaching more people with the same shows, series etc.

How homogeneous does the world have to be? I mean left fully to the capitalist; we will all drink the same Coke, eat the same McDonald’s burger, dance to the same hits, dress in the same jeans etc.

So if Netflix is indeed rolling out to Africa without any intention of bringing original content…well may the IrokoTVs of the continent continue to thrive!

57

In the end, content will be king.
I’d like to see some quality local content and it doesn’t have to be a movie or a sitcom.
Even a properly prepared documentary on some facet of Nigerian life will be appreciated. For instance, I’d like a documentary on our music industry or our politicians or even famous murders.:grinning:

1 Like
58

I love my Etisalat they too sabi strategy…leave all this tinko tinko wey MTN and bojuboju wey Airtel dey do…but Etisalat still need to review this plan o

59

Or use 02tvseries

60

they use akamai, and akamai will, be peering at Internet Exchane point of Nigeria by Feb