Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a qualified service provider to conduct comprehensive research on the South African audience and global distribution trends. Specifically, the research aims to:

• Understand local audience behaviors, preferences, and the economic viability of various content distribution channels within South Africa.
• Assess South Africa’s position in the international content distribution ecosystem, including performance in cinema, television, and digital platforms.
• Benchmark South Africa’s industry against global trends and develop strategies to enhance its international competitiveness.
• Provide actionable insights to optimize content distribution, audience engagement, and inform policy interventions.

Scope

The scope involves delivering two separate research reports, each with distinct methodologies and focus areas:

1. Audience Research in South Africa: Exploring local audience behaviors, content preferences, consumption patterns, and the economic sustainability of distribution models.
2. Global Distribution Trends: Analyzing South Africa’s position in international markets, performance comparison with key regions (Africa, Europe, North America, Asia), and examining factors like data costs, internet penetration, and device availability.

The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, including surveys, interviews, and analysis of digital platforms, festivals, and distribution rankings. The entire project must be completed within 14 weeks, with specified deliverables.

Technical Requirements

• Two detailed research reports addressing the specified focus areas.
• Use of mixed-methods research combining qualitative insights and quantitative data.
• Engagement with local and international distributors, content creators, and industry stakeholders.
• Analysis of digital content consumption, distribution channels, and international market performance.
• Provision of data-driven recommendations to enhance distribution strategies and global positioning.
• Completion of all research activities, including annexures and handover, within 14 weeks.

Skills Requirements

The successful bidder must demonstrate:

• Company Experience: Proven track record in conducting similar audience research and global distribution trend analysis in the film, TV, digital, and streaming sectors (20 points).
• Project Leadership: CV and experience of the project leader with at least 7 years in relevant research (10 points).
• Approach and Methodology: Clear, innovative, and comprehensive research methodology demonstrating understanding of the project scope (60 points).
• References: At least four reference letters from previous clients confirming quality and relevance of research conducted (up to 10 points).
• Capacity: Ability to deliver within tight timelines and manage complex, multi-faceted research projects.