Could MultiChoice Undergo A Name Change As Speculated With Canal+'s MC Vision?

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During the month, it was reported Canal+ was looking to increase their stake in MC Vision from 37% to 75% making them majority shareholder. With co-founders Currimjee Jeewanjee and Co., that will reduce their stake from 57% to 25% with Canal+ looking to enhance its offering in the region.

Canal+ had already made other moves within Africa like purchasing the remaining shares in MultiChoice which too is awaiting regulatory approval. They also own Nigerian production company ROK Studios as well as 30% stake in Marodi TV which is based in Senegal.

One of the questions awaiting is how different MultiChoice will be in the coming years. With Canal+ buying a large chunk of MC Vision it's likely become Canal+ Maurice/Mauritius I mean that's what happened with M7 Group in Europe and NC+ in Poland the result was always a corporate restructure. 

Similar to Poland, Canal+ is MultiChoice's biggest shareholder within the company so whose to say that the trademark won't die out eventually as they could always inherent MultiChoice: A Canal+ Company. That's how M7 Group panned out before the trademark went fully under the knife. 

Unlike most of these entities, MultiChoice doesn't have much Canal+ in the truck outside of ROK and as seen with Francophone Africa. The acquisition could see them incorporate themselves within MultiChoice's existing offering while closing the doors for other brands. 

It could as well even answer the questions regarding MC Vision and MultiChoice as both offer services within Mauritius. Similar to South Africa, Canal+ could as well look to divide operations within Mauritius this way Currimjee Jeewanjee and Co., shares remain intact once the acquisition concludes. 

Canal+ Looking To Buy Another Pay-TV Platform Ahead Of Its Acquisition In MultiChoice

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Vivendi’s Canal+ plans to double its stake in MC Vision to become the majority shareholder of the Mauritian-based digital pay-TV company, as the French firm seeks to boost its presence on the continent.

Canal+ will increase its stake to 75% from 37% for an undisclosed amount, pending regulatory approvals, according to a joint statement published in Le Dimanche/L’Hebdo newspaper.

Currimjee Jeewanjee and Co, a family-owned business that started MC Vision with Canal+ more than two decades ago, will cut its stake to 25% from 53% and state-owned Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation will sell its 10% holding.

Canal+ is seeking to expand its presence on the youngest and fastest growing continent

The new structure “will enable MC Vision to continue to meet the expectations of Mauritian households in terms of audiovisual content and services, while benefiting from the support of the Canal+ group”, the companies said.

Canal+ is seeking to expand its presence on the youngest and fastest growing continent to compete with US entertainment giants. In April it made an all-cash formal offer for MultiChoice Group, valuing the South African broadcaster’s shares at R55-billion and said the combined entity will be listed in Europe and Johannesburg.

Evolved

From pioneering digital satellite television in the Indian Ocean island nation in 1999, MC Vision has evolved into a provider of premium and exclusive content.

In the year to December 2022, it recorded revenue of Rs1.25-billion (R490-million) and a Rs1.6-million loss. The shortfall was due to low consumer confidence, a significantly weaker rupee, a rise in piracy and the unprecedented cost of content rights, for live sports in particular, according to Currimjee Jeewanjee’s annual report.