Issue no 81 10 June 2010
top story
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In the Apartheid years, the prisoners on Robben Island played football to FIFA rules and dreamt of the day when a Black South African Government would invite players from all over world to play. That day has finally arrived and this week we look at the media-build up to the big event that starts this Friday.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has officially open the US$125.5 million International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) situated near the Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium. This world class facility is expected to house more than 500 broadcasters who will transmit World Cup images to billions of viewers in over 214 countries across the world. The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the official broadcaster of the tournament. There have been concerns from some international journalists that their equipment was still stuck at the customs division of local airports. LOC CEO Danny Jordaan promised to personally attend to the matter.
Some idea of the sheer hardware commitment required to power the media coverage frenzy can be gauged from the Eutelsat announcement that it will deploy four of its satellites to support coverage. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will reinforce its existing permanent capacity on Eutelsat satellites with two extra 72 MHz transponders booked on the W2A satellite. This satellite will enable games, summary reports and highlights of the championship to be broadcast live from the EBU's international broadcast centre, located for the event in Soweto, to its headquarters in Geneva. Images will then be delivered by the EBU to its 75 broadcast members and other clients in extended Europe, using W2A for Europe and W3A for Africa and the Middle East.
All over Africa TV and radio stations have made arrangements to broadcast the crucial live match coverage. For example, the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria and Osmi Sports have licensed Abuja-based FM station Aso radio to transmit live coverage of the matches. Its Sports Correspondent has been accredited by FIFA to cover the event and will provide live coverage from South Africa.
Earlier this week Vision Voice 94.8 FM radio sports presenter Andrew Kabuura arrived in South Africa to provide coverage from the event. That live coverage will go across all Vision Group platforms including print, radio, SMS and television.
Kabuura is at the event courtesy of a special TwentyTen project. TwentyTen, designed to benefit the "African media through 2010 and beyond," is an initiative of Free Voice, World Press Photo, Africa Media Online and lokaalmondiaal.
Up to 16 New Vision and Bukedde journalists have in the past year benefited from specialised 2010 World Cup training by the TwentyTen project, the world soccer governing body FIFA and the French news agency AFP. They had practical training in Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and Kenya.
The event will undoubtedly push sales of new televisions and devices like PVRs. A reports from Namibia suggests that both LCD flat screens and satellite decoders are flying off the shelves, according hi-fi retailers in Windhoek. People are mostly buying 32 inch screens because of affordability and many want HD or HD ready sets to take advantage of the DStv HD bouquet promotion. However, viewing pleasure comes at a price. TVs like this cost between US$741-1,235, the more expensive prices being for popular branded goods.
DStv has also chosen the World Cup period to promote new, cheaper PVRs for those who want to record things they might miss. For a launch price of just US$257. Functionalities include watching one channel, whilst recording another channel at the same time; as well as pausing, rewinding live programs and fast forwarding live recorded programmes. Subscribers with high definition televisions and with premium subscriptions will be able to watch most of their favourite sports, movies and documentaries in high definition. SuperSport will offer four channels, two in High Definition.
However, the majority of African football fans will watch the event on someone else’s television. Using an approach long adopted on the continent, inhabitants of the squatter camps in Cape Town will be able to pay shebeen owners US64 cents to watch a match on DStv. The shebeen owners should have a licence that costs US$6,420 but of course, they don’t. Companies should reduce these licence prices to legalise the trade but of course, they don’t.
The other techno-wonder that was supposed to get a World Cup boost was mobile TV. ESPN decided against an app and is offering aggregated mobile content that they’re promoting heavily in the USA. South Africa failed to sort out its mobile TV licensing and the DVB-H phones required in the DStv territories outside of South Africa have ensured low take-up so far. With such a low base, the World Cup can only provide a welcome injection of potential new users.
Sony, the Japan-based electronics giant that has partnered with Fifa, soccer's world governing body, to show 3D coverage of this year's World Cup, is expecting a live worldwide audience of "a few hundred thousand" per match, given the limited number of consumers with 3D-enabled television sets. Sony, an existing Fifa partner, is enabling the 3D broadcast of 25 of the 64 games from the tournament in South Africa in co-operation with Fifa, and the audience will be restricted to viewers with 3D sets in countries where the rights have been cleared and at public-viewing events. So probably almost no-one in Africa will see 3D versions of the matches.
Millions all over the world will be watching a global event taking place in Africa. After the World Cup, what next?
content
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South Africa’s local production industry received a boost on 25th. May 2010, with M-Net’s announcement of a new local content channel, Mzansi Magic, which will showcase on-screens on the 12th of July, 2010. The channel will be available to MultiChoice subscribers on DStv Select, DStv Compact and DStv Premium.
“The channel is set to showcase locally produced content with a strong entertainment focus. This channel has been shaped through dialogue with some of the most successful actors, musicians, comedians and it is a privilege to be involved with an initiative that will promote local content both in South Africa and globally,” explains Yolisa Phahle, Channel Director for Mzansi Magic.The channel will offer a diverse content mix, including local and international feature films, music specials, documentaries and soap operas. Programme Manager, Lebone Maema says, “Subscribers will be treated to a host of new local programmes which will premiere on Mzansi Magic. These include interactive talk shows hosted by new and established television and radio personalities”.
The channel will also introduce to television the uniquely South African low budget film genre nicknamed “bubblegum cinema”. It will broadcast comedy hits such as Moruti wa tsotsi and Madhluphuthu, which have only been available on DVD to limited audiences.
The channel’s diverse content procurement strategy will provide a solid basis for existing and emerging South African producers and filmmakers to engage M-Net in the licensing and production of local content.
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Portrayal of women in Nollywood films:” wicked, manipulative, loose in morals, diabolic and inferior to the men"
According to Nigeriafilms, there is a noticeable trend in Nollywood films: The women in the films come across as wicked, manipulative, loose in morals, diabolic and inferior to the men. It is a familiar pattern: the women are hardly ever their own person; they are there to serve the men and their lives revolve round their marriage and children. If they head corporations, they either inherit it or stole it from someone. Generally, the roles of women in films are hardly ever psychologically empowering.
However, things might change thanks to the African Women in Film Forum, convened by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi and organised by Director of Studies, Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, Joke Jacobs. At a pre-June forum event in Lagos, film makers talked of the portrayal of women in films. Jacobs talked about a film that she saw some years ago in which women were badly portrayed: “The script was written by a woman who said she did so because that was what people wanted and besides, the reflection of women was true to their real life character.”
