MultiChoice Launches AfricaMagic GO: Brings Exclusive African Movies and Series goodness to Africans living abroad

MultiChoice, the world’s largest television platform for original African film and television content, today launches African Magic GO, an ‘On Demand’ video service aimed at Africans living abroad.

Africa Magic GO, www.africamagicgo.com, is the home for the newest and highest quality, original African movies, series, documentaries and entertainment shows –made in Africa for Africans.

For only £5 ($8) per month, the service is available to stream whenever you like, without any adverts. Included at launch is a one-week free trial period for new subscribers.

According to Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, Regional Director at M-Net Africa, Africa Magic GO is the most accessible and easy-to-use service for African content abroad, with hundreds of episodes from the most popular TV shows in Africa, and hundreds of hours of the best movies to choose from at anytime, including access to the red carpet and glamour of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, which recognises outstanding achievements from the star-studded world of African TV and film.

“The service,” Mba-Uzoukwu says, “which will soon also be available as an iOS app, is aimed at Africa’s growing diaspora in Europe, estimated at over 10 million people, with 1.8 million people in the UK alone.

“Given the limited quality of African content available to the diaspora living abroad,” she adds, “Africa Magic GO provides audiences with original, flagship and high quality content, including a wide variety of series, movies and reality shows.

“We aim to be the provider of choice to this community.”

As the service grows, additional features will become available to subscribers, which will include live streaming/pay-per-view of special events or reality shows, and expansion to Android devices and game consoles.

The explosion of Nigeria’s entertainment industry in the 90s, and its pan-African appeal owed much to MultiChoice’s promotion of local talent and the creation of channels dedicated to local productions. In just 13 years Nollywood is estimated to generate £200m a year, making it the world’s third biggest film industry after Hollywood and Bollywood.

Operating in 48 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, MultiChoice is at the forefront of Africa’s booming and vibrant television entertainment industry, spurred by the continent’s rapid economic growth over the past few years. More and more, its people want local entertainment which reflects a world relevant to them, but with the same quality they expect from established industries like Hollywood. Africa Magic GO will provide content of this standard including one of the most successful shows on African TV; Tinsel (the West African equivalent of EastEnders), Mashiriki Mix (a weekly show that covers Kenyan Culture, Shopping, Cooking, the Glitz, Glamour and Celebrity Interviews – East Africa’s answer to a mash up of E!Online, Man vs Food and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations), 53 Extra (a weekly show that covers Fashion, the Glitz, Glamour and Celebrity Interviews – West Africa’s answer to E!Online) which is shown in 48 countries across the continent, named in honor of the number of countries in the African Union and Star Gist, Africa’s answer to showbiz buzz with up-to-the-minute entertainment and trend news. MultiChoice’s premium channels M-Net and SuperSport have been, and remain the largest investor in African content over the last decade.

Africa Magic GO subscribers will get the chance to catch up on the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards which this year included standout musical performances by some of Africa’s most gifted artists, superstar red carpet arrivals that set the mood for a brilliant gala event and an impressive line-up of guest presenters but at the end of an incredible night. The second ever AMVCAs handed out 29 awards in 27 categories, and recognised outstanding achievements in African film and TV, awards on the night included top honors for rising star Michelle Bello (TrailBlazer of the Year) and accomplished veteran Peter Enochie (Industry Merit).

“We are delighted to bring Africa Magic Go to markets outside of Africa, where audiences who would potentially have missed the latest hit shows and blockbusters can now stream them online in their own home or wherever they have an Internet connection,” says Mba-Uzoukwu.

“These shows encompass engaging themes that are universally pertinent and showcase the continent’s thriving culture and immense growth. This year alone, we are commissioning over 250 original feature films which will be shown on Africa Magic Go underpinning our continued commitment to Africans, wherever they may be.

“I am immensely proud that our passion for vibrant, high-quality and uniquely African content can be shared with wider African communities across Europe,” she concludes.

To make use of Africa Magic Go, simply visit www.africamagicgo.com, sign up and before you know it
you’ll be enjoying all the great stories from home, even when you’re thousands of miles away.