Issue Number 91 - 26 Oct 2010
Top Story
Nigeria’s Cinemart sets out to conquer the continent with a new business model for cinemas
The African cinema sector seems to be coming out of its Rip Van Winkle slumber at last. A Nigerian cinema chain has set its sights on becoming a pan-continental player by offering a different business model. Russell Southwood spoke recently to Cinemart’s Dayo Ogunyemi.In Europe, cinemas went into a deep trough in the 1970s but emerged with renewed investment that boosted audience figures in successive decades. In Africa, cinema went into the doldrums at about the same time but a renewed investment wave at the bottom of market just never happened. In some countries, civil war and the conversion of…
Broadcast
VoxAfrica, a serious pan-African contender?
At a time when competition is becoming fiercer among African TV broadcasters, the emergence of pan-African channels such as VoxAfrica is a major breakthrough.Balanncing Act Senior Analyst Sylvain Béletre talked…
Broadcast
Canal+ Overseas expands in Madagascar
Since the 1st of October 2010, Canal+ Madagascar payTV bouquet, a subsidiary of Canal Overseas, part of the Vivendi Group, is responsible for the distribution of CanalSat Madagascar in the…
Broadcast
Nigeria: President gives the go-ahead to NBC to licence community radio stations
On 21 October 2010, the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) welcomed the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to give the go-ahead for community radio in Nigeria.In…
Broadcast
Somalia: Private Radio Station Bombed in Puntland
On 20 October 2010, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemned the bomb attack at Radio Horseed in Bossasso, Puntland. According to information received by NUSOJ, during the…
Broadcast
Broadcast News - In Brief
- The SABC board has failed in executing its duties, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications said at its meeting with the broadcaster on October 21, 2010.- The winners of…
Content
Five African filmmakers awarded by Focus Features
Focus Features' Africa First Program for short films, the worldwide film company's initiative earmarked exclusively for emerging filmmakers of African nationality and residence, has for a third consecutive year awarded…
Content
“Audiovisual Days” spark Franco-Tunisian productions
The first « Audiovisual Days Tunisia » (Journées audiovisuelles de Tunis) is about to open on the sidelines of the 23rd "Carthage Film Festival."The decreasing market share of French TV programmes in…
Content
USD70K doccie “Unhinged: Surviving Jo’burg” wins fans
Film director Adrian Loveland from South Africa released a smart 52min documentary on Johannesburg. In his first film, Loveland gives viewers a sense of what living in Johannesburg – “or…
Content
More educational TV programmes in the Mediterranean region
Held on 25 and 26 October 2010, France Televisions, CFI and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) will be holding a conference on “Television and education: knowledge, an issue for…
Content
Content News - In Brief
- The newspaper The Scotsman” said that “acclaimed South African film Fezeka's Voice will be unveiled as part of the Edinburgh Africa in Motion Film Festival. The stirring drama tells…
Distribution
Orange TV adds African content to its bouquet to target diaspora
At a time when competition is fierce among French TV broadcasters, Orange TV is expanding its offering to try and seduce more TV fans and increase its penetration rate. Orange…
Distribution
S.A.: NFVF releases its “box office report”
The second edition of NFVF’s Box Office report shows some welcom developments in the distribution and exhibition arena. Though in its infancy, the report, reviewing 2010 second trimester, captures the…
Distribution
Distribution News - In Brief
- CFI announced recent distribution contracts in Africa. Using satellite, it continues to broadcasts a 20 minutes international and pan-African daily news programme, and it continues to foster the circulation…
Investment
Hit Finance and Distribution Workshop in Johannesburg
The first of a three-city tour for Chris Roland's Financing & Distribution Workshops kicked off at the mid of October in Cape Town to a sell-out room that included top…
Investment
Ghana: NGB runs Africa' first Digital Terrestrial Television Media Academy
With an event in Accra on 22 October 2010, Ghana became the location for Africa's first Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Media Broadcasting Academy. The Academy will be operational by the…
Investment
Investment News - In Brief
- The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D from Sony Pictures is due to be released on on Blu-ray 3D 16th. November 2010, the studio said, adding that…
Regulation & Policy
South Africa: Authorities urged to drop two bills that threaten media freedom
On 23 September 2010 and as the leaders of the ruling African National Congress meet this week in the eastern city of Durban, Reporters Without Borders urged the South African…
Regulation & Policy
Media crackdown precedes Egypt’s poll
Media crackdown precedes Egypt’s poll – a ’scripted play’ and an opportunity to mobilize?By Demdigest on October 19, 2010Demdigest reported on 19 October 2010 that the Egyptian government is targeting…
Regulation & Policy
Regulation and Policy News - In Brief
- Reporters Without Borders condemned assaults by Islamist militias on two radio stations in Mogadishu that occurred on 18 September 2010. Radio HornAfrik was ransacked and looted by members of…
Technology & Convergence
Brazil pushes African nations to use its digital standard
Brazil has offered incentives to drop North American technology, Variety staff wrote. As African broadcasters prepare to migrate from analogue to digital TV, the Brazilian government has been lobbying countries…
Technology & Convergence
South Africa on track to meet digital TV deadline
Despite the Government protracted look at other options, the Government claims that South Africa is on track to meet its November 2011 deadline to switch over to digital TV, said…
Technology & Convergence
Technology and Convergence News - In Brief
A UN expert touted broadband as a catalyst for growth but reminder that Africa is the last internet continent. Based on the latest statistics from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),…
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Events
Events 21st October to 5th November 2010 Africa in Motion 2010 Venue: Africa in Motion 2010 will take place at Filmhouse Cinema and other venues in Edinburgh, Scotland. Much longer…
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People
The South African Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communications is calling on the public to nominate individuals to fill non-executive vacancies of the SABC board.Formal advertisements calling on people to make…
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Opportunities
AMAA Call for entriesFilmmakers in Eastern Africa – Burundi, Eastern Congo — Kinshasa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda — are invited to submit their best works made…
