Issue no 9 25 July 2007
Top Story
Sofitel Capital puts up US$60m loan for Foisi Broadcasting Network’s free-to-air, ad-financed channel
Last week Foisi Broadcasting Network announced that it had obtained a US$60 million loan from Sofitel Capital Corporation. With this money, it would begin phase one of capital build-out to create an advertising financed, free-to-air, pan-African television channel. According to its Nigerian-American founder and CEO, Dr. Aaron F. Nmungwun, the new channel will start test broadcasting in about twelve months time, initially in Nigeria, and launch some time in Autumn 2008. The US$60 million loan will be used to build a broadcast studio in Abjua and a satellite and terrestrial transmission network across the continent. BT Global Services is the…
Content
Nigeria: HITV On With Premiership
HITV, a Nigerian-owned communication firm, has concluded arrangements to beam eight matches of the English Premiership, live, every weekend on its terrestrial and digital satellite cable network Unfolding this development…
Content
Morocco: Sound of the Soul
The Tiburon Film Society will present the following film at the Bay Model located at 2100 Bridgeway in Sausalito [Phone: (415) 332.3871] on Thursday, August 2, 2007 @ 6 PM.…
Content
Ghana: DSTV Shows Sporting Muscle As Its Multi -Channel Coverage Proves Its Strength
The Tour de France is a legendarily demanding race that sees the best cyclists in the world competing for one of the sport's biggest prizes. The British Formula One Grand…
Content
South Africa: SABC Withdraws Urgent Bid to Halt Screening of Mbeki Doccie
The SABC last week withdrew its application for an urgent interdict to stop a private screening of the controversial Thabo Mbeki documentary. The urgent interdict had been intended to halt…
Content
Egypt: Youth Show to Broadcast Live from Egypt
CKI FM's youth talk show Conversations will be broadcasting live from Egypt at the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) Conference and Youth Summit, 21 - 26 July 2007. The…
Content
Nigeria: Fifa Under-20 World Cup Final Live On DSTV
DSTV recently has concluded plans to bringing audiences more great soccer action with live coverage of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Showcasing some of the best youth talent in the…
Content
Ghana: Multichoice launches new product in Kumasi
After extensive marketing research to meet customers' needs, MultiChoice Africa, operators of Digital Satellite television (DStv) in the continent, has launched a new product called "family bouquet". The product, which…
Content
Africa: SABC News International Launches Next Week
The SABC will officially launch its African news channel, aimed at providing an African perspective on domestic and international stories, on 20 July 2007 at the new Montecasino Theatre. The…
Content
Uganda: Star FM to Be Refurbished
Star FM, a government-owned radio station based in Kampala, is to be revamped. Uganda Broadcasting Corporation spokesperson Jane Kasumba, on Wednesday announced that the station would acquire a new frequency…
Content
Zimbabwe: Power Fm in Troubled Waters
Midlands-based radio station, Power FM is in a Catch-22 situation on whether or not to relocate to Harare from Gweru amid reports that the station has started courting former Radio…
Content
Uganda: Lira's Customised TV Station
There is a plausible explanation as to why free-to-air broadcasting is mostly a Kampala affair, especially for the private TV stations. Uganda's capital is also its commercial hub hence the…
Content
Nigeria: FBN to Transmit Afro-Centric Programmes
Foisi Broadcasting Network (FBN) has been granted the broadcast licence to transmit afro-centric programming from Nigeria to the rest of Africa. The essence of FBN's offering according to a statement…
Content
Uganda: GTV Goes Live
GTV service began its operations in Uganda recently, promising to revolutionise pay television and home entertainment. The arrival of GTV brings the number of mainstream pay-TV providers in the country…
Distribution
Africa: Pan-African Mobile Coverage of UK Football Tournament
The mobile content firm, MTech and OSMi, a sports marketing company say that they have won the rights to power a ground-breaking mobile Premier League highlights and news service across…
Distribution
South Africa: Naspers braces for pay-TV price war in South Africa
South African pay-TV monopoly Multichoice expects the onset of competition next year to spark a profit-eroding price war and says fixed-line phone operator Telkom will be its toughest rival. Multichoice,…
Distribution
South Africa: SABC Seeks Soccer Rights Freeze
The SABC has taken legal action against the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and broadcasters SuperSport and e.tv to freeze a R1.6bn broadcast rights deal to prevent any party entering into…
Distribution
Botswana: New Pay TV Exploits Legal Loophole
The National Broadcasting Board (NBB) has said they have no official dealings with GTV - the recently established pay TV. NBB chairman Dr Masego Mpotokwane told Mmegi that so far,…
Investment
Botswana: Botswana invests in Mma Ramotswe film
Botswana has invested about P31 million (US$5 million) in the filming of a movie The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency film and television series. The Weinstein Company will begin shooting the…
Investment
Rwanda: Chinese Firm to build US$20m TV Station
A Chinese company, Star Communication Network Technologies is set to establish a $20 million television station and an Internet provider company in Rwanda. The company owners have already established a…
Regulation & Policy
Somalia: Radio Shabelle Raided Four Times in 48 Hours, Troops Threaten to Kill Staff, Following Coverage of Military Abuses
A prominent broadcaster covering public reaction to a large-scale government security crackdown in the commercial district of the capital, Mogadishu, was raided four times over the weekend by Somali government…
Technology & Convergence
Africa: Watch Dstv On Your Phone
Television fans may soon enjoy their favourite programmes from their mobile phones if plans by Multichoice Uganda to introduce the system come to fruition. The system will be made possible…
