An exclusive Bhutanese video streaming service called Samuh officially launched today. The platform is similar to the globally popular streaming service Netflix. It streams original as well as licensed content including films, series, animation and documentaries.
“What I saw is that the creative industries have great potential but they didn’t have a platform to reach the scale of production or in terms of bringing a variety of content and in terms of making content accessible to people. So, this is why I felt like something like Netflix will work for Bhutan,” said Nyema Zam, the founder and CEO of Samuh.
Samuh has produced more than 26 original productions and engaged more than 400 professionals in the creative and film industry to date. It has subscribers from some 60 countries and can be accessed worldwide.
The CEO said the service will also be made accessible to people in the rural areas in the country.
“We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the CSI bank and they are going to be our corporate service agents. So they will be located in the two hundred gewogs in the country. We have been training them to assist our rural customers to help them download the app, navigate the app and use the app.”
Samuh was developed at a cost of around Nu 65 M of which Nu 30 M is financed through the National Credit Guarantee Scheme.
Kinzang Lhadon
