eMedia has launched Openview Stream, a free ad-supported streaming television platform, in seven African markets – but not in South Africa, where the Openview brand it is built on made its name.

The service, announced on Monday, goes live in Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Mauritius, with further markets to follow in a phased expansion.

The launch list omits eMedia’s home market entirely, and the company’s announcement offers no explanation – it does not say whether South Africa is excluded deliberately, or whether it forms part of the expansion plan. TechCentral has put questions to eMedia, including on its South African intentions, and will update this article when the company responds.

The omission is notable given that Openview is South Africa’s leading free satellite TV platform.

Openview Stream offers what eMedia describes as a curated mix of African, regional and international channels, delivered free to viewers and funded by advertising.

The service is built with RunnTV, a technology company eMedia describes as its strategic streaming partner, suggesting the platform runs on RunnTV’s infrastructure rather than technology built in-house.

“Building on the success of Openview, we are extending one of our strongest consumer brands into the streaming market,” said eMedia CEO Khalik Sherrif in a statement.

Core assets

The launch is eMedia’s first meaningful digital play beyond South Africa’s borders. Its core assets – e.tv, Openview and eVOD – are domestic, and the group has spent recent years positioning itself as the free-TV counterweight to MultiChoice.

Read: Cost cuts and content pay off as eMedia lifts profits in brutal market

A seven-country streaming footprint marks a genuine strategic shift, even if questions about its scale – channel counts, device availability and advertising arrangements were not disclosed – remain unanswered for now. – © 2026 NewsCentral Media