Streaming wars: Why Canal Plus wants to buyout MultiChoice

French media company Canal Plus is making significant waves in the African media landscape with its bold move to potentially fully own African pay TV company MultiChoice. The move comes as Canal Plus recently crossed the 35 percent ownership threshold, triggering a mandatory offer to buy out MultiChoice. The board of MultiChoice has rejected Canal Plus' initial offer of R105 per share, citing undervaluation. The global streaming war is heating up, with corporations worldwide looking to consolidate their streaming services. In Africa, Canal Plus's potential full ownership of MultiChoice could reshape the media and TV landscape. Canal Plus, which already serves mainly francophone Africa, sees MultiChoice as an opportunity to expand its offering to more countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including anglophone regions. Canal Plus' interest in MultiChoice is also fueled by its rival Comcast's 30 percent ownership of ShowMax, a streaming service under MultiChoice that recently relaunched. ShowMax has become the leading streaming service in Africa, capturing 40 percent of the market share and surpassing competitors like Netflix. Despite the initial rejection of Canal Plus' offer, MultiChoice's stock saw a 40 percent spike in February, indicating investor optimism about the potential acquisition. Local investors, including the Public Investment Corporation, have been increasing their stakes in anticipation of a higher offer from Canal Plus. The African streaming landscape is poised for significant changes as Canal Plus seeks to assert its dominance in the market. As the industry evolves, the competition among streaming services intensifies, leading to a shift in how consumers access and engage with content. With Canal Plus at the helm of this potential acquisition, the future of African streaming looks set for a transformation.