Issue no 42 13 November 2008
Top Story
Senegal’s Excaf-Télécom and Delta Net TV mount legal competition challenge against Canal Plus
Two of Senegal’s leading media companies have mounted a legal competition challenge to the French Pay TV company Canal Plus. This is one more shot in the continuing war over access to Pay TV programme rights as markets across Africa continue to liberalise. Newcomers are discovering that it is far from easy to get their hands on premium content as the pioneers have “taken all the land”. Excaf-Télécom and Delta Net TV have taken out three complaints against Canal Plus (locally branded as Canal Horizons), one to the Office of UEMOA, the economic and political union that covers West African…
Content
Nigeria: Twinlight Media and Daar Hit the Screen With Talent TV Reality Show
Twinlight Media International Limited in conjunction with DAAR Communications is set to hit the airwaves with a Queen of African Culture and talent television reality show that would promote the…
Content
M-Net buys Australian drama
M-Net’s Action channel has acquired the new one-hour Australian drama series Rush from Southern Star International. Rush is a Southern Star John Edwards production for Network Ten, produced in association…
Content
South Africa: More Idols
South African pay-TV broadcaster M-Net is currently preparing for its fifth season of the hit reality format, Idols. Produced for M-Net by Waterfront Productions, Idols, a nationwide talent search for…
Content
South Africa: GTV adds Discovery World to its Africa service
GTV, the pan African pay TV network announced on 5 November that it is launching Discovery World on its service on 10 November. It is teaming up with Discovery World…
Content
Content In Brief
- Nigeria’s first ever Niger Delta Reality Television Show intended to pull gifted youths in the region from all manners of social vices is billed to take place in Warri…
Content
South Africa: Fifa Sign Free-to-Air World Cup Broadcasts Deal
Fifa announced a deal with African broadcasters to air the 2010 World Cup on free-to-air television and radio in 41 sub-Saharan countries. The agreement with the African Union of Broadcasters…
Content
AUB-FIFA launch broadcast academy
FIFA and the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB) on Thursday, 30 October 2008, launched a joint broadcast academy to enhance the quality of football coverage and to assist in the…
Content
South Africa: Radio Station Being Punted as a Hit in the North West
The North West province's first commercial radio station has become a major hit, with the station's popular DJ's being heard in taxis, taverns and homes across the province, including in…
Content
CNBC set to expand further across Africa, opening 2-3 more bureaus
ONE of the first international news broadcasters to set up shop in Africa, Johannesburg-based CNBC Africa, has exceeded growth expectations in just 18 months and plans to expand further into…
Content
Broadcast In Brief
- Last month Soweto TV received its broadcasting licence from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and was given the go ahead to broadcast for another year from…
Distribution
Uganda: Pay Television Ease Reconnection
To better service delivery through innovation, pay TV companies in Uganda have introduced automatic reconnection, a move that will save subscribers the hassles of queuing for the service. Multichoice last…
Distribution
Africa: Fuel launches pan African digital solution
Fuel last week announced its expansion into Africa and the Middle East, allowing the group to offer a greater degree of ease and targeting for brands looking to exploit African…
Distribution
Distribution In Brief
- BT Global Services recently extended its Global Media Network (GMN) to South Africa. The country is now connected via undersea cable and fixed line networks to 16 production centres…
Technology & Convergence
South Africa: Country Migrates to Digital Broadcasting with SABC launching two new channels
As of tomorrow, Saturday 1 November 2008, South Africa will enter a new era of broadcasting, when the country officially converts its television broadcasting signals from analogue to digital. Minister…
Technology & Convergence
SABCnews.com going Web 2.0
The SABC's news website, www.SABCnews.com, is currently undergoing reconstructive Web 2.0 surgery, all of which will be revealed on Wednesday, 19 November 2008. “It is a huge task involving many…
Regulation & Policy
South Africa: Sport Broadcasting Rights Regulations - Where to From Now?
The publication in the Government Gazette of the document discussion on the review of sports broadcasting rights regulations by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has generated a…
Regulation & Policy
Icasa offers hope to independent producers
A discussion document issued on Friday by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) could result in new regulations aimed at protecting independent producers who have cried foul about unfair…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy In Brief
- A Capital radio talk show host in Uganda has been summoned over allegations that sectarian statements were made on his show, The Capital Gang. Oskar Ssemweya, the head teacher…
Investment
South Africa: Telkom buys MWEB Africa
Naspers has finally got rid of MWEB Africa by private sale rather than the auction it had previously announced it was going to run. Its disposal of the company would…
Investment
Namibia: NBC Finances in Shambles
Despite millions of dollars of taxpayers' money afforded to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) for its turnaround strategies, the national broadcaster not only failed to successfully 'turn around' the company,…
Investment
Investment In Brief
- The digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration process has a considerable financial impact on South African broadcasters, and M-Net and e.tv are seeking an incentive to migrate to DTT. M-Net…
More
Technology & Convergence In Brief
- Specialist online media sales house, Habari Media, hosted the BBC.com media presentation in Cape Town on the 17 October 2008. Local media planners and direct clients were given insight…
