Issue no. 130 23 May 2012
Top Story
Broadcast, Film and Music Africa: Stronger partnerships needed between broadcasters and telcos to stay competitive
Broadcast, Film and Music Africa, an international event (conference and exhibition) will take place on 10-11 July 2012 at the Oshwal Centre Westlands, Nairobi, in Kenya. An estimated 400 delegates are expected this year including some top audiovisual experts and speakers. The filmmakers’ pavilion provides selected African artists with the opportunity to pitch film projects to leading broadcasters and financiers. The event also facilitates networking opportunities in order for African and international players to form alliances (for triple play, content creating and distribution, mobile apps, etc.) and co-productions. Balancing Act’s Broadcast Analyst Sylvain Béletre talks to Sean Moroney, Chairman of AITEC…
Broadcast
Ghana: GBC URA Radio stations asks to retain locally generated cash
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) URA Radio in Bolgatanga, on Saturday, climaxed its months-long 25th Anniversary celebrations with a suggestion to the board and management of GBC to allow the…
Broadcast
Nigeria: NIGCOMSAT-1R Launched
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited, Timasaniyu Ahmed- Rufai, spoke to Amaka Eze, on several issues affecting the information technology industry in Nigeria, global communications…
Broadcast
Q1 2012: SES Continues on Its Growth Track (capacity in Africa)
During the quarter, SES successfully launched the SES-4 satellite, the 50th satellite in the fleet. Brought into service in mid-April, the satellite -- which is the largest and most powerful…
Broadcast
Ghana: Yakubu Moro Threatens Metro TV
President and owner of Glo premier league side Berekum Arsenals Alhaji Yakubu Moro has warned Premier League Broadcast holders Metro TV not to telecast his club's next home game on…
Broadcast
Broadcast News - In Brief
- J Cole Peformance Big Brother Africa StarGame Africa's Top Reality TV Show:
Content
Tanzania: Zuku Announces USD 1 Million Sponsorship of ZIFF
East African pay-TV broadcaster Zuku has announced its headline event sponsorship of the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) for a period of ten years from 2012 to 2022, with a…
Content
Zuku invites the Loerie Awards
Zuku, East Africa invited The Loerie Awards to launch a new award’s category for East Africa in Nairobi for the advertising and brand communication industry.“We are very excited to partner…
Content
Africa's Mobile operators turn to local content to boost internet usage
As the mobile voice market reaches maturity, companies in the region are focusing their strategies on the provision of data services With more than 500 million subscribers across the continent…
Content
“Inside Story” to be screened in more locations across Africa
On a dusty soccer pitch in Malindi, Kenya young Kalu (Kevin Ndege Mamboleo) is an aggressive striker of the “Malindi Sharks,” who dreams of playing professional soccer. He’s a selfish…
Content
Content - In Brief
- South Africa is set to have its strongest representation yet at this year's Cannes Film Festival, with 130 of the country's filmmakers registered for the event, and the National…
Distribution
Zuku to carry Hindi comedy
East African triple-play provider Zuku is adding a Sony India-owned Hindi comedy channel to its line-up. SAB TV, which airs Hindi comedy shows aimed at a family audience, will be…
Distribution
Convergence and the challenge of infrastructure
Around the world, convergence is driving a new pattern of consumer demand, causing major communications platforms that were once separate to overlap. Experts say for Nigeria to reap the benefits…
Distribution
Trace Sports on DStv
New Trace Sports channel started on 17 April 2012 on MultiChoice's DStv platform for DStv Premium subscribers. The channel, offered by the Trace Group whose Trace Urban music channel is…
Distribution
A24 Media and NBS News in India partner on content
A24 Media, producer of the long-running pan-African news magazine programme, Africa Journal, has entered into a new partnership with NBS News in India.An A24 statement reads: "This will bring the…
Distribution
Distribution News - In Brief
- A new feature film entitled "Harare" by film producer Lloyd Chikwama will premiere on the streets of Harare in a two weeks' time. The movie seeks to instill hope…
Technology & Convergence
Kenya: Why The Nation Is Enthusiastic About the Shift From Analogue to Digital TV
This year, Kenya will migrate its four million analogue TV viewers to the digital platform. The switch over is the culmination of a journey that started in 2006, during the…
Technology & Convergence
Super high speed internet access available from June 2012 to support multiplay
Sunday Guest at TVT, the CEO of Togo Telecom has given details of the arrival, as expected by users, of the very high speed internet access. It is due in…
Technology & Convergence
Zimbabwe: Generate Your Own Power (for TV)
The sun provides a huge amount of energy and this energy is fully renewable, free and available for 6 to 8 hours per day on average. In Zimbabwe we have…
Technology & Convergence
Eutelsat at Satcom Africa: new resources and services to boost broadcast and data markets across Africa
Eutelsat at Satcom Africa: new resources and services to boost broadcast and data markets across Africa21-24 May 2012, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa, Stand 26Closing the infrastructure gap in…
Technology & Convergence
Technology & Convergence News - In Brief
- A new building housing the television studio of the Department of Mass Communication, Crescent University, Abeokuta, has been completed. A statement from the department said the studio would take…
Regulation & Policy
Zuku drags Bukedde TV to court over contract
The growth in the television industry registered in the last five years has seen players battle to have a share of the increasingly lucrative market. Wananchi alleges that the contract…
Regulation & Policy
Tunisia: Judicial Confusion Puts Press Freedom in Peril
Reporters Without Borders calls on the Tunisian authorities to respond to the current lack of judicial clarity, which presents a serious danger to freedom of the press and freedom of…
Regulation & Policy
Ghana govt helps film, TV institute go digital
Ghana’s government will give the National Film and TV Institute support to enable it to restructure and go digital.Speaking in Accra at a NAFTI graduation ceremony, Fritz Baffour, Minister of…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy News - In Brief
- On 15 May 2012, Reporters Without Borders condemned the raid carried out by the Egyptian police two days before on the Iranian Arabic-language satellite TV station Al-Alam.- A broadcasting…
Investment
Africa’s Richest Woman Buys Portuguese Pay-Tv Company
Africa’s richest woman Isabel dos Santos has bought a further 5 per cent of Portugal’s leading pay-TV and Internet provider Zon Multimedia from Spain’s Telefonica. The acquisition makes Dos Santos, the…
Investment
Meet Today’s Ethiopian Consumer – TV Radio most popular
Ethiopia follows Nigeria as the second most populous nation in Africa, with 83 million people and two major ethnic groups that account for close to 60 percent of the population.…
Investment
Namibia: NBC Moots Another Turn-Around
In Windhoek, National public broadcaster, NBC, is mooting drastic changes that are bound to ruffle feathers within the market of commercial radio broadcasting and related services, in its quest to…
Investment
Investment News - In Brief
- Hollywood, Bollywood and now Nollywood, the Stream looks at Nigeria’s booming film industry. Watch the video here: - Community TV stations have turned the corner. Not only are they…
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People
Kevin Spacey: kudos to SA filmHollywood actor Kevin Spacey jetted into Johannesburg, South Africa at the weekend for the Jameson First Shot movie premiere. The campaign was a partnership between…
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Opportunities
Having trouble sourcing African audiovisual content?In July, attend ZIFF, Zanzibar and ‘Broadcast, Film and Music Africa’ in NairobiIf you are at Ziff this year, take the opportunity to also visit…