Starting a Satellite TV channel How much does it cost?

In most people’s cases the answer to this is satellite TV broadcasting as access to terrestrial broadcasting is limited and has masses of red tape. Broadcasting your own Satellite TV channel via satellite reaches more people easily.

This is the next tricky question and a bit of a mine field and all boils down to your objectives, vision and then even budget. Since satellite choice is the majority of your cost in running a small satellite TV channel it’s the biggest decision you need to make and make wisely. There are many new satellite platforms in Africa now giving you many options for your satellite TV station start up and many at great low prices.

In Africa most people want to Start a satellite TV channel on is20 satellite KU band Itis the same Satellite where DSTV is and where all the Christian channels are as they want to be seen with all the other channels.

Most people are under the impression its instant audience. While this may be partly true you need to ask the question “is the audience the people I want to reach” or are you reaching the reached?

This is20 satellite due to its demand is one of the most expensive to have a satellite TV channel on in Africa.
What you need to look at is your reasons for having a satellite channel and if the satellite you are looking at achieves your objectives.
If you are a church or ministry, ask yourself does being with all the other Christian channels help you reach your objective as a ministry of reaching the lost? How many unchurched will actually tune in and see your channel (because let’s be honest to see those channels it’s a very deliberate action to tune a decoder to those channels, so not likely the unchurched will do this) will you be preaching to the converted and making the fat fat on satellite?
These are very relevant questions to ask. It’s great to be seen there with the other ministries and the prestige it brings, but is that your focus of the ministry and true calling?
Also what we suggest ministry TV channels do is calculate your CPSW as we call it, Cost Per Soul Won. This is now much it costs you to run your Tv ministry per month on satellite TV vs how many people you reach that make a change in their lives.
To do this add up all your projected costs plus satellite costs and this is divided between the number of people you are reaching or hope to reach. Compare this cost to say crusades and other events and the figure will be eye opening and can help you assess if satellite is what you need to do and if it is it will help you focus and refine your mission and vision to be effective.

You will often hear that is20 Satellite has several MILLION viewers in marketing material for is20 satellite platforms. BUT what we suggest you do each time you hear this is ask the source of the statistics quoted.
Why do we say this? You don’t want to base a big investment in a TV channel on incorrect stats that are used to manipulate you into thinking this is the best option. IS20 satellite viewer statistics can often be over inflated, be cautious.

In our option these stats are inflated to make sales and make the platform look more attractive, why do we say this?

1. There are to date as far as we are aware, no independently audited stats on free to air decoders on is20 so no one really knows how many people view.
2. Free To Air on is20 has no subscription so it’s impossible to know how many decoders and viewers there are.
3. People quote the number of DSTV subscribers on is20 to bolster numbers viewing FTA.

BUT we don’t like the use of these stats as they too are misleading because:
For people to go to the Public Bouquets is not easy via a DSTV decoder hence few people with decoders ever do it, since after all they are already paying for premium satellite. At most you may see 5% of DSTV subscribers tune to the public channels and majority of these people are already Christians so how many people watching are really your target demographic?

The new versions of DSTV software on decoders make it hard to impossible to tune into these public channels

DSTV new terms and conditions point towards them limiting the ability to view other things on the DSTV decoder other than DSTV.

Don’t get caught by false statistics, always ask and verify the source of viewer stats so you know your decision is based on fact and not fantasy. After all you will be spending a lot of money you need to know your objectives will be met.
Don’t get is wrong is20 does have a lot of viewers but it’s simply impossible to assign a number to them ethically in sales so know all the information so you can make the right decision for you.

Some of the things we suggest you look at in evaluating the satellite options are:
1. Budget
2. Vision
3. Area the satellite covers
4. Demographics, as a ministry do you want to reach the unchurched or the churched
5. Contract terms

If you Still want to go with satellite you may consider another satellite option we can offer you which helps you reach big groups and at the same time lowers your costs taking you to where the real world viewers are making your goals more achievable.
Purple Turtle offers many different satellite solutions to make your own Satellite TV channel

If you want to go with the is20 satellite know your goals and reasons for it and we will help you build your satellite channel there, building a solution that works for you in all areas cost and vision.

This final number depends on the final solution needed for you. BUT as a budgetary guideline you can look at the following:
IS20 from around $6500 upwards per month (although in recent months there have been low price specials offered which contain many hidden terms and catches)
But remember this is the satellite costs ONLY you need to budget for your other costs of producing the programs and live TV as well over and above the monthly satellite costs. These costs are often overlooked as in reality when you start your own satellite tv channel it is 3x more work and cost than you ever expect especially on the video production side of things so keep this in mind.
See our pricing HERE