Flow imorts dancehall channel in new audio deal
Columbus International which operates cable provider Flow inked a deal with Canada-based Stingray Digital to provide dancehall and other music channels to the region.
It’s the latest regional feed deal and follows a recent buy-out of previous provider DMX music Latin America by Stingray.
Jamaicans will see the same audio channels but have increased graphics and genres including a dancehall channel for the first time, explained public relations manager at Flow Jamaica Jeanette Lewis in an Observer interview. The deal became effective this year.
“It’s part of a wider change to move to a new provider,” she said later declining to issue financial details of the deal.
However, Flow will offer the service at no additional cost to customers.
“The only impact on customers is a wider choice of music. Still 50 channels but with the shift you are getting a greater genre mix…The new channels now offer dancehall music and other genres. Before you had reggae but not dancehall.”
Specifically, since January Columbus started offering 50 channels of the Galaxie digital audio service from Stingray to Flow TV customers in four of its largest markets including Jamaica, Trinidad, Curacao and Grenada.
The channel line-ups include local channels such as Caribbean Vintage Vibes, In the Dancehall Session, Soca Motion and others. It follows the purchase of Moods Media Latin America otherwise known as DMX Media in the same month.
“Singray purchased DMX Media in Latin America in early January so by doing so we have a footprint in 22 countries in Latin America,” said Mathieu Péloquin senior vice-president, marketing and communications at Stingray in an Observer phone interview. “We are starting to make inroads. Flow was a client and made a decision to come with us.”
Stingray now offers channels in over 113 different countries offering digital music and other services via cable, tablets and on-demand.
Flow Jamaica previously announced plans to spend some US$35 million annually on capital investments. Most of the expenditure will go towards new projects and infrastructure with about 10 per cent on maintenance capital expenditure.
Flow, the largest local cable provider also offers telecom and internet services. Its services are facilitated by the ownership of a fibre optic ring which extends beyond the island into 42 territories towards its subsidiaries.