Issue no. 167 7 November 2013
Top Story
The rise of VoD platforms in Africa – rumours abound of major announcements
This week Balancing Act is publishing a report on VoD platforms related to Africa. Operators need to understand that all the evidence points to VoD platforms meeting a need that up until this point has been met by pirated DVDs. Rumours abound that two large operators will announce VoD services at AfricaCom next week. Russell Southwood looks at how things are changing now that high speed bandwidth is increasingly available in African countries.Two conversations have stuck in my mind this week as I finished editing VoD in Africa - A review of existing VoD services, their challenges and opportunities in 2013:1.…
Broadcast
mcel launches DStv Mobile in Mozambique!
mcel in collaboration with DStv Mobile the mobile television arm of pay TV provider MultiChoice, announced today the launch of an exciting new 3G live television streaming service exclusive to…
Broadcast
Zuku secured a deal with Seychelles cable platform Intelvision
Zuku, the Wananchi Group’s triple play and pay-tv business, announced that it has secured a deal with Seychelles cable platform Intelvision for carriage of its Zuku channels, taking them outside…
Broadcast
SatLink chosen as global TV distribution partner for i24News incl. Africa
SatLink Communications Ltd., a teleport, Content Management & HD Playout Centre, has today announced that SatLink has been selected by i24 News for the global distribution of its three international…
Broadcast
Gospel Music TV shortlisted for the music prize at this year's Eutelsat TV Awards
Music channels have transformed our relationship with performers, musical trends and music culture. Passion and innovative curating by thematic TV channels have taken us way beyond mainstream music, created a…
Broadcast
Azam TV to launch in Africa via EUTELSAT 7A on 29 November 2013
Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) and Azam Media Ltd. today announced the signature of a long-term contract for capacity on the EUTELSAT 7A satellite. Azam Media will use 108…
Broadcast
Broadcast - In brief
- PayTV promotion: In Kenya, Zuku TV has reduced the price of Zuku Satellite TV from Kes 8500 to Kes 5600. With the new installation price you get 3 months…
Content
The African Film Festival of Cordoba reaches 13,000 spectators
The African Film Festival of Cordoba-FCAT has reached 13,000 spectators in its tenth edition, celebrated from the 11th to the 19th of October. In its second year at Cordoba, after…
Content
FranceTV distribution to attend DISCOP Africa
FranceTV distribution will be attending DISCOP AFRICA for the first time this November 2013. Chairman and CEO Yann Chapellon, along with Sales Executive Mathurin Beauvert, from the International Distribution department,…
Content
AV distribution and restoration: Ultra Distributors at Discop Africa
Ultra Distributors, India is a 30 year forward looking complete entertainment company and a one-stop shop for broadcasters, Distributors, Content Aggregators and Production Companies. Its catalogue has over 2000 titles…
Content
Tour du Faso on TV5MONDE
From Friday 25 October to Sunday, 3 November 2013, hundreds of cyclers from Africa and Europe competed for the 10 steps to cover 1240 kms under the Sahelian sun.TV5MONDE relayed…
Content
Côte Ouest moves into production
CÔTE OUEST AUDIOVISUEL is a privately owned, independent film and television distribution company, widely recognized as the leader in sales and distribution of audio-visual content for and from Africa and…
Content
Content - In brief
- The Samaritans is a comedy series centered on the absurdities of one dysfunctional NGO. The setting for The Samaritans is the Aid for Aid Kenya field office. Read the…
Distribution
Format: Universal to Remake South African Crime Movie 'iNumber Number'
Universal Pictures has optioned the remake rights to iNumber Number, a South African thriller written and directed by Donovan Marsh that premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Chris…
Distribution
Mandela doc travels to China, Brazil
Broadcasters in China, South Africa and Brazil have picked up an upcoming documentary about Nelson Mandela from UK satcaster BSkyB’s international distribution arm.Sky Vision pre-sold Mandela: The Struggle Is My…
Distribution
Comedy Central in sub-Saharan Africa
Viacom International Media Networks Africa’s Comedy Central is the only 24 hour comedy channel in sub-Saharan Africa.Launched less than two years ago via the DStv platform (Channel 122), Comedy Central…
Distribution
Africabox launches OTT offering
Channels from the Africabox network now offer all their programmes on the web, smartphones and tablets, either live or on demand, using a comprehensive integrated solution provided by TDF Media…
Distribution