Adeleye-Fayemi; Jacobs; and filmmakers, Emem Isong and Tunde Kelani, addressed journalists at the event.Jacobs says she encourages a more balanced portrayal of women in movies since the Nollywood medium is a very powerful one that is capable of influencing thoughts.Kelani says he goes through the trouble of giving women fair representation in his films.
Also at the event was popular Nollywood actress, Bimbo Akintola. Akintola said that “The biggest problem is that we women look at ourselves the way men see us. At the end of the day, actresses just want to make money. We don’t really think of the power we have as actresses and what we are portraying. Maybe the forum will help us address that.”
The ADWF group said that from their experience of working on women‘s rights issues on the African continent, it is becoming clear that there is a need to start thinking of new ways of changing behaviours and attitudes that undermine women‘s rights, and which inhibit women from achieving their full potential.“It is recognised that one of the critical sites of oppression and violence against women in Africa is that of popular culture, expressed through popular music and film,” AWDF said.
The forum comes up in June and it is titled, Nollywood: Women and the Dynamics of representation. Various issues will be discussed, among which are Telling Women’s Stories: Complexity or Simplicity?, Saints, Whores, Nags and Witches, Talent, Opportunity and Versatility and Looking Forward. -
Koowee is a children's channel aimed at children under the age of six. The channel was conceptualized to be the first multi-lingual kids channel in Africa. M-Net identified the opportunity to create children's programming for children with the unique challenge of doing so in their mother tongue, according to a FilmContact.com report of 4 June 2010. Koowee was launched a year ago in Afrikaans and now for the first time the channel is available with an isiZulu simulcast option. There are 15 brand new programmes created locally to suit the local market. The programmes are grounded in South Africa and reflect the vibrant cultures around us. Koowee is the ultimate babysitter! The content is educational, friendly, sincere, and above all fun! Helga Palmer, content executive for Koowee says the following: "It is such an honor to be part of this innovative project. It is especially rewarding that we make the Koowee content accessible to the isiZulu speaking child, as well as creating a platform for any child to learn a new language. And with the prospect of including more languages to the channel in the future, making it accessible to an even broader audience is truly remarkable". Koowee broadcasts on channel 307 on DSTV from 06:00 to 21:00 to entertain the young, and the old. Come play with us!
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According to a 3 June 2010 report in FilmContact.com, the producers of the popular MamaRamotswe movie also known as the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency have auctioned their property, including movie equipment, cars, computers, costumes and other props at their Gaborone base and relocated to Cape town, South Africa.
Pre-casting is already on-going in South Africa, where the next Mmaramotswe movie, possibly a 60-minute feature, is being shot by film the producer, Tim Bricknell. Informed sources said that the producers will only come to Botswana to shoot a few scenes around the Kgale Hill, and the Okavango Delta, while most of the set has now relocated to Cape Town. Gaborone-based production manager of the MmaRamotswe movie Ndipo Mokoka, who also sits in the Botswana Confederation of Trade, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), over the weekend confirmed that the movie's head office was recently closed down after all equipment was auctioned as the office relocated to South Africa, after being offered better incentives by the Film Commission in Cape Town.
The warehouse, which used to house the movie offices, is now being rented by a logistics company. "We finished relocating last week to South Africa, but the producers say if the government (Botswana) can commit itself financially they can come back. But it does not show that Botswana government will change its stance. I think there is a lot of politics in it despite the fact that the president has supported the move to finance the movie. Mokoka told Mmegi that the producers relocated to South Africa after realising that the Botswana government was dragging too long to release mobilisation funds and avail tax rebates for the movie company, a practice he says is common all over the world. Mokoka says here the Botswana government said funding the movie was a very expensive exercise.
The Botswana government funded the first movie for US 5 million, three years ago. The production manager says President Ian Khama had directed that the film producers should be assisted after a study was presented to him regarding the growth of the film industry in Botswana. " A film commission, which was supposed to disburse funds and give film companies tax rebates was set up, I was supposed to sit in that Commission but it never took off, I'm not sure whether the change of ministries and ministers had something to do with the failure. As you might be aware during that time, Pelonommi Venson Moitoi was in charge, she has since changed ministries, the Permanent Secretary, Festinah Bakwena has also changed ministries, while the same ministry has also been divided into several components", Mokoka said.
Solomon Monyame, a member of BOCCIM who lobbied for the establishment of the Film Commission, confirmed to Showbiz that he is aware that the No.1 Lady's Detective Agency has relocated to Cape Town. "We have lost opportunities, a lot of people as well as production companies were employed by the production", said Monyame whose studios were also engaged to provide local music to be used as sound tracks in the movie. Monyame also said the change of ministers and ministries resulted in the establishment of the Film Commission losing momentum as the commission had to look for a new home.
He said they recently met with Lesego Motsumi, the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, who showed keenness to house the Film Commission. " We had to start afresh, we will meet with her again when she returns from an overseas trip, and hopefully this will be the commission's final home.
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According to a 3 June 2010 report in FilmContact.com, the producers of the popular MamaRamotswe movie also known as the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency have auctioned their property, including movie equipment, cars, computers, costumes and other props at their Gaborone base and relocated to Cape town, South Africa.
Pre-casting is already on-going in South Africa, where the next Mmaramotswe movie, possibly a 60-minute feature, is being shot by film the producer, Tim Bricknell. Informed sources said that the producers will only come to Botswana to shoot a few scenes around the Kgale Hill, and the Okavango Delta, while most of the set has now relocated to Cape Town. Gaborone-based production manager of the MmaRamotswe movie Ndipo Mokoka, who also sits in the Botswana Confederation of Trade, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), over the weekend confirmed that the movie's head office was recently closed down after all equipment was auctioned as the office relocated to South Africa, after being offered better incentives by the Film Commission in Cape Town.
The warehouse, which used to house the movie offices, is now being rented by a logistics company. "We finished relocating last week to South Africa, but the producers say if the government (Botswana) can commit itself financially they can come back. But it does not show that Botswana government will change its stance. I think there is a lot of politics in it despite the fact that the president has supported the move to finance the movie. Mokoka told Mmegi that the producers relocated to South Africa after realising that the Botswana government was dragging too long to release mobilisation funds and avail tax rebates for the movie company, a practice he says is common all over the world. Mokoka says here the Botswana government said funding the movie was a very expensive exercise.
The Botswana government funded the first movie for US 5 million, three years ago. The production manager says President Ian Khama had directed that the film producers should be assisted after a study was presented to him regarding the growth of the film industry in Botswana. " A film commission, which was supposed to disburse funds and give film companies tax rebates was set up, I was supposed to sit in that Commission but it never took off, I'm not sure whether the change of ministries and ministers had something to do with the failure. As you might be aware during that time, Pelonommi Venson Moitoi was in charge, she has since changed ministries, the Permanent Secretary, Festinah Bakwena has also changed ministries, while the same ministry has also been divided into several components", Mokoka said.
