TV ADVERTISING IN SOUTH AFRICA
ADVERTISE ON TV IN SOUTH AFRICA
South African television splits between the public broadcaster SABC, whose SABC 1, 2 and 3 carry advertising across the country’s many official languages, the free-to-air commercial e.tv, and MultiChoice’s dominant DStv satellite platform with its Mzansi Magic and SuperSport channels. For advertisers, that means pairing the SABC’s broad multilingual free-to-air reach with the affluent, sports-and-entertainment DStv subscriber base. Empire can help you reach a captive Mexican audience through highly popular television channels.
Advertising on TV in South Africa results in wide reach, excellent engagement, and highly specific targeting, making it a highly effective medium. The stations contained below represent a balanced cross-section of the most successful stations targeting a range of audiences. With sound industry knowledge, we are well placed to help you create a successful tv ad campaign. Chat to us today about advertising on South African television.
READY TO ADVERTISE?
ADVERTISE ON THESE SOUTH AFRICAN TV STATIONS
Entertainment and Movie programming that speaks to the African heart for Africans
Lifestyle channel that provides six programming strands: Food, Home & Design, Fashion & Style, Health, Parenting, and Personal Development
News channel which airs international 24-hour news and information across the globe.
Entertainment channel for lovers of black culture, from fashion to music, movies and more, covering red carpet events, and the best in local and international entertainment
South African-based music channel, main concept is African music in Africa and the diaspora.
A premium entertainment and storytelling channel, with original scripted and non-scripted series.
Entertainment channel Content ranges fromon all things science, technology, nature and wild life
Featuring entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip,hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows
Lifestyle Channel for recipe videos, food hacks, new tips and the latest food craze
English language general entertainment channel, which features a mix of scripted and non-scripted aspirational entertainment programming.
A South African Afrikaans-language entertainment channel. Programming in the form of Music, interviews with SA and international personalities, comedy, drama and series
Entertainment channel that broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children’s series, sport and movies.
Entertainment; Showing blockbuster movies, gripping international series and acclaimed local movies and series
Movies and latest blockbusters.
An 24-hour music channel.There are three different feeds of MTV Base Africa, with one catering for the South African audience, one for West Africa, and another for rest of Africa
Documentary channel which primarily focuses on wildlife and natural history non-fiction programming
Documentary channel which primarily focuses on wildlife and natural history non-fiction programming
Documentary channel, innovative programming that questions what we know, how we view the world and what drives us forward.
Primarily airs programming aimed at children, pre-teens and young teenagers, including animated series, live-action, scripted series and original made-for-TV movies, while the network’s daytime schedule is dedicated to shows targeting preschoolers.
Entertainment channel geared towards children aged 6-12, the channel broadcasts original animated series
A community public service channel which carries programming in English and Nguni.Heavily focused on local entertainment that is aimed towards the youth.
Entertainment channel programming Soapies, Dramas and Telenovelas, a small number of talk, travel and magazine shows;religious shows (aimed at Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism) movies and News and Current Affairs. News also airing in Afrikaans
The Only Sabc Entertainment channel to feature a large proportion of international series.
A community television channel broadcasting in Soweto, programming is mostly Sowetan content and 60% local content
Specialty television channel focused on films, owned by Universal Networks International. The programming is based on films (mainly from Universal Studios movies catalogue) and related programs with interviews, insights, short films and frequent themed nights or seasons
Sports channel showing major sporting events and leagues of association football, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, motorsport, cycling, boxing, wrestling, hockey, athletics.
Entertainment channel Focussing on reality series involving lifestyles, family life, and personal stories.
The number one international urban music channel
Frequently Asked Questions
What drives the cost of television advertising in South Africa?
TV costs depend on the channel and programme’s audience, the daypart and slot around high-rating shows, spot length, and the weight of your schedule. Premium events and the festive period push rates higher. Production also factors in. The Empire secures rates across broadcasters and prepares a tailored quote aligned to your reach goals and budget.
Which channels reach which audiences in South Africa?
SABC1 delivers the largest mass-market audience across multiple languages, with SABC2, SABC3 and free-to-air e.tv extending national reach. MultiChoice’s DStv platform offers targeted environments including SuperSport for sport, kykNET for Afrikaans households and eNCA for news viewers. The Empire builds a channel mix matched to your audience and language priorities.
What content and approval standards apply to TV adverts in South Africa?
Television advertising must comply with the Advertising Regulatory Board’s Code, ensuring messaging is truthful, decent and respectful of South Africa’s diverse cultural and language communities, with all claims substantiated. Broadcasters typically pre-clear commercials before flighting. The Empire handles creative clearance and broadcaster approvals so your advert is screen-ready and compliant.
When should brands schedule TV campaigns in South Africa?
The festive season in November and December is the standout window, reinforced by Black Friday and strong December retail spend, while January back-to-school and major sporting and public-holiday moments also draw audiences. Premium inventory sells early during peaks, so The Empire plans schedules well in advance to secure the slots that suit your category.