Issue no. 185 14 August 2014
Top Story
US and Nigerian-backed Aflix VoD service launches with major international content at an affordable price
Because international rights holders have held out for what seem like impossible minimum guarantees, African VoD platforms have tended to focus on local content. The pendulum seems to be swinging the other way with Aflix launching this week with international content at the fore. Also iROKO has signed up some international content. Russell Southwood spoke to Aflix Director Nyasha Mutsekwa about what’s planned.Mutsekwa has previous form in the VoD space as he used to run metvafrica.com, part of iBurst in South Africa, before it was closed down. iBurst had begun to realise that a VoD platform was not going to…
Broadcast
MHz Networks adds African channel to its viewing bouquet
From 5 August US global media company MHz Networks features a nation-wide, five-month market broadcast test of Africa Today TV. The launch coincides with the first USA-Africa Leaders Summit, which…
Broadcast
CNN Multichoice African Journalist 2014 Finalists Announced
Finalists in the prestigious CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2014 Competition were announced today by Ferial Haffajee, Chair of the independent judging panel. The competition is now in its 19th year.This…
Broadcast
MultiChoice in new PSL soccer deal
The pay-television broadcaster has taken the wraps off plans to launch a new football tournament with the Premier Soccer League.Pay-television broadcaster MultiChoice and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) have taken…
Broadcast
Broadcast - In Brief
- German television broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Welt is planning to launch services in South Africa via mobile application and the web on smartphone or tablet devices. Popular German TV shows like…
Content
StarTimes launches exclusive Kiswahili programming channel
Pay-TV firm StarTimes has unveiled its self-produced Star Swahili channel in a bid to revamp its offering for Kenyan subscribers to include local content.The channel will be available on all…
Content
Africa Trending – Going Beyond Business with Bloomberg TV Africa
From culture to art, film to fashion, music, sport, literature and lifestyle, Bloomberg TVAfrica will go beyond business to bring you Africa’s most talked about culture with their new show…
Content
Miners Shot Down to screen on Al Jazeera
Miners Shot Down premieres on Wednesday, 13 August 2014 at 22h00CAT on Witness, Al Jazeera's flagship documentary strand. The multi-award-winning documentary will screen daily until 16 August 2014, the two-year…
Content
Vme TV Takes Viewers to Madagascar, a Natural Paradise Planeta Feroz special takes viewers to Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot
Vme TV, the only national Spanish-language television network affiliated with public television stations, is taking viewers on the trip of a lifetime to the island of Madagascar, a natural paradise…
Content
Content - In Brief
- The MultiChoice channel dedicated to covering the murder trial of South African paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been pulled down for the last time, and will resume only to show…
Distribution
ViewSat opens The WORD Network to a global congregation
Through its new partnership with ViewSat, leading Christian ministry channel, The WORD network is now able to broadcast its content to an additional 70 million viewers across Africa.Established in 2006,…
Distribution
Trace brings music to Angola, Mozambique
French music video television network, Trace, has launched a new music channel, TRACE Toca, on MultiChoice’s pay-TV service, DStv, in Angola and Mozambique this week.The Portuguese language channel is dedicated…
Distribution
Director Ian Gabriel receives esteemed Youth Jury Award
Following on from Four Corners' Best Film win at the Niagara Film Festival in Canada last month, the South African thriller continued its award-winning streak as Director Ian Gabriel picked…
Distribution
SA’s first dance movie set for release
The official trailer for South Africa’s first dance film, Hear Me Move, has finally been unveiled, giving dance fans and film lovers a first look at director Scottnes L. Smith’s…
Distribution
Viacom International Media Networks Africa partners with Multichoice to expand the reach of MTV to DStv Extra & Compact subscribers
Johannesburg, 13 August 2014: Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa has revealed that youth and general entertainment channel MTV (DStv channel 130) will open its arms to legions of new…
Distribution
Distribution - In Brief
- South African trade union Solidarity has accused digital television operator DStv of censorship after it rejected an advertisement marketing the union.Solidarity said it is launching a campaign this week…
Investment
kykNET funds 15 shorts for the Silwerskerm Festival
From 27 to 30 August the fourth annual kykNET Silwerskerm Festival will take place at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town. The festival highlights the best in Afrikaans…
Investment
South African movies improve box office earnings
Locally made movies generated R33-million in revenue at South African cinemas in the first half of 2014, a 43% increase on the R23-million generated by homegrown productions in the first…
Investment
Investment - In Brief
- South African pay-TV provider, Siyaya TV, which recently won the ZAR 1 billion (USD 94.5 million) deal from South African Football Association’s (SAFA), plans to work with other broadcasters…
Regulation & Policy
JASA argues against On Digital Media porn channels
On Digital Media (ODM) seems to have mislead the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) by giving the regulator impression that its three pornographic channels – Private Spice (which…
Regulation & Policy
Motsoeneng should not be punished for old lies – SABC
The SABC cannot punish its chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng for a lie he told 19 years ago.This is according to SABC board chairperson Ellen Tshabalala in court papers opposing…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy - In Brief
- The value of digitally pirated products downloaded and sold through the Internet globally will rise to $240 billion (N38.4 trillion) by 2015 if precautionary measures are not taken immediately,…
Technology & Convergence
Siyaya pay-TV to launch before year-end - report
South African pay-television provider Siyaya TV plans to launch some channels before the end of 2014 via a direct-to-home satellite platform, according to MyBroadband. It said a report in City…
Technology & Convergence
OSN launches VOD, DVR in Egypt
Middle East pay-TV operator, OSN, supported by Cable Network Egypt has launched internet-enabled satellite receiver and recorder with full 3D and high definition (HD) capabilities in Egypt, in an attempt…
Technology & Convergence
Technology & Convergence - In Brief
- Twitter is looking to boost its advertising business by letting more businesses pay to include video in their tweets. The company on Tuesday announced the beta test of a…
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Events
Announcement by PAMROThe conference due to be held in Ghana in August 2014 is now to be re-schedued to August 2015 due to the health concerns and restriction in travel…
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Opportunities
SAFTA 2015 Call for EntriesIt is that time of the year when the film and television industry prepare for the biggest event in the film calendar, The South African Film…
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People
SA actress appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for Africa International Film FestivalThe Africa International Film Festival, which takes place in Nigeria from 9 to 16 November, has appointed South African actress…