Solomon Monyame, a member of BOCCIM who lobbied for the establishment of the Film Commission, confirmed to Showbiz that he is aware that the No.1 Lady's Detective Agency has relocated to Cape Town. "We have lost opportunities, a lot of people as well as production companies were employed by the production", said Monyame whose studios were also engaged to provide local music to be used as sound tracks in the movie. Monyame also said the change of ministers and ministries resulted in the establishment of the Film Commission losing momentum as the commission had to look for a new home.
He said they recently met with Lesego Motsumi, the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, who showed keenness to house the Film Commission. " We had to start afresh, we will meet with her again when she returns from an overseas trip, and hopefully this will be the commission's final home.
broadcast
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The Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON) publishes the amount owed by the advertising industry to the media but has not done so since 2007. The sums are always very high and the guilty parties are never named. However, this year there is a fierce argument over the sums involved.
Presenting the report of the APCON Special Committee on Media Dept Issues (ASCOMDI) to newsmen in Lagos, APCON Chairman Chris Doghudje said: "The debt situation as at April 22, 2010 when ASCOMDI gave its report to the Council of APCON was as follows: claimed indebtedness is N1,145,732,661.65, agreed indebtedness N83,002,766.34 and variable indebtedness becomes N1,062,729,895.31.
Some members of Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON) sectoral groups are spoiling for war over the recent report of APCON Special Committee on Media Debt Issues (ASCOMDI) on the status of the industry’sdebt, which put the actual industry debt between 2001 to 2006 at N84 million against N1.2 billion claimed indebtedness.
Calling for a review of the report are members from Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), which are considered to be at the receiving end of the ASCOMDI report. These organisations believe that the report understates the level of indebtedness to the advantage of APCON members.
A source in BON, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the three organisations were working hard to see how they would made the incoming council to reverse the ASCOMDI report. "We are working hard to see how this biased report can be reversed and apart from that we will take our case to the Minister of Information if we find out that another APCON chairman is from Doghudje's (Chair of ASCOMDI) camp."
Another source from NPAN, who queried the authenticity of the report said, "the report said about N766.4 million was traceable to non-AAAN members. Where did they get their fact from since they say media houses were not forthcoming in submission of claims?," he quipped. "I am sure if we look at this report carefully there would be a lot of discrepancy and this is unacceptable to us."
A top OAAN member, who also confided in Daily Independent, said "why is it that a committee that was inaugurated in September 11 2007, 6 months after Doghudje resumed as APCON chairman is submitting its report three days to the end of tenure of the APCON leadership? Why APCON as the regulatory authority after its findings refused to mention debtors, black-list them and prescribe punishment as it is done in other industry particularly banking and is passing the baton to the incoming council? Certainly there are many questions to be answered by the committee members," he said.
Doghudje, who was addressing the media on the issue said, "it is a matter of deep regret that the original debt claims deadline was not met by BON, NPAN and OAAN and this created a chain reaction that necessitated fresh deadline. This, apparently, is the cause of delay of announcement and presentation according to the outgoing APCON chairman.
According to Doghudje, based on the ASCOMDI report: "There was clear evidence that a huge percentage of the alleged debts did not originate from Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Media Independents Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN). These were traceable to independent producers/marketers and direct media buyers."
He noted that the detailed report on the debt problem showing claims, disputed claims, and agreed claims - was forwarded to all sectoral groups on February 19, 2010 and no response has so far been received from BON, NPAN and OAAN.
On the way forward, he said, "Should APCON still go ahead to give six months for agreed debts to be settled? And, should APCON thereafter publish the names of defaulters for media owners to blacklist? These are decisions the new APCON council, which will soon be inaugurated, will have to take
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For the first time in Africa, Canal Overseas Africa has announced on 20th. May 2010 the signing of an agreement permitting the self-distribution of cable and MMDS Canal+ Channels.These agreements have been signed with two of that largest pay-TV operators in Francophone Africa: Creolink Communications, cable-TV operator in Cameroon and Deltanet TV, MMDS operator in Senegal.
The implementation of these agreements is the fruit of an ambitious technical co-operation which guaranties the quality of the picture in people's homes and the safeguarding of intellectual property owners thanks to high level encryption. With the support of Canal Overseas Africa engineers, this solution has been validated both for terrestrial cable networks and MMDS.
Through these self-distribution agreements, Creolink Communications and
Deltanet TV will be able to widen their range of paying television by providing their customers with all the Canal + channels broadcast on the African continent: Canal +, Canal + Sport, Canal + Cinema and Canal + Family.Canal Overseas Africa highlighted that self-distribution is the ideal answer to the local policy of Canal Overseas Africa: more accessible prices, innovative means of payment, extended distribution network, new broadcasting methods and an increase of African channels in the Canal Horizons package.
Jean-Noël Tronc, the Chief Executive Officer of Canal Overseas Africa has declared: "With the signing of these agreements, Canal Overseas Africa is delighted to share premium channels with local pay-TV operators and thus contribute to their development. Self-distribution enables them improve the safeguarding of intellectual property, be present on new distribution networks and therefore be accessible to the greatest number. Canal Overseas Africa wishes to develop its self-distribution strategy in Africa in the coming months by extending it to new African pay-TV operators."
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According to a 2 June 2010 report in the Daily Trust, a 60 day long reality television programme aimed at reversing youth problems in Nigeria will soon make its debut, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Director General Alhaji Idi M. Faruk has said. The programme titled 'Heir Apparent' which will draw 37 youths from all states of Nigeria including the FCT is being planned by the NOA in conjunction with Immersion Marketing Strategy (IMS). Speaking in Abuja during the media briefing on the programme, Faruk said the show is the result of extensive research carried out across the country which identified a steady deterioration in the constructive engagement of youths as well as problem of unemployment, lack of entrepreneurship and a general apathy to partisan politics occasioned by the absence of positive leadership role. He said the programme is a leadership and entrepreneurship reality venture since nobody has creatively and consciously tackled the problem at the level of constructive creative engagement of Nigerian youths even as people talks about leadership failures. "It is our collective desire to cultivate a distinct crop of national leadership with world class stature, who is visionary, credible, responsive, dynamic, patriotic and epitomizes the distilled Nigeria core brand values" the NOA boss said. The programme which will start from Aug. 1 to Oct. 1 this year and will be broadcast on national and cable television. Faruk said participants in the show will be exposed to elements of ideal political leadership values, opportunity to develop a post-national assembly attachment manifesto for Nigeria, elements of business management and entrepreneurship through structured business school training, opportunity to develop post-farm attachment business plans on the better ways of developing Nigerian agricultural sector among other things. IMS Group Managing Director Dan Isiekpe, while presenting the programme theme music and logo, said contestants must be knowledgeable in the area of agriculture, entrepreneurship, and communication and politic, adding that selection of the participant will start from the grass root to the state level. "The winner of the show will go with a tractor and N5 million investable fund," the GMD said.
