Broadcast, Film and Convergence in Africa - Issue no. 321 – 14 August 2019
Top Story
Online platform Avails Africa wants to lower programme rights costs by online transactions and shared licensing costs
14 August 2019
The declining strength of African currencies means that international rights costs are now extremely expensive. Avails Africa wants to bring them down through a combination of automating transaction processes and shared licensing costs. Russell Southwood spoke to Co-Founders Adam Lotz and Francois Schreuder about the platform they have developed. The idea for Avails Africa came out of Francois Schreuder’s experience working in the industry, particularly as Head of Channels for AfricaXP:”The idea came from hustling in the industry for so many years and trying to find content for no money for channels. It was often 3rd or 4th window stuff…
Broadcast
Kwese Play Enters Liquidation
14 August 2019
Econet issued a statement saying that it is with sincere regret that it is announcing the liquidation of Kwesé Play. The statement goes on to explain that a few weeks…
Broadcast
The last straw: Econet Media finally brings an end to Kwese TV
14 August 2019
With effect from August 5th 2019, Econet Media Limited, the parent company of Kwese TV put the final nail on its entertainment division. This move has put an end to…
Broadcast
MultiChoice Zimbabwe runs voluntary redundancy scheme as subscriptions drop
14 August 2019
MultiChoice Zimbabwe has announced a voluntary redundancy programme as the subscriber base declines, reports Zimtechreview. MultiChoice said it has undertaken a comprehensive business evaluation in order to remain sustainable due…
Broadcast
In brief
14 August 2019
Angolan pay-TV operators TVCabo and Zap have announced they will once again increase prices for their services, by 13 percent, reports Menos Fios. The new price lists for the TV…
Content - Film
AFRIMMA Awards Unveils 2019 Nominees List
14 August 2019
African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) organisers have unveiled the list of its nominees for this years AFRIMMA Awards. Nigerian music stars, as usual, dominated the nominees’ list with Burna Boy,…
Content - Film
Award-winning Thuli Madonsela doc airs on Showmax for Women’s Month
14 August 2019
Whispering Truth To Power, Shameela Seedat’s documentary about Thuli Madonsela’s last year as South Africa’s public protector, is now streaming first on Showmax. A perfect fit for Women’s Month, the…
Content - Film
kykNET Silwerskerm Film Festival 2019 promises top-class films and A-list stars
14 August 2019
Cape Town - Like so many success stories it started small. The dream at the first kykNET Silwerskerm Film Festival in 2010 was to give young film-makers a chance to…
Content - Film
East Africa Welcomes Animation du Monde 2020
14 August 2019
After making its way through South and West Africa, Animation du Monde turns to East Africa as Nairobi Comic Con (NAICCON) 2019 hosts the fourth leg of the Pan-African Animation…
Content - Film
Oliver Hermanus' film 'Moffie' nominated for Queer Lion Award at Venice International Film Festival
14 August 2019
Cape Town - South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus' new film, Moffie, has been nominated for this year's Queer Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival. The Queer Lion…
Content - Film
Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa film industries must create a joint hub to push African movies to the world – British actor Hugh Quarshie
14 August 2019
Ghanaian-born British actor, Hugh Anthony Quarshie has called on the leaders of the Ghanaian, Nigerian and South African film industries to collaborate and create African movies of international standards that…
Content - Film
KENYA FILM COMMISSION HOSTS INDIAN FILMMAKERS TO DISCUSS FILM BUSINESS
14 August 2019
Kenya Film Commission in its bid to market Kenya as a filming destination for local and international filmmakers has partnered with the Indian Film Festival Worldwide (IFFW) to host the…
Content - Television
Discover Digital International partnered with SPI/FilmBox
14 August 2019
Digital Entertainment On Demand (DEOD) will now FilmBox Africa, FilmBox Arthouse, Fast&FunBox HD, DocuBox HD, 360 TuneBox, Gametoon HD and FashionBox HD. FilmBox Africa and FilmBox ArtHouse feature Hollywood movies…
Content - Television
Ethiopia: First Ever Kids TV Channel Goes On Air
14 August 2019
Ethiopia Kids TV Channel, the 30th television channel to be launched in the nation, started trial transmission last month. Founded by seven professionals hailing from journalism, the arts, information technology,…
Content - Television
