Issue no 134 19 July 2012
Top Story
BFMA Wrap up: a much larger role for African producers and broadcasters in the future
With about 650 delegates this year, Broadcast Film and Music Africa conference took place last week at the Oshwal Centre, located in the Nairobi Central Business District, Kenya on 10-11 July 2012. Dr Ann Overbergh reports on who said what and future trends.Set up under the theme "Innovation, investment and partnerships for local content and service excellence", this event gathered some of the most respected experts in the African film and broadcast markets. In my own presentation, I mentioned that you can diversify into various types of audiovisual productions if you know who you are targeting. From the production houses I visited…
Broadcast
Kenya: Air Local Talent, Pay TV Firms Told
The Ministry of Information has told Pay TV service providers to increase the screening of local content and talent.The ministry said the service providers should lower their pricing after the…
Broadcast
RRsat’s MCPC Platforms increase DTH capacity over Sub-Saharan Africa
At the end of June 2012, RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. - a provider of comprehensive content management and global distribution services to the television and radio broadcasting industry -…
Broadcast
Ivory Coast: Final Report of the Working Group on the transition to digital TV
The Working Group on Digital comprising 20 members and set last December by the Ministers of Post, Technology and Communication, Bruno Koné, and Communication, Coty Diakite Suleiman, presented the final…
Broadcast
Ghana: Cine Afrik Commits 'Innocent Sin' to Viewers
From the stables of Sharp Brain Entertainment comes Innocent Sin, starring iconic Ghanaian actors/actresses John Dumelo, Nadia Buari, Frank Artus, Too Sweet, and Ingrid Alabi.Innocent Sin will leave you asking…
Broadcast
Broadcast News - In Brief
- In a major boost for the profile of Rugby across Africa, the Confédération Africaine de Rugby’s (CAR) showcase Africa Cup Division 1A tournament is being broadcast to an unprecedented…
Content
Namibia Film Week Begins
Making films can be a bit of a mission. This understatement holds doubly true if you happen to be a filmmaker in a fledgling industry like Namibia's, trying to tell…
Content
South Africa: EduC8 using cinemas to strengthens matric mathematics and science
EduC8, a partnership with 8ta, BHP Billiton, Primestars, the Department of Basic Education and Samsung, will again address any gaps that may exist in Grade 12 learners' studying and learning…
Content
Rwanda: Movie to Fight Drug Abuse Launched
A movie aimed at fighting against drug abuse, mostly among the youth- "Chora Chora", was launched on Sunday at Kigali Serena hotel. The 75-minute movie in Kinyarwanda was produced by…
Content
Ghana: Mfantsipim Holds First Pan-African Youth Festival
It was a great joy among students, traditional rulers, African-Americans, teaching and non-teaching staff of Mfantsipim School, when the school's Pan-African Youth Club organised a historic Pan-African Youth Festival on…
Content
Content News - In Brief
- Start of July 2012, the new Minister of Culture and Tourism, Youssou Ndour said that "Youtube can be a solution to fight against piracy" and called on artists, producers…
Distribution
African consumers 'underestimated' by Western firms
Frank Braeken is the executive vice president of Unilever in AfricaHe says African consumers have been underserviced by western firms A Nielsen report has identified seven types of African consumers;…
Distribution
Rwanda: Another Pay Television Network Enters Local Market
The recent launch of Canal+Afrique is set to tighten competition in the pay television market.Francoise Le Guennou-Remarck, the communication strategist of Canal+ Afrique, says they are introducing a new era…
Distribution
TV5MONDE strengthens its cable distribution in Kenya
TV5MONDE has signed a distribution agreement with Wananchi - a pay TV operator present in Kenya - allowing the francophone channel to be included in the basic package of "Zuku"…
Distribution
Distribution News - In Brief
- Youtube.sn was launched July 12, 2012 in Senegal. Tidjane Deme, head of Google Francophone Africa, said he was "extremely excited to launch version You Tube in Senegal," noting that…
Distribution
Distribution News - In Brief
- TV5MONDE confirmed its first position as an international channel in Kinshasa, as showed by the latest audience indicators delivered by the TNS Sofres - Africascope 2012 *.In the Congolese…
Technology & Convergence
You Tube opens the road to new online business models in Africa with video streaming
Video streaming will be the next big wave of online content use in Africa. There are still considerable network challenges but… The level of existing use shows that once these…
Technology & Convergence
South Africa’s First Ka-Band Satellite Launch To Signal New Era Of Connectivity
Exactly one month after South Africa received its first Ka-band satellite signal from space, Vox Telecom introduced their latest broadband satellite product to a packed auditorium in the V&A Waterfront,…
Technology & Convergence
Crowdfunding The Future For African Technology
Crowdfunding is the way forward for Africa technology start-ups who are having difficulty finding cash to get their businesses off the ground, according to Munya Chiura, Head of Africa Operations…
Technology & Convergence
Technology & Convergence News - In Brief
- ECS European Communication Services and OH TV today announced that they have joined forces to offer the African broadcast market joint solutions providing unprecedented broadcast and IPTV access to…
Regulation & Policy
Liberia: Gov't Takes media owner Musa Bility to Court for 'Tax Evasion'
The Government of Liberia (GOL) through the Tax Court has taken Liberian businessman and President of the Liberia Football Association, Musa Bility, to Court for alleged tax evasion.Musa Bility is…
Regulation & Policy
Sudan Returns Egyptian Journalist, After Bashir-Mursi Meeting
Sudan has returned an Egyptian journalist, Shaimaa Adel, to Cairo after she was detained on June 3 for covering the month-long protests against the regime and austerity measures to counteract…
Regulation & Policy
South Africa: Icasa Publishes the Revised Draft DTT Regulations for a Second Around of Public Consultation
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa hereby informs all interested stakeholders that the Authority has published a revised set of Draft Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) regulations for another round…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy News - In brief
- The International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU’s) annual Global Symposium for Regulators is set to meet in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 2-4 October 2012. African communication regulators will be there.- At…
Investment
South Africa: Nafcoc invests in Mobile TV
Organised black business group, the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc), has bought a 20% stake in Mobile TV, the television broadcasting start-up founded by Mothobi Mutloatse.Mobile…
Investment
African Web video service Iroko raises more funds, targets cable TV
Iroko Partners, an online distributor of African movies and music, has raised another $2 million in its latest round of funding from a Swedish venture capital group as it seeks…
Investment
Highest quality of satellite transmissions for the London 2012 Olympic Games, including broadcast to Africa
Final preparations underway for implementation of Carrier ID to assure quality of satellite TV servicesSignificant strides forward have been made since the announcement at IBC in September 2011 of the…
Investment
Investment News - In Brief
- A joint venture between local and Indian investors, Bharat Telecom Ltd has set itself the ambitious target of investing US$50 million to connect every home and office in Mauritius…
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People
Kenya’s top five media moguls Kenya’s media industry has witnessed exponential growth in recent years with the creation of more newspapers, magazines, radio stations and TV channels. Although many Kenyans…
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Opportunities
Dubai International Film Festival awards open to AfricansDeadline: 3ist August 2012Filmmakers from Asia, Africa and the Arab world, whose subjects are related to their regions, can participate in this competition.With…
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Events
20 -23 July, 2012 The Durban FilmMart 2012venue: Durban, South AfricaS.A.'s longest-running film festival, the Durban International Film Twelve fiction projects and 12 documentary projects have been selected for this…