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Super 5 Media, formerly Telkom Media, failed to release a new pay-TV product to the market on Tuesday as promised, and efforts to get an explanation from majority shareholder Shenzhen Media were unsuccessful.
Super 5 Media, which is 75% owned by Shenzhen Media (which bought Telkom's stake last year) and which is in turn 80% owned by Imbathi Holdings, has had a difficult start, with regulatory problems and a dispute with minor shareholders, including Anant Singh's Videovision, thought to be delaying its media entry.
It was hoped that Super 5 Media, like newly launched Top TV, would introduce competition into the lucrative pay-TV market which has until recently been dominated by MultiChoice.
Unlike On Digital Media, which owns Top TV, Super 5 Media planned to launch its services in time for the World Cup in phases starting with hotels with IPTV and introducing pay-TV to homes later.
Super 5 Media director Tian du Pisane told Tech Central last month that it planned to go live on Tuesday and was targeting 400,000 subscribers in its first 18 months, half on satellite and half receiving TV over cable.
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) is withholding an individual electronic communication network service licence from the broadcaster, which wants to provide its own services across its own network. Broadcast network services are at present offered only by Orbicom and Sentech.
Icasa has also expressed concern that Super 5 Media may have more than the 20% foreign ownership allowed, something du Pisane denied in his Tech Central interview.
Icasa also disqualified Super 5 Media, along with MultiChoice and Mobile TV, from applying for the first mobile TV licence. In Super 5 Media's case it was because it did not hand in the required number of copies of its application.
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- Angola’s Score Media is planning a new radio station to be launched in November.
- Saffron TV (DStv 456) is launching this South African Indian TV channel's first weekly news show, Saffron India Khabbar.
- From 25 to 29 May 2010, CFI presented the results of the Africascope audience study for three Cameroonian TV channels (two state-run and one commercial), in Douala and Yaoundé. Programming workshops were held to coincide with this presentation.
distribution
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A24 Media, Africa’s first online delivery site for African content, has entered into a partnership with Earth TV, a German Satellite TV network that airs live broadcasts of camera streams from locations all around the world. This will enable the company access Earth TV cameras in South Africa, that are focused on four World Cup stadiums: Durban Stadium, Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, Green Point Stadium in Cape Town and Loftus Versfeld Stadium in South Africa's capital city
Pretoria.By visiting the link: http://www.a24media.com/index.php/earth-tv
the audience will be able to view timely video footage on the happenings within and around the four stadiums in South Africa as well as latest weather reports.Titled “World Cup Countdown”, Earth TV shows the most up-to-date video footage from South Africa plus the countdown and fascinating football facts. This joint venture is surely a delight to World Cup fans globally as they access real-time information on the performance of their favourite teams. For the adventurous traveller
wishing to sample what the Rainbow nation has to offer, the aerial perspective of picturesque sights is a relish.
To get more info, kindly contact farah@a24media.com
or call + 254 733 790 458 -
On 22 May 2010. SES Astra announced that its new Astra 3B satellite has been successfully launched. Astra 3B roared into space onboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on May 21 at 19:01 am local time (0:01 am on May 22 Central European Summer Time). The satellite will be brought into its final orbital position within the next weeks and will be made commercially available in June after in-orbit testing.
Astra 3B will be located at 23.5 degrees East. It will deliver Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcast services to the Benelux and Eastern Europe and serve public and private satellite communication networks across Europe and the Middle East. The satellite will allow SES Astra to extend the geographical coverage and the service to customers and offer DTH TV reception from Spain to the Black Sea. It will also help SES Astra to further optimise the spectrum use at 23.5 degrees East. Astra 3B will join Astra 3A and enable SES Astra to release its satellites Astra 1E and Astra 1G for other missions. Astra 1E and Astra 1G are currently positioned at 23.5 degrees East.
Astra 3B was built by Astrium in Toulouse, France, using a Eurostar E3000 platform. The spacecraft weighed around 5,500 kilogrammes at launch and carries 60 Ku-band and four Ka-band transponders (after the first five years 56 Ku- and four Ka-band transponders). The SES Astra satellite fleet delivers high quality broadcasting to 125 million European homes and serves 3.5 million TV households from 23.5 degrees East.
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- CFI supported the worldwide broadcasting of Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s film “Home”, by offering it to its African TV partners. The UEFA Champions League, the African Athletics Championship (CAA) and the FIBA World Championship can be broadcast on all African channels thanks to CFI.
investment
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Early in May 2010 and for three days, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), World Bank, National Film & Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), and Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) met up with the objetive of exporting Nigerian entertainment to global audience.
Vanguard, which was part of the various workshops spoke to a World Bank Finance and Private Sector specialist, Chioma Nwagboso. Here are the key highlights.On what brings about the World Bank’s intervention in “Harnessing the Nigerian Entertainment Industry for Formal Export,” at this time, Chioma Nwagboso said: “The World Bank is interested in supporting the Nigerian Entertainment industry because of its huge potential in terms of job creation and value creation.”
According to her, the industry “started without government aid, intervention or assistance. Instead, talented individuals with a passion and drive grew it from scratch and today it is worth about $250 million, employs at least 500,000 Nigerians directly and about the same indirectly and has demand worldwide.”
As frequently quoted, a recent UNESCO report released in May 2009 proved that the Nigerian film industry has overtaken Hollywood and closed the gap on India to be the global leader in the number of movies produced each year. Nollywood is the third largest movie industry in the world by value after Hollywood and Bollywood (India’s film industry). Nwagboso added: “ Most of those employed in the industry are graduates or school leavers who are the main target group for our support within this particular project.”
“In terms of exports, these movies are purchased and watched across the world in other African countries, Europe, America and the Caribbean, and almost all the exports are pirated copies. There is no recognised or utilised legal channel for these movies to be exported, which means there is no return to the owners and creators behind the movies and no revenue to the Nigeria government. That’s why we are excited about collaborating with NEPC, NCC and NFVCB among other stakeholders to ensure we make this a fruitful export for the country and its citizens.” She concluded.
