Issue no 57 26 June 2009
Top Story
Cinetoile promotes African cinema to create new audiences and business models
Leaving aside Nollywood films and their imitators, most African films actually have only a very small chance of being seen in the country where they were made. African cinemas have collapsed over the past several decades and have not had the resurgence of investment interest found elsewhere in the developed world. As a result, most of the African film industry lives without both box office revenues and secondary income from DVDs, most of which are pirated. Where support for national film-making does exist, it is almost exclusively focused on production and training. Russell Southwood talks to Aurelien Bodinaux of Cinetoile…
Content
South Africa’a public broadcaster SABC nears meltdown, ‘haemorrhaging (money) from every pore’, says Board member
Massive debts and a spate of top-level resignations have pushed South Africa's public broadcaster to near-collapse, threatening a network once styled as the voice of the country's democracy. The resignation…
Content
Promoting African cinema, "L' Héritage" soon on Africable
After the success recorded by TV series Marc and Malika, launched on 4 April 2009, Africable is about to launch a new series entitled “L' Heritage”. In partnership with the…
Content
Spanish reality TV show mistreats Namibian San tribe family members, claims NGO
A reality television show which placed three Spanish families with indigenous tribal communities was accused on Wednesday of mistreating members of one of the tribes involved, the San bushmen of…
Content
Nigeria: Lagosians Troop Out for MTN Project Fame
Following the success of the maiden edition of MTN Project Fame competition, Nigerians youths turned out in their thousands at Fantasyland, Ikoyi and Ultima Studios, Ogba, for the auditions of…
Content
Content In Brief:
- A new South African reality-type show called MAN's premiering on SABC3 in October. TVSA reports that the documentary-soap features four South Africa men, of different races and sexual orientations;…
Content
Vislink CEO says that sports is likely to drive HD uptake in Africa
Last week African Broadcast, Film and Convergence interviewed Duncan Lewis, CEO of Vislink, a an international supplier of broadcast solutions. Lewis spoke about the forthcoming Workd Cup in South Africa…
Content
Botswana: Bakgatla paid US$58,000 upfront for TV Rights of initiation ceremony
Bakgatla have been paid US$58,000 upfront as part of the broadcast rights for the Bojale initiation ceremony by Botswana Television and RB1 broadcast over the weekend, their paramount chief has…
Content
South Africa’s Spescom offers TV in a box for US$370,000 aimed at community TV stations
With the relaxation of broadcasting laws, a number of community TV transmission licences have been issued. Come 2012 and the introduction of Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) in South Africa, the…
Content
Africa: AU to Start Radio in Somalia
The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia will soon start a radio station in Mogadishu. The Defence/Army Spokesperson, Maj Felix Kulayigye last week told Daily Monitor that African Union Mission…
Content
Broadcast In Brief
- Owners of electronic media (radio and television) in East Africa region have been urged to change from analogue to digital technology in their operations. The call was made last…
Distribution
Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) now showing in 40 countries on CanalSat Horizons bouquet
Ivorian state broadcaster RTI will now be broadcast in 40 countries globally as part of CanalSat Horizon’s bouquet. The country’s President said he believed that this will promote the country’s…
Distribution
South Africa: SABC Has Left Us in Dire Straits, Say Production Houses
Jocelyn Newmarch - 8 June 2009 - Johannesburg - THE SABC's financial woes have grabbed headlines but the plight of independent companies that rely financially on the broadcaster has received…
Distribution
South Africa: Libraries and cinemas will be built in rural areas
Libraries and cinemas will be built in rural areas across South Africa as part of the ministry of arts and culture's efforts to bring art to the people, Parliament heard…
Distribution
Distribution In Brief:
- Over 4000 South Africans picked up free tickets this past weekend to watch the opening games of the 2009 Confederations Cup at Ster-Kinekor Theatres (SKT) - who is screening…
Investment
Rwanda: Tanzanian Media Mogul Investor Raps Western Media Over Genocide
A Tanzanian investor has lashed out at the international media for only portraying Rwanda as a Genocide-stricken country and paying less attention to achievements it has registered over the years.…
Investment
Eritrea: Independent Satellite Radio Station for Eritreans Begins Broadcasting from Paris
Radio Erena (“Our Eritrea”), a Tigrinya-language station broadcasting by satellite to Eritrea, began operating today in Paris, five days ahead of World Refugee Day. The result of an initiative by…
Investment
Investment In Brief:
- Vislink, the broadcast solution provider will be opening an office in Africa soon said Vislink CEO last week. Details will be announced in due course. http://www.vislink.com/
Regulation & Policy
Nigeria: Union Leaders of Ekiti Radio, TV Redeployed
As the crisis rocking the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) continues unabated, the State government has redeployed three union leaders of the corporation believed to be at the vanguard…
Regulation & Policy
Somalia: Journalists Stop Work to Mourn and Condemn 'Savage' Killing of Colleagues
A somber mood engulfed Somali capital Mogadishu last week after journalists downed their tools and shut down their broadcasting stations to mourn and to protest the latest killing of Radio…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy In Brief:
- As Nigerians continue to clamour for the immediate passage of the Freedom of Information Bill (FoI) by the National Assermbly, the Lagos State Government has explained why some government…
Technology & Convergence
Togo Telecom set to provide Triple Play with new FTTC network solution
Togo Telecom, the incumbent fixed-line operator of Togo, has selected Israeli firm ECI Telecom to deliver an end-to-end turnkey solution for a new high-speed IP network in the country, becoming…
Technology & Convergence
MTN Ghana launches 11 mobile TV channels with DSTV, Nokia
Cellular operator MTN Ghana has launched 11 mobile television channels in Accra and Tema, in partnership with pay TV company DSTV and Nokia. The mobile TV service will include programs…
