Issue no 12 beginning(3 September 2007
Top Story
Africa: The race to liberalise broadcast markets is just beginning
The 1990s saw the phenomenal growth of the mobile sector in Africa turning millions of people into the proud owners of a phone. This growth was made possible by opening Africa's telecoms market to new investment and competition, lowering prices and increasing choice. Broadcasting is about to go through the same cycle only twenty years later, writes Russell Southwood, and Africa's broadcast industry may see the same kind of growth. This issue of African Broadcast, Film and Convergence sees new pay-TV entrant GTV going into more countries and a third entrant announcing its presence in the Ugandan market. Cameroon has…
Content
Nigeria: Iredia Wants Community Broadcasting
Director-General, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Dr Tonnie Iredia, last week canvassed for the establishment of community-based broadcasting stations, to bring the nation's ethnic communities into focus and government nearer to…
Content
Ghana: Don't sell off GBC - Dr Atuguba
Dr. Raymond Atuguba, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana said last Thursday that to sell the national broadcaster GBC was to sell the potential voices of the Ghanaian and…
Content
Namibia: New TV Channel On the Cards
Africa's latest pay-TV channel, GTV has applied to the Namibian Communications Commission for a licence to open operations. GTV is currently rolling out a more affordable pay-TV service across Africa,…
Content
Nigeria: FCTA to Establish TV Station in Abuja
A committee has been set up by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to undertake a feasibility study that would lead to the establishment of a television station in Abuja.…
Content
Nigeria: Confluence Cable Station Excites Kogi Residents
As the stage is set for the commissioning of Kogi State's first private broadcasting station, Confluence Cable Network, residents of Lokoja and environs have continued to express excitement. The Senate…
Content
Uganda: GTV Struggles to Satisfy Demand, As Premier League Kicks Off
Overwhelming demand for the English Premier League games on pay television has left hundreds of customer queuing up at Gateway Television Broadcasting offices. Since August 12, GTV offices have been…
Content
Botswana: GTV Hits the Market
New kid on the block, GTV held their consumer launch at the Fashion Lounge in Phakalane in Botswana, bringing competition and lower prices to the pay television market. GTV is…
Distribution
Africa: Multichoice Africa boosts capacity leases
The leading pay-TV operator in sub-Saharan African, MultiChoice Africa, has boosted its capacity leases with Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) to support further expansion of its pay television and Internet…
Technology & Convergence
Cameroon: Guy Manu launches Internet television channel
According to its promoters at its launch in Stains in France last Thursday, LCA1 TV will be "a gateway into and out of the continent." The launch took place in…
Technology & Convergence
Nigeria: Digital switchover date set for 2012
The Federal government has said that come 2012, all analog transmission across the country will be switched off in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Speaking yesterday at the…
Technology & Convergence
Nigeria: DSTV Mobile Debuts in Nigeria
Nigeria attained another technological height yesterday, with the launch of Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) by Details Nigeria Ltd, one of the licenced pioneers of Multi-point Multi-channel Distribution Services (MMDS) in…
Regulation & Policy
Congo: Private TV Station Shut Down - Several Journalists Questioned Following Broadcast of Interview With Rebel Leader
A weekend of media repression in Kinshasa has resulted in at least four journalists being questioned for several hours by the intelligence services, the closing of a private TV station,…
Regulation & Policy
Niger: Government Bans Live Broadcasts On Tuareg Rebellion
Niger's state-run High Council on Communications has banned the broadcast of live debates on an armed rebellion of nomadic Tuaregs in the north of the uranium-rich West African nation, according…
Investment
Uganda: Third Pay-TV player Enters Market
"We have just opened our doors to the public. We are trying to get customers to have a feel of our services and get their responses on the product before…