On how did the World bank arrive at the sum of $20 million intervention fund, and what sectors of the entertainment industry would the fund be utilised, she explained that the $20 milion is just a starting figure, “we hope to achieve some quick wins and then scale it up to a larger amount during implementation.”
On GEMS, and what is the focus of the project? “GEMS stands for Growth and Employment in States Project. It is a Federal Government Project that will support key industry clusters including the entertainment industry. The World Bank and DFID are providing financial support to the project which seeks to reduce poverty in Nigeria. The project aims to create thousands of new jobs in selected states and diversify the economy thereby ending our dependence on oil.
“GEMS is focusing on six industries that we believe have the ability to contribute towards the growth of the Nigerian economy while providing employment to the millions of unemployed youths out there. The six industries are Construction, Meat and Leather, Wholesale and Retail, ICT, Hospitality and…Entertainment.”
On what the GEMS project is supposed to achieve, and the likely in-built mechanism to ensure its success, the World Bank expert said the programme would deliver three outputs:
*An improved business environment that reduces the cost and risk of doing business providing greater incentive to invest;
*Increased competitiveness of strategic clusters in selected non-oil industries improving the return to investment in terms of growth and jobs;
*Effective monitoring and evaluation to provide valuable lessons which, through communication and peer learning, help to leverage programme impacts.
On how prepared is the World Bank to tackle the issue of piracy in the Nigerian entertainment industry, Nwagboso mentioned that “piracy is the scourge of the Nigerian entertainment industry. Pirates have hijacked and robbed the industry of all of its professionals. With little input they often reap many times more than the genuine investors in the industry. The pirate is not interested in the creativity, time, work and effort; he waits for the completed work, gets a copy, mass dubs it and rushes to the market before the authorised marketer or distributor to sell it at a price often less than the production cost price.” (…)
“We have held meetings with the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the National Film and Video Censors Board to understand what their challenges and constraints are and how we can be of assistance. We are particularly interested in the anti-piracy product known as source identification code been heralded by the NCC and the NFVCB’s Digital Nollywood Project which is aimed at creating a digital distribution platform for Nigerian films through the connected video clubs and retail outlets that would be signed up to retail and rent digitally secured content through proprietary digital media computers.
We also collaborated with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council on its conference on “Harnessing the Nigerian Film Industry through formal non-oil export.” We believe that this will create national awareness in the huge potential Nigerian films has in contributing towards the generation of foreign exchange to the country.”
On how the World Bank will create jobs in the non-oil sector of the economy, Nwagboso noted that the overall aim of “this project is to create over 100,000 new jobs in these growing industries. We intend to support and to reduce our foreign exchange revenue from oil. In each case this will be achieved by working on some of the market failures, organising the private sector players and reviewing and making changes to inappropriate regulatory or legal frameworks and policies that govern each sector.”
Sources: Early in May 2010 and for three days, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), World Bank, National Film & Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), and Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) met up with the objetive of exporting Nigerian entertainment to global audience.
Vanguard, which was part of the various workshops spoke to a World Bank Finance and Private Sector specialist, Chioma Nwagboso. Here are the key highlights.On what brings about the World Bank’s intervention in “Harnessing the Nigerian Entertainment Industry for Formal Export,” at this time, Chioma Nwagboso said: “The World Bank is interested in supporting the Nigerian Entertainment industry because of its huge potential in terms of job creation and value creation.”
According to her, the industry “started without government aid, intervention or assistance. Instead, talented individuals with a passion and drive grew it from scratch and today it is worth about $250 million, employs at least 500,000 Nigerians directly and about the same indirectly and has demand worldwide.”
As frequently quoted, a recent UNESCO report released in May 2009 proved that the Nigerian film industry has overtaken Hollywood and closed the gap on India to be the global leader in the number of movies produced each year. Nollywood is the third largest movie industry in the world by value after Hollywood and Bollywood (India’s film industry). Nwagboso added: “ Most of those employed in the industry are graduates or school leavers who are the main target group for our support within this particular project.”
“In terms of exports, these movies are purchased and watched across the world in other African countries, Europe, America and the Caribbean, and almost all the exports are pirated copies. There is no recognised or utilised legal channel for these movies to be exported, which means there is no return to the owners and creators behind the movies and no revenue to the Nigeria government. That’s why we are excited about collaborating with NEPC, NCC and NFVCB among other stakeholders to ensure we make this a fruitful export for the country and its citizens.” She concluded.
On how did the World bank arrive at the sum of $20 million intervention fund, and what sectors of the entertainment industry would the fund be utilised, she explained that the $20 milion is just a starting figure, “we hope to achieve some quick wins and then scale it up to a larger amount during implementation.”
On GEMS, and what is the focus of the project? “GEMS stands for Growth and Employment in States Project. It is a Federal Government Project that will support key industry clusters including the entertainment industry. The World Bank and DFID are providing financial support to the project which seeks to reduce poverty in Nigeria. The project aims to create thousands of new jobs in selected states and diversify the economy thereby ending our dependence on oil.
“GEMS is focusing on six industries that we believe have the ability to contribute towards the growth of the Nigerian economy while providing employment to the millions of unemployed youths out there. The six industries are Construction, Meat and Leather, Wholesale and Retail, ICT, Hospitality and…Entertainment.”
On what the GEMS project is supposed to achieve, and the likely in-built mechanism to ensure its success, the World Bank expert said the programme would deliver three outputs:
*An improved business environment that reduces the cost and risk of doing business providing greater incentive to invest;
*Increased competitiveness of strategic clusters in selected non-oil industries improving the return to investment in terms of growth and jobs;
*Effective monitoring and evaluation to provide valuable lessons which, through communication and peer learning, help to leverage programme impacts.
On how prepared is the World Bank to tackle the issue of piracy in the Nigerian entertainment industry, Nwagboso mentioned that “piracy is the scourge of the Nigerian entertainment industry. Pirates have hijacked and robbed the industry of all of its professionals. With little input they often reap many times more than the genuine investors in the industry. The pirate is not interested in the creativity, time, work and effort; he waits for the completed work, gets a copy, mass dubs it and rushes to the market before the authorised marketer or distributor to sell it at a price often less than the production cost price.” (…)
“We have held meetings with the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the National Film and Video Censors Board to understand what their challenges and constraints are and how we can be of assistance. We are particularly interested in the anti-piracy product known as source identification code been heralded by the NCC and the NFVCB’s Digital Nollywood Project which is aimed at creating a digital distribution platform for Nigerian films through the connected video clubs and retail outlets that would be signed up to retail and rent digitally secured content through proprietary digital media computers.
