African VOD landscape heats up as TRACE buys Buni.tv

Local content is a big plus for many video platforms, with pan-African video-on-demand (VOD) service Buni.tv being one of the more notable offerings on the continent.

Now, as it prepares for the launch of its own video platform later this year, French broadcaster TRACE TV has announced that it acquired Buni.tv.

Buni.tv was launched in 2012 and stands out as one of the three largest VOD platforms in Africa, along with Iroko TV and ShowMax, TRACE claimed in a press statement.

“TRACE and Buni.tv share the same strategic vision in that we believe that VOD is the future of television,” said TRACE CEO Olivier Laouchez.

“We also share the same analysis that the success of any VOD service in Africa will depend on whether it can source and offer high quality original African content.”

The acquisition will see TRACE acquiring the pay TV/VOD rights to comedy shows Ogas At The Top and The XYZ Show.

Buni.tv’s subscribers won’t be left out in the cold either, as they’ll have access to the full TRACE Play VOD service at launch.

“Critical mass is crucial for the success of any VOD service,” said Buni.tv’s CEO Marie Lora-Mungai.

“As the African VOD market becomes increasingly competitive and sophisticated, we are thrilled to join forces with a solid and forward-thinking partner such as TRACE.”