Issue no. 117 - 8 November 2011
Top Story
Diasporas represent big opportunity for African TV broadcasters and film-makers
The African diaspora is one of the keys to changing the financial circumstances of both African TV and film. It represents a niche audience that will pay hard currency for content from “back home” and diaspora content often leaks out into the host society. Witness the trajectory of reggae and Bollywood out of diaspora communities. Sylvain Beletre looks at the scale and potential of this opportunity and gets insights from to Pierre Gaillardon, Director of Audience Studies at Qualiquanti in Paris.There are two African diasporas; the first one are those Africans who were taken to be slaves at the beginning…
Broadcast
Zambia: ZNBC lacks modern broadcast equipment
Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) director general, Joe Chilaizya has called for calm among Kabwe residents who this week demanded an explanation from the institution for not receiving the television…
Broadcast
Uganda: Power FM curving out a niche in broadcast business
For a church owned Christian station, one would expect regular preaching and saving of souls to be part of the growth agenda. Not so for Power FM, a Watoto Church…
Broadcast
TV Africa (Ghana) wins ‘Best West Africa TV’ at 2011 ZAFAA
Ghanaian TV station, TV Africa won the nod for Best West Africa TV at the 4th annual Zulu Africa Films and Academy Awards (ZAFAA) held at the Troxy Hall in…
Broadcast
Zimbabwe: AB Communications seeks radio broadcasting licence
AB Communications gave oral evidence at a public hearing supporting its application for a free-to-air national radio broadcasting licence. One of the company's directors, Supa Mandiwanzira, said their intention was…
Broadcast
Broadcast - In Brief
- Middle Eastern broadcaster MBC Group is to launch a raft of high definition channels across the Middle East and North Africa.- On 22 October 2011, at about 8.00 p.m.…
Content
South Africa: ‘Play Your Part’ to contribute to positive change in the country
A new 13-part television series promoting Brand South Africa's Play Your Part campaign, featuring inspirational stories of ordinary citizens working for the betterment of their communities, starts broadcasting on SABC…
Content
Zambia: Precious R4 Million Winner Collapses in Disbelief on reality show Ready for Marriage
Intrigue, suspense, drama and above all pretence rocked the 16 week long reality television programme Ready for Marriage on Zambia's largest privately owned station Muvi TV and its sister channel…
Content
Zimbabwe: Minister says at launch of "The Gentleman” that Zimbabwean film industry has potential if funded properly
Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu last week said the country's film sector had the potential to grow if it was properly funded.In his address at the launch of…
Content
Africa’s Next Top Filmmaker 2011
Curious Pictures and General Post were proud to announce the winners of South Africa’s Next Top Filmmaker 2011. Congratulations to Sbu Zuma and Sihle Ngcamu for “What’s In A Name”…
Content
Content - In Brief
- A new five-part documentary series follows five internationally renowned photographers as they explore the islands around Africa - Zanzibar, Mauritius, Madagascar, Sao Tomé & Príncipe and Cape Verde. The…
Distribution
TopTV moves into selling its airtime
In Johannesburg, Satellite TV offering, TopTV, launched in May 2010 as a rival to MultiChoice's DStv, has started offering airtime sales on some of its channels for the first time.…
Distribution
Zimbabwe now has over 3 million satellite TV dishes
State controlled Zimbabwe Television Corporation (ZBC) is being shunned by over 60% of the television owning public in the troubled southern African nation, who are instead predominantly watching free to…
Distribution
Distribution - In Brief
- On 11.03.2011 the National Hockey League (NHL, USA) announced the addition of nine broadcast partners that will provide live game coverage of the NHL in countries across Europe, the…
Distribution
IPTV News speaks to Christopher Limmer
IPTV News spoke to Christoph Limmer, senior director for Africa at SES. Issues: “… Looking at pay-TV operators, the biggest challenge is the existing distribution network infrastructure. The number of…
Investment
URTI considerably increased programme exchanges and awarded USD 15,000 to its “international grand prix” winner
The International Radio and Television Union (URTI) kept its 63rd general Assembly in Paris, this Friday October 21 2011, at the invitation of ‘France Télévisions’.This event gathered 51 international radio…
Investment
MENA: Pay TV subscribers to top 10 million in 2012
Record numbers of households across the Middle East and Africa are signing up for pay TV, according to new research from Informa Telecoms & Media.In 2000 there were just over…
Investment
Investment - In Brief
- Africa 7 Television started its broadcasts in October 2011, after three months of investments and testing. The Senegalese media space has enriched its TV content with a seventh channel…
Investment
Nigeria now is a market of 167 million people
Nigeria now is a market of 167 million people. This is what Chairman, National Population Commission, Samu'ila Danko Makama, had last week disclosed that the country's population rose from the…
Regulation & Policy
Congo-Kinshasa: Opposition TV Station evicted from Headquarters
Journalist in danger (‘Journaliste en danger’ – JED in French) is disappointed by the news of the eviction of Congo Média Channel Télévision (CMC TV), a station close to the…
Regulation & Policy
Liberia: Waja condemns attacks on media (Love FM)
The West African Journalists Association (WAJA) has joined its affiliate the Press Union of Liberia(PUL) in condemning the arson attack on Love FM, and the intimidation and threats against journalists.…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy - In Brief
- In South Africa, pay-TV broadcasters MultiChoice, owner of DStv, and On Digital Media (ODM), which owns TopTV, have signalled their intention to fight a proposal by the National Consumer…
Technology & Convergence
Discovery Networks: “biggest challenge for IPTV in the MEA region is bandwidth”
We speak to Kasia Kieli, executive vice president and managing director for Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (CEEMEA).Q: What major developments have you witnessed in…
Technology & Convergence
DStv Mobile unveils the Walka Handheld TV
Another innovative product is about to be released by DStv Mobile. The Walka Handheld TV is a slim, lightweight device with a 3.5” viewing screen providing digital visual and audio…
Technology & Convergence
Technology & Convergence - In Brief
- In Eritrea, the Ministry of Information has introduced new instruments of high definition, namely LAN Linear Editing, according to Eng. Daniel Kiflom, Head of the Ministry's Technical Unit in…
More
People
75th Birthday Anniversary of Prof Alfred Opubor, first Nigerian professor of Mass CommunicationThe Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; the Institute for Media and Society (IMS),…
More
People - In Brief
Christina Scott, best known for the role she playing in transforming science journalism in South Africa, has been killed in an accident involving a car, apparently while teaching a friend…
More
Opportunities
South Africa / Hollywood Exchange (Los Angeles)South Africa / Hollywood Exchange, in association with Metal Moon will take place on 7 – 11 November 2011, Los Angeles, USA.Fall 2011 brings…