Fox Sports Africa To Rebrand Channels And Online Site To ESPN
14 August 2019
Fox Sports Africa has announced that as of 30 August, its African audience will access ESPN shows on TV and online with the official rebrand of Fox Sports Africa to…
Content - Television
M-Net acquires Stroop, the award-winning rhino-poaching documentary for broadcast across the M-Net and kykNET channels during September
14 August 2019
M-Net has acquired the award-winning and hard-hitting rhino-poaching documentary, STROOP - Journey into the Rhino Horn War with Bonné de Bod with both the English and Afrikaans versions that will…
Content - Television
Openview to broadcast the English Premier League in South Africa
14 August 2019
Openview has expanded its content offering to include sports with the introduction of live English Premier League matches. The free satellite service provider will broadcast the Premier League on its…
Content - Television
East Africa Got Talent available on Clouds TV, Citizen TV and NBS
14 August 2019
East Africa’s Got Talent, a talent show competition which is part of the Got Talent franchise owned by Simon Cowell, launched last weekend with a live screening at the Coca…
Content - Television
Multichoice Botswana unveils Now! TV on DSTV
14 August 2019
MultiChoice Botswana has launched a youth-focused channel. NOW! TV is available on DStv Channel 290 which provides entertainment and local film and television content. MultiChoice Botswana managing director, Katlego Arnone…
Content - Television
Zog, the award-winning animation from Triggerfish, is now available on Showmax
14 August 2019
Zog, the newest award-winning animation from Triggerfish, is now streaming on Showmax in Africa. Zog is the liveliest but clumsiest pupil in his class at Dragon School, where he wants…
Content - Television
BABA TV launched on DStv in Uganda
14 August 2019
BABA TV, the highest-ranked new channel in the ‘family’ with the best quality picture has been launched on DStv platform in Uganda. BABA TV is available on the DStv platform…
Distribution
ZimboTube Video-Sharing Website Rolled Out In Zimbabwe
14 August 2019
A well-known Bulawayo based web-designer Donald Chabata, who is also known as Tyga Sparta, has developed a Zimbabwean video-sharing website called ZimboTube which is similar to the internationally popular YouTube,…
Technology & Convergence
DTT to reach Cape Verde's Sao Nicolau in October
14 August 2019
The Minister of Culture and Creative Industries of Cape Verde, Abraao Vicente, said that DTT broadcasts will start in October on the island of Sao Nicolau, reports Lusa. The project…
Regulation & Policy
Zimbabwe - Govt appoints ZBC, BAZ and Transmedia boards
14 August 2019
Government has appointed boards for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), Transmedia Corporation Limited and Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ). The appointments are with immediate effect. In a statement yesterday, Information,…
Regulation & Policy
NBC Grants Satellite Broadcast Licence To Nigerian University
14 August 2019
The National Broadcasting Commission has granted approval for a Direct Satellite Broadcast (DSB) licence for Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria. The NBC’s Director-General, Ishaq Kawu, said that the licence would…
Regulation & Policy
In brief
14 August 2019
ICASA has lifted its’ moratorium on community broadcasting services. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa announced that it will lift the moratorium on applications for class community sound broadcasting…
Investment
StarTimes unveils new investment to boost local content in Kenya
14 August 2019
StarTimes, a pay-TV service provider, on Monday launched a channel with nearly 2 million U.S. dollars of investment, aiming to boost local content production in Kenya. StarTimes chief executive officer…
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People
14 August 2019
Fox Africa Boss Repositioned As Restructuring Continues The Walt Disney Company has revealed that it has repositioned the role of Fox Africa boss, Evert van der Veer, who…
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Opportunities
14 August 2019
MultiChoice Africa Announces MTF Masterclasses Hosted By Christian Epps MultiChoice is proud to present another Masterclass in its MultiChoice Talent Factory Masterclass programme, a series of industry-led workshops aimed to…
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Events
14 August 2019
Join Broadcast And Media Leaders At Upcoming Forum To Explore Digital Infrastructure And Platforms For Converged Broadcast Media Broadcast Media Africa (BMA) in collaboration with the Southern Africa Broadcasters Association…
