Two new channels have been added to a free service being provided on DStv Now, the online version of DStv.
In response to the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, DStv owner MultiChoice worked with local and international news channels in mid-March to add 24-hour news coverage to the DStv Now free service.
The company says the intent was to help all South Africans stay up to date with announcements and developments, and the results so far are encouraging. Usage of the service has increased 20% since the lockdown began, and peak usage is up 80% compared to pre-crisis peaks.
Now, in another
step to help families through the lockdown period, MultiChoice has
added additional educational content to the free service with the
Mindset PoP channel. This channel
features educational programming covering the entire General Education
and Training (GET) phase, including Early Childhood Development (ECD),
as well as a key focus on the Grade 4 – 9 curriculum.
The channel aims to prepare children
for when schools reopen. Mindset PoP will deliver live lessons daily,
with six fresh hours every day. A website is available for parents to
download worksheets and information sheets to work
through with expert teachers. Lessons are based on the South African
Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) and are also aligned to
the Cambridge curriculum.
“We’re extremely grateful to all of the
channel providers for being so willing to work with us to help all
South Africans through this unprecedented lockdown period,” said Niclas Ekdahl,
CEO of the Connected Video division of MultiChoice.
“Thanks to their support we’re able to keep people informed, keep kids’ educations going, and keep people entertained.”
The full list of channels available to non-DStv customers on the DStv Now free service is:
100 – DStv
180 – People’s Weather
238 – SuperSport Play
313 – PBS Kids
317 – Mindset PoP
320 – Channel O
343 – TBN
400 – BBC World News
401 – CNN
402 – Sky News
403 – eNCA
404 – SABC News
405 – Newzroom Afrika
405 – AlJazeera
414 – Euronews Now
417 – africanews
To sign up for the DStv Now free service, go to http://now.dstv.com