We also collaborated with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council on its conference on “Harnessing the Nigerian Film Industry through formal non-oil export.” We believe that this will create national awareness in the huge potential Nigerian films has in contributing towards the generation of foreign exchange to the country.”
On how the World Bank will create jobs in the non-oil sector of the economy, Nwagboso noted that the overall aim of “this project is to create over 100,000 new jobs in these growing industries. We intend to support and to reduce our foreign exchange revenue from oil. In each case this will be achieved by working on some of the market failures, organising the private sector players and reviewing and making changes to inappropriate regulatory or legal frameworks and policies that govern each sector.”
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The 2010 FIFA World Cup will take place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010. To help CFI’s TV partners adapt their schedule to this sporting event, CFI has selected several documentaries that will be offered to them in the weeks to come:
• Nelson Mandela : In the Name of Freedom (52’)
• The Adventure of African Football (2 x 52’)
• Political Assassinations : the End of Apartheid) (52’)
• Le Ballon d’or (The Golden Ball) (90’), feature film by Cheikh DoukouréOn 2nd June 2010, 11 a.m., Etienne Fiatte Managing director of CFI, Guillaume Pierre Africa director of CFI, Martin Mimb & Ruth Ouattara (by webcam since Douala and Ouagadougou) Journalists, Karl Olive, Journalist and producer provided a press conference at “le Cape” regarding FIFA WC 2010.
For the first time, a team of 17 African professionals, selected within African televisions stations, and trained by International Channel France (CFI), will be commenting on line from South Africa all of the FIFA world cup matches for 41 African televisions.
Over this conference, CFI explained why a co-operation body invested in this project, how they have equipped journalists it had selected and prepared for one year and how this great sporting event can contribute to the modernization of African media.
In a separate note and to support its African TV partners as they get ready for this event, CFI has been organising advanced workshops on sports journalism for the past several months.
The co-operation body highlighted that Algerian television (EPTV) has asked CFI to help prepare to cover the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Four workshops were scheduled in Algiers:
- live match commentary, with Philippe Doucet, journalist for Canal+.
-summarising and news topic production, with Fabien Duflos, TV reporter at Canal+ Sports.
-production, animation and broadcasting of a studio show, with Frédéric Gaillard, Production Director for the Sports Department of France Télévisions, and Dominique Le Glou, sports show presenter for France Télévisions. -
- Mid-May 2010, MultiChoice South Africa handed over three fully resourced and networked multimedia school laboratories in KwaZulu-Natal to the Superintendent General- Dr R C Lubisi of the Provincial Department of Education. To date MultiChoice has installed 15 multimedia laboratories in 5 provinces, which includes Limpopo, Gauteng, North-West, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
- From 10 to 24 May 2010, CFI brought together a team of 10 cultural journalists from TV channels in Burkina Faso (RTB), Egypt (ETV), Senegal (RTS), the Philippines (ABS-CBN) and Armenia (ARMTV) to cover the 63rd edition of the Cannes Film Festival. For 14 days, these journalists produced 2-minute subjects for newscasts and cultural TV magazines on their respective channels.
regulation & policy
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According to a report from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches on 31 May 2010, concern is mounting for eight radio journalists and technicians detained in Madagascar last week. The eight work for Radio Fahazavana, a church-supported station in the nation's capital, Antananarivo. BBC reports that on Friday the group was formally charged with threatening state security. The radio station has been shut down and its equipment confiscated by government officials.
A statement issued by the president and the general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches condemns political actions in the country which are curtailing freedom of expression and threaten the welfare of Malagasy citizens.
"We support the prophetic voices seeking to bring justice and reconciliation in Madagascar today," say Clifton Kirkpatrick, President, and Setri Nyomi, General Secretary, in a message sent to churches in 107 countries. Radio Fahazavana is run by the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), a WARC member church.
"These journalists must be given full protection while under arrest and allowed a fair and free hearing," says Nyomi. In joining with WARC in expressing concern for the situation, Des van der Water, General Secretary of the Council for World Mission (CWM) writes: "We join with our friends from WARC in condemning this unfair and unjust action against the radio journalists. FJKM are a valued member of both WARC and CWM and we call for the immediate release of the journalists and a safe return to their families. Above all, we pray for a peaceful solution to this current round of violence and that a common sense of humanity will prevail for the welfare of all Madagascans."
On Friday, the head of the media office of Swiss Protestant churches and the general secretary of a Swiss church mission service delivered a letter to Madagascar's ambassador to Switzerland expressing surprise that the Radio Fahazavana journalists and technicians had been detained and charged with attempting to destabilize the government.
"We have worked with these journalists for a long time," says Michel Kocher, director of Médias-pro and Jacques Küng, general secretary of DM-Echange et Mission in their letter. "We have offered several months of training including a course in media ethics."
Kocher and Küng ask the ambassador to transmit to Malagasy authorities their call for respect for freedom of expression in Madagascar. "We are convinced that no government gains credibility by attacking freedom of the press," they write.
The arrests come at a time when tensions are running high in Madagascar. On 20 May, Ranaivo Rivoarison, a pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM) was shot by government forces. He died from his wounds later in hospital. Several pastors from the church have reportedly gone into hiding.
Reports say the eight detainees are journalists Josiane Ranaivo, Solomon Ratsimba, Jaona Olivier, Tiburce Soavinarivo, Philémon Raveloarison, Tiana Maharavo and technicians Andry Randrianasolo and Tsivoho Rakotoson.
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On 31th. May 2010, MultiChoice reported that Sam Rogers, from South Africa, has been awarded the top prize at this year’s CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 Awards Ceremony.
Sam Rogers, Executive Producer of Factuals – Crime and Investigation Unit, e.tv, won for her story ‘Curse of the Nobody People’, which was chosen from among 2074 entries from 40 nations across the African continent. ‘Curse of the Nobody People’ features on the discrimination and sometimes shocking fate of albinos in Tanzania.
This is the second time that Sam Rogers has now won this highly coveted African journalism award, who was also this year's category winner for the Television Features Award for her heartwrenching story about people with albinism in Tanzania who are hunted and killed and their body parts sold to witch doctors. Sam Rogers won as CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year in 2001 together with Jacques Pauw.Sam Rogers was one of 27 finalists at the Awards ceremony and was a winner in the category ‘Television Features Award’. The Awards, which rotate location each year in tribute to their pan-African credentials, were held at an Awards Ceremony and Gala Evening in Kampala, Uganda on Saturday 29th May 2010.
His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; Collins Khumalo, President, MultiChoice Africa and Parisa Khosravi, Senior Vice President of international newsgathering for CNN Worldwide presented Sam Rogers with the Award.