DStv Mobile has introduced new channels to its mobile television offering
Much acclaimed local channel Mzansi Magic will be joining the DStv Mobile stable in replacement of Africa Magic Movies. The mobile version of the channel is largely the same as…
Distribution
Distribution - In brief
- Improvements in mobile data in Liberia spur radio station to do international online hook-up to promote local music. While Liberia is a regular host of fairly useless, high-minded meetings…
Investment
Locarno's Co-Production Lab Open Doors to Return to Sub-Sahara Africa in 2014
It's the second time in three years the lab will focus on Africa, this time turning to 25 countries not eligible in 2012.The Locarno Film Festival said Monday that its…
Investment
Big Break Legacy winners to be announced on Saturday
It’s the reality show with one of the biggest prizes on South African television. The Big Break Legacy is back on SABC2 from 17 August at 9pm and Season 2’s…
Investment
Google to lead the search for Africa’s next biggest app
With connectivity presenting so many problems in the continent, many Africans experience the internet primarily through their mobile devices, and from Price Check to GoMetro to Snapify, apps are literally…
Investment
Investment - In brief
- Global Eagle Entertainment, the media investment vehicle set up by industry veterans Harry Sloan and Jeff Sagansky, has acquired in-flight entertainment business IFE Services. The deal sees Global take…
Regulation & Policy
South Africa: Govt stalls on R2.4 billion set-top box project
Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan has said that while Cabinet approved R2.4 billion for the procurement of 5 million set top boxes, the project has been delayed.Minister of Finance Pravin…
Regulation & Policy
Egypt: The Shrinking Space of Fundamental Freedoms
FIDH is highly concerned about the increasingly shrinking space of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in Egypt. Over the past three months, and in particular after President Mohamed…
Regulation & Policy
Kenyan press, opposition criticise proposed harsh media law
Kenyan media and opposition politicians have criticised media rules proposed by the government, saying they would muzzle the press and stunt democracy in the country.Kenyan members of parliament late on…
Regulation & Policy
DTT in South Africa: SABC will not support conditional access
The South African Broadcasting Corporation has announced that it will not support conditional access of set-top boxes for its DTT service. The new service will provide television channels SABC 1,…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy - In brief
- Despite facing a lawsuit from two of its minority shareholders and not yet concluding a business rescue process, troubled pay-television operator On Digital Media (ODM) is pressing ahead with…
Technology & Convergence
MENA region: next-generation TV according to Endavo Media
Endavo Media provides an enterprise OTT video services platform for telcos, and global OTT syndication for content producers and broadcasters. Early next month Endavo’s president and CEO, Paul D Hamm…
Technology & Convergence
Africa monetizing opportunities of multiscreen entertainment
As the broadcast industry in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to evolve, so does AfricaCast. Reflecting the progressions in the industry the agenda has now grown to 3 days allowing for a…
Technology & Convergence
VoD adoption will grow across Africa
Sylvain Béletre, associate editor and senior research analyst at Balancing Act couldn’t be better qualified to comment on VoD in Africa. He just completed a market report on VoD and…
Technology & Convergence
Africa to lead bandwidth growth
By 2019, African countries combined will consume more than 17Tbit/s of bandwidth, but this will still be less than Canada.New research by TeleGeography shows Africa will lead the world in…
Technology & Convergence
Technology & Convergence - In brief
- For MultiChoice, it has become increasingly clear that the DStv Mobile and DStv Online businesses enjoy huge overlaps and should be integrated into one unit. These businesses will be…
More
Events
exact dates tba, Novembre 2013Film Africa 2013Venue: London, UK.The UK’s largest annual festival of African cinema and culture.For more information clcik here. exact dates tba, Novembre 2013Kenya International Film Festival…
More
People
Management changes in the South Africa PayTV business at MultiChoice MultiChoice South Africa CEO, Collins Khumalo, has decided to take “time out” after 17 years with the group. Collins has played…
More
Opportunities
African producers: Do you Want your Program aired by Zuku TV? Here is what you need.The Zuku brand reflects a new, fresh and innovative range of products and services targeting…
