Issue no 74 25 February 2010
Top Story
Nigeria: Galaxy’s veteran broadcaster Steve Ojo to launch national Free-To-Air channel with China’s Star TV
The Nigerian broadcasting market is one of the toughest in Africa where there is plenty of competition for tough markets. The pioneer of private broadcasting in Nigeria is Galaxy CEO Steve Ojo who runs a company that encompasses studios and a Nollywood producer and distributor. Russell Southwood spoke to Steve Ojo at DISCOP 3 in Dakar last week. Q: What’s the range of what your company does? A: I started with production. I used to support national (Government) stations with production and post-production services. Private broadcasting in Nigeria started 2 years ago and we were the first to go on…
Broadcast
Nigeria: 35 Broadcasting Stations Sanctioned
The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, says it sanctioned about 35 broadcast stations for various breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code in January 201 Awwalu Salihu, Head of Public Affairs Department,…
Broadcast
Africa gets re-branded Hallmark Channel first
At 9pm on 24 March, Africa will be the first in the world to receive the re-branded Hallmark Channel, on MultiChoice’s DStv bouquet. Owned by Universal Networks International, Hallmark Channel…
Broadcast
Kenya: KDN Now Second Premier League Sponsor
ICT infrastructure firm Kenya Data Networks has signed a Sh13.5 million sponsorship deal with SuperSport to secure rights as the broadcast partner for the 2010 Kenyan Premier League season. This…
Broadcast
South Africa: Launch of new Afrikaans channel questioned by Starcom MediaVest boss
Following the announcement of the imminent launch of the new TV station Afrikaanse Satelliettelevisie, Gordon Patterson, group MD of the Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), questions the feasibility of dictating culture…
Broadcast
Tunisia: ETT offers its first DTT offering, Talfazti, which started life on the Internet
Mourad Agrebi, technical director at ETT, Etablissement de la TV Tunisienne confirmed to Balancing Act’s Sylvain Béletre that his public organisation is testing DTT across Tunisia. The state-owned company which…
Broadcast
Broadcast In Brief
* Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni has criticised Mengo, the seat of the Buganda kingdom, saying it was selfish to try and suppress other people's cultures. He promised to fund the establishment…
Content
Africa: Zain Africa Challenge Back On TV
The fourth season of the popular Zain Africa Challenge has returned to screens across the continent. The first ever televised international academic competition among students at African Universities from the…
Content
South Africa: Zapiro and Cassuto finally get ZA News satirical puppet show on air
The hilarious but hard-hitting satirical puppet show, ZA News, a collaboration between cartoonist Zapiro and producer/director Thierry Cassuto, is finally on television. It hits TV screens from Tuesday night on…
Content
Nigeria: Titans - A True Naija Music And Comedy Reality Show Debuts
A new entertainment show; Titans Nigeria is set to begin by March 1, 2010. This is targeted at helping the youths, especially the raw and talented rappers; comedians and singers…
Content
Ghana: E.Tv launches its programme offer with eBusiness Journal and News Extra
Ghana's latest addition to the television industry e.tv Ghana would from today, commence two new local programmes on their channel. The two programmes, 'eBusiness Journal' and 'News Extra' are expected…
Content
Content In Brief
* Pay-TV broadcaster M-Net has commissioned a new season of Idols, to find South Africa’s next singing sensation. This is the sixth season of Idols, which will broadcast on M-Net…
Distribution
DISCOP 3 in Dakar: Seen and heard at Africa’s key media market
The DISCOP media market seems to go from strength to strength. The third edition was held in Dakar 24-26 February 2010 and attracted over 400 participants. Sellers reported a steady…
Distribution
South Africa: RAB/Sonovision partnership to boost radio
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) GM Norman Gibson says that RAB's strategic partnership with Sonovision, announced last week, is a logical step in the evolution of the RAB. “Since the…
Distribution
Distribution In Brief
* Standard Bank aims to reach about 1.2 million people through its community radio campaign, which will be combined with a print and an intensive outreach campaign. The financial literacy…
Technology & Convergence
SA will get terrestrial HD TV, but not just yet
Good news for SA consumers who don't have access to satellite pay-TV is that the country is set to get terrestrial high-definition channels. The bad news is that they'll have…
Technology & Convergence
Botswana: BTV Could Adopt Japanese, Brazil ISDB
Botswana Television (Btv) looks set to adopt the latest broadcast digital technology, known as the ISDB, popularised by Japan and Brazil. The technology will be unveiled in Gaborone during a…
Regulation & Policy
Uganda: Evangelist Charged With Lying to BBC
A catholic evangelist who told a BBC reporter that he committed 70 ritual murders has been charged with giving false information to a public officer. Polino Angella, a resident of…
Regulation & Policy
Nigeria: Govt Plots to Muscle Rockcity FM
Indications emerged at the weekend that the Ogun State Government may have devised another strategy to intimidate perceived opponents as it launched yet another offensive against the owners of an…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation & Policy In Brief
*Exiled radio stations, labelled pirates by the Robert Mugabe regime have once again come under attack from ZANU PF during a protest march by hundreds of youth members through the…
Investment
Botswana: BTV to Pay Intelsat P130 Million
Botswana Television will pay satellite operator Intelsat nearly P134 million for the provision of transponder services over a six year period. The Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board's (PPADB) website…
Investment
Namibia: Film Commission Not 'Very Satisfied' With Auditor General’s Report
The Namibia Film Commission (NFC) says it is not very satisfied with the latest audit report on the accounts of its film and development fund, which was tabled in Parliament.…
Investment
Investment In Brief
*Job cuts are looming at South Africa’s SABC as the new board and CEO Solly Mokoetle strive to slash costs and reduce the bloated head count of nearly 4000 employees.…
More
Technology & Convergence In Brief
* Telegent and Brightstar have partnered to launch ‘Soccer TV’ Phone / Avvio 505 which will enable Latin American and African soccer fans to view live, free-to-air broadcasts of World…