The evening also recognised Mustafa Haji Abdinur as this year’s recipient of the Free Press Africa Award, for his work in Somalia including the ‘Peace Journalism’ initiative which he launched with the help of fellow Somali journalists. The Award is also in recognition of all the journalists in Somalia who have put their lives at risk in telling the story. There are nine journalists who died during 2009 whilst fulfilling their professional duties:
Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir Hasan, freelance
Mohamed Amin Adan Abdulle, Radio Shabelle
Hassan Zubeyr Haji Hassan, Al-Arabiya
Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf, Radio IQK
Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Radio Shabelle
Nur Muse Hussein, Radio IQK
Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame, Radio Shabelle
Said Tahlil Ahmed, HornAfrik
Hassan Mayow Hassan, Radio ShabelleThe awards ceremony will be broadcast on the eNews Channel (DStv 403) on July 12.
The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng (formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., CNN’s parent company) and the late Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa.
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- South Africa’s Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba plans to submit regulations banning pornography on the internet and cellphones to the Law Reform Commission, together with other recommendations aimed at preventing access to pornography.
technology & convergence
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A recent event has highlighted that migration from analogue to digital TV broadcasting by 2015 as set by ITU will not be easy for East African countries.
Officials from the East African Community partner states say there are many challenges ahead, especially in meeting certain conditions set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).Burundi, for instance, is yet to start the migration. The other four states — Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania — have made significant strides.The International Telecommunications Union wants all countries to have migrated to digital broadcasting by 2015.
Some countries, particularly in Africa, want a five-year extension for the VHF band (174-230 MHz).However, experts have again highlighted benefits of switching to digital.Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Information and Communication, says the switch to digital will create new distribution networks and expand the region’s potential for wireless innovation and services.
“The digital dividend accruing from efficiencies in spectrum usage will allow more channels to be carried across fewer airwaves, leading to greater convergence of services,” he said.Technical experts say the migration will support mobile reception of video, Internet and multimedia data.This will make applications, services and information accessible and usable anywhere, any time. Digital broadcasts will also open the door to new innovations such as handheld mobile TV broadcast (DVB-H), along with high-definition television (HDTV).It will also provide greater bandwidth to existing mobile, fixed and radio navigation services.
A few days ago in Angola, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technologies, José da Rocha, said in Luanda that the transition of the analogical television to the digital one will allow a major interaction between content producers and viewers.
Officials said that regulators from EAC partner states, under the umbrella East African Communication Organisation, have agreed that the local deadline for digital migration should be set at 2012.
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As Mobile TV services are being launched in countries all over the world, récent Mobile TV audience research showed that this new media works for important not-to-be-missed events.
On purpose, ICASA issued a licence bid in South Africa, just in time for FIFA World Cup 2010. However, ICASA announced on Friday, 21 May 2010 that commercial broadcaster e.tv is the only contender for South Africa’s first mobile TV licence.
By the deadline of 7 May 2010, ICASA had received the following applications:
• Mobile TV Consortium
• Super 5 Media Pty Ltd
• Multichoice Africa
• e.tv
The following conclusions were raised:
Mobile TV Consortium is disqualified on the basis that they do not hold any broadcasting service licence Super 5 Media Pty Ltd is disqualified as they failed to submit the required number of copies that are permanently bound. Multichoice Africa is disqualified for late submission of the application. e.tv's application is acceptedThe licence to broadcast TV on cellphones has been awarded to e.tv, as it complied with the preliminary requirements. However, the Authority will continue with the next step as prescribed in the Invitation to apply (ITA) and will also make a determination on the licensing of the remaining capacity in the first Mobile TV multiplex.
It should be reminded that the number of people accessing the Web on mobile phones in South Africa is currently under 4 million. Only 1% of the market has accessed mobile TV and only 1% intends to do so.
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- There are rumours that Dstv 173 has been left open for another high definition (HD) channel on DStv. That channel is marked for another future HD channel.
events
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*11 June – 11 July 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup
Venue: South Africa
More at http://www.fifa.com*16-27 June 2010
2010 Edinburgh International Film Festival
Venue: Edinburgh, Scotland.The Festival is internationally regarded as a focus for discovery, a celebration of cinema, a centre of debate and a catalyst for new films. EIFF is committed to screening high quality new short and feature film and video work in all genres from around the world.
Please note all submitted films should be no more than 12 months old by June 2010 and EIFF requires at least UK premiere status.
click for details (http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/)
* 2X? June 2010 (date tba)
TMT Finance Investment Africa Conference 2010
Venue: London.
Strategic leadership and financing of the communications industry in Africa.
click for details: http://www.tmtfinance.com/africa/* 24-30 June 2010
Africa on Screen Festival
venue: South Africa, JohannesburgAfrica on Screen, the annual African Film Festival, is calling for entries from Africans for the 2010 edition of the festival to be held on 24-30 June.
http://www.filmcontact.com/south-africa/events/africa-screen-festival
*5-7 July 2010
Highway Africa
venue: Rhodes Uni., Grahamstown, S.A.click for details: http://www.highwayafrica.com/
*11-28 July 2010
RWANDA FILM FESTIVAL
venue: Kigali, Rwandaclick for details: http://www.africultures.com/php/index.php?nav=murmure&no=5472
*10-18 July 2010
ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL (ZIFF)
venue: Tanzaniahttp://www.ziff.or.tz/
*2-3 August 2010
The Internet Show Africa
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre - Johannesburg, SA.There are four seminar theatres themed around the following: Digital advertising and marketing, Web 2.0 and social networking, e-commerce and payments, Content management and streaming.
click for details (http://www.terrapinn.com/2010/africa/)
*12 - 29 August 2010
12th ENCOUNTERS - SOUTH AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL 2010ENCOUNTERS, the annual South African International Documentary Festival - 12th edition of the festival, will show a selection of documentary films from around the world, with a particular focus on South African work.
click for details (http://www.encounters.co.za/)
* 27 September to 29 September 2010
Sacomm conference
University of Johannesburg - Johannesburg, South AfricaThis year, in co-operation with the North-South-South Exchange Programme, SACOMM’s Focus Group on Film will present an intensive short course in Ecological Broadcasting.
Contact details: Professor Nathalie Hyde-Clark at nhyde-clarke@uj.ac.za and
Ayesha Lodewyk at ayesha@afda.co.za* 4-8 October 2010
MIPCOM
Venue: Cannes, France
MIPCOM, the premier global TV programming market event.
Early rate registration until the 22th. July 2010.
SA agent: Screen Africa
Tel: +27(01)11 719 4380
http://www.mipworld.com/mipcom/* 21 October to 5 November 2010
Africa in Motion (AiM) Film Festival 2010
Venue: Africa in Motion 2010 will take place at Filmhouse Cinema and other venues in Edinburgh, Scotland.UK's largest annual African film festival.
This year, much longer than the usual ten days of festivities because it is the festival’s fifth birthday!Organisers will not only screen the best films they have come across over the past year, but also organise lots of complementary events across Edinburgh, with each day of the festival dedicated to a different theme, including: independence, dance, music, fashion and design, children, poetry, sport, and the environment.
To watch trailers, clips, interviews, shorts and documentaries from the festival, check out the AiM TV channel: http://www.africa-in-motion.ethical.tv/
Click for further details:
http://www.africa-in-motion.org.uk/shortfilmcomp/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Africa-in-Motion-AiM-film-festival/1414116...
or at:
www.africa-in-motion.tv
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AiMfilmfest
Contact: info@africa-in-motion.org.uk* 2-3 November 2010
IPTV MEA Forum 2010
Venue: Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai.*6-14 Nov. 2010
Lumières d'Afrique
Venue: Besançon, France.African film festival.
click for details (http://www.lumieresdafrique.com)
*27-28 Nov. 2010
African Film in the Digital EraCONFERENCE: Filming Against the Odds; A Major 2 day Conference on African Cinema, jointly organised by the London African Film Festival and the Africa Media Centre University of Westminster Africa Media Centre (AMC) and in association with the Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) and Communication Research in Arts and Media (CREAM). Details and call for papers will follow shortly at http://www.africaatthepictures.co.uk/london-african-film-festival/index.php
enquiries : keithshiri@gmail.com
* 29 Nov – 1 Dec, 2010
3rd Dubai International Character & Licensing Fair
Venue: Hall 3, 4 & 5 of Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre - Dubai, UAE.The first and only dedicated trade event in the Middle East for production, marketing and licensing of cartoon characters, animation, logos, films, brands, arts & designs.
* 30 Nov. - 9 Dec. 2010
Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF)
Venue: Cairo, Egypt
CIFF is the oldest festival in the Middle East and has been an inspiration to several other budding festivals.* 22nd - 24th March 2011
IPTV World Forum 2011
Venue: Olympia, London UK* 30 Nov. - 9 Dec. 2010
Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de Ouagadougou (FESPACO)
In Engl. Panafrican Film and Television Festival of OuagadougouFounded in 1969 in Ouagadougou to promote African audiovisual productions, the festival was founded by film fans and became an institution by governmental decree on January 7th, 1972. It is a large bi-annual event starting the last Saturday of February every odd year and gathering about 12 000 attendees.
Activities:
-projections and awards, events management, promotion, foundation, projection room and HQ set up
-content market - in Fr. "Marché International du Cinéma et de la télévision Africains" (MICA).
-grants for African audiovisuel projets (16mm, 35mm, TV et vidéo)
-african Cinématheque: film archives and mobile cinema
-Publications on African Cinema, newsletters
Partners include OIF, Pnud, Unesco, Unicef, Union Européenne, Africalia, Prince Claus Fund, Stichting Doen, etc.
people
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- Allied Technologies (Altech) subsidiary UEC has appointed Peter Balchin as its new CEO. Balchin will take over the business as the company prepares to begin the manufacturing of SA's new TV decoders needed for the digital migration process.
According to Altech, Balchin has extensive industry experience, having worked at Pace Networks, Novatel Wireless and Nortel Networks, in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.The Board of South Africa’s public broadcaster has resolved that the appointment of the Group Executive News & Current Affairs, Phil Molefe is null and void and has no legal effect. In a special Board meeting held on May 22nd, attended by 10 out of its 12 non-executive directors, the Board heard legal opinion that the appointment was not lawful because it had not been made by the Board in a manner required by the SABC's Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Articles of Association and Delegation of Authority Framework states that appointments at a Group Executive level must be made by the Board. This is couched in mandatory terms.
Veteran Kenya broadcaster Tony Msalame passed away on May 28 after a short illness. Msalame will be remembered for his popular show, sheki legi (shake your leg) that aired at Metro FM on weekends. This sad piece of news comes a week after another long time journalist and former Kenya Broadcasting Corporation's (KBC) board of directors chairman James Kangwana passed on May 25 Nairobi.
opportunities
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Call for Documentaries
The organisers of ENCOUNTERS, the annual South African International Documentary Festival, are calling for entries from South African and International filmmakers for 2010 the 12th edition of the festival.
ENCOUNTERS will show a selection of documentary films from around the world, with a particular focus on South African work.
Filmmakers must guarantee, should their film be selected, that permission from the rights holder are secured for a minimum of six screenings at this Festival.
The deadline for submissions is 31st March 2010Encounters is the only South African distributor dedicated to distributing documentaries to the South African public. Encounters promote and sell films to television, through DVDs and in cinemas.
For additional information feel free to contact Nazeer Ahmed at distribution@encounters.co.zaDownload 2010 entry form at http://www.encounters.co.za/
Call for fiction or documentary
The ACP Secretariat and its ACPFilms Programme have the pleasure to inform you that within the context of its edition 2010, the International Film Festival of Africa and Islands (FIFAI) has launched a call for proposals for films: fiction or documentary film.
The registration form can be downloaded at http://www.festivalfilmafriqueiles.fr
Deadline for registration: 10 June 2
Call to advertise the London Premiere of the new and ground-breaking Nollywood film – ‘The Fake Prophet’.Stepping Stones Nigeria (SSN), a UK-based grassroots charity dedicated to supporting the rights of vulnerable and exploited children is calling media to promote their project on the so-called child ‘witches’ and ‘wizards’ of the Niger Delta.
The charity has been working in partnership with local community organisations to delivers education, refuge, healthcare and hope for a brighter future to over 2000 Nigerian children.SSN has recently collaborated with the renowned film director, Teco Benson, to produce a new and innovative Nollywood film: The Fake Prophet. This film powerfully encapsulates major social and political issues that affect Nigerian society today such as: the dangers faced by children following witchcraft accusations; the fraudulent activities of some Pastors who make money by accusing children of being witches; child trafficking, and the vulnerability of street children.
The film will stimulate debate about the importance of child rights in Nigeria, and will help to put an end to the horrific abuse facing thousands of innocent children accused of witchcraft.SSN is holding the London premiere of ‘The Fake Prophet’ on the 24th of July 2010 in the Amnesty International Action Centre, and would be delighted if reputable media would advertise this event in their upcoming programmes.
