"IWAJU" is A Complete Masterpiece in Original Storytelling and Animation

"IWAJU" is A Complete Masterpiece in Original Storytelling and Animation

“Iwájú” will air* across Africa on Disney Channel—distributed on DStv platform (Channel 303)—this April and May, giving viewers across the continent an opportunity to view the series in territories where Disney+ is not available. “We created ‘Iwájú’ as a love letter to Lagos, Nigeria, and an ode to the rich legacy of African storytelling,” said Director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola. “We’re proud to share this series and hope that it inspires more Africans across the world to share their stories and shape our collective narrative.”

 “We created ‘Iwájú’ as a love letter to Lagos, Nigeria, and an ode to the rich legacy of African storytelling,” said Director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola. “We’re proud to share this series and hope that it inspires more Africans across the world to share their stories and shape our collective narrative.”

Says Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa: “‘Iwájú’ is a true celebration of the creativity and storytelling excellence that is at the heart of Disney, bringing the immense talent and creative vision of home-grown filmmakers to the world. With the distribution of the series on Disney Channel, the release of the ‘Disney Iwájú: Rising Chef” mobile game and the “Iwaju” Original Soundtrack Score, we are excited to give audiences across Africa the chance to experience this ambitious and uniquely innovative series.”

A first-of-its-kind collaboration with Pan-African entertainment company, Kugali, “Iwájú” is an original animated series set in a futuristic Lagos and tells the exciting coming-of-age story of Tola, a young girl from the wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole, a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. “Iwájú” streamed exclusively on Disney+ Feb. 28, 2024, in a six-episode event.

See complete media on 

https://dam.gettyimages.com/thewaltdisneystudios/iwaju

Shaka Ilembe is the Best, Biggest and Greatest African Epic Historical Drama Series

Shaka Ilembe is the Best, Biggest and Greatest African Epic Historical Drama Series

"Shaka Ilembe"is the best, biggest and greatest African epic historical drama series so far in the history of filmmaking and TV productions in Africa and one of the best epic drama series in the world.

In the content and context of the subject in production, and casting, directing, production design, set design, costume design and cinematography with naturalistic characters and realistic scenarios of the historical events, you can see the evidence of the professional excellence, experience and expertise of the producers. The series have been exciting and thrilling to watch on DStv.

The Directors, Academy Award-nominee Angus Gibson (Mandela) and Teboho Mahlatsi are geniuses with Desiree Markgraaff, the EP. 

The movie set will be good for international art and architecture exhibition at the BIENNALE ARTE 2024 of the 60th International Art Exhibition that will take place from Saturday 20 April to Sunday 24 November, 2024 in Venice, Italy.

https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2024

I published the news release from the MultiChoice Group since 2022 on my Nigerians Report on https://nigeriansreportng.blogspot.com/2022/05/africa-epic-historical-drama-series.html.

Set in the 1700s, "Shaka iLembe" tells the story of the making of the iconic African king, with iterations from his early childhood through to adulthood.

The awesome King of Zulus, Shaka kaSenzangakhona  (c. 1787 – 22 September 1828) has inspired writers and producers and was the inspiration for my own short story in 2020, "Shaka The Great: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest African King"
https://nigeriansreportng.blogspot.com/2020/09/shaka-great-rise-and-fall-of-greatest.html

"Shaka Ilembe" should be a must watch for every filmmaker, storyteller and other creatives in Africa, especially in Nollywood and Kannywood of the Nigerian film industry.

As I have always emphasized that South Africa has the best and biggest film industry in Africa.
What makes a film industry is more than the mass production of movies in thousands annually, but includes having film and TV markets, film commissions and movie merchandise as shown in the awesome production of "Shaka Ilembe" that is worth more than US$2 billion in the market valuations of the film tourism boosting the hospitality industry of South Africa and the movie merchandise of the fashion designs and accessories of the rich culture and lifestyles of Zulu people. A celebration of the culture of the haute couture and architecture Zulu Kingdom.

I will really love to visit the movie set.

"Shaka Ilembe' is a case study for sociocultural, socioeconomic and sociopolitical studies and anthropology of South Africa in African Studies and the history of filmmaking in Africa.

Producer: Multichoice Studios of the MultiChoice Group.

See more details on https://www.dstv.com/mzansimagic/en-ng/show/shaka-ilembe/season/1

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series

Nigeria Daily Twitter

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High Cost of Data is Still a Big Challenge for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other Streaming Services in Africa

High Cost of Data is Still a Big Challenge for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other Streaming Services in Africa

The cost of 1GB of data, enough for one hour of video streaming, is between $1.50 and $30 in Africa.

Subscribers spend more on data than subscription fees for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on the continent. Showmax of the MultiChoice Group is Available to all the millions of subscribers to DStv, but majority of the populations in African countries cannot afford DStv. 

The cost of data can be reduced by all the telecoms in Africa with fast internet connection. 10GB should not cost more than $1 which is between N500 and N750 in the current exchange rate of the USD to the Naira in Nigeria, the largest market on the continent. 

My suggestion is Netflix and Amazon Prime Video should also be available offline on cable TV channels to attract everyone who can afford to pay the subscription to the cable TV channels for only $2 monthly.

What matters most in entertainment are four things I call QAAA:

1. Quality of the content

2. Availability of the content

3. Accessibility to the content

4. Affordability of the content.

The content must be of good Quality; Available, Accessible and Affordable.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,
International content development and marketing consultant.
@Vuulr Program Partner
@Cinewav Affiliate Partner

#1 On Top 20 Movies for the Valentine

 Available on https://wi-flix.com/

Public and Private TV Stations in Nigeria are Grossly Underfunded

Both the public and private TV stations in Nigeria are grossly underfunded.

I am speaking from professional experience since I started my career in the largest TV network in Africa, the  Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as the youngest professional scriptwriter for TV in Africa at 18 and from the 1980s and in 1998 worked as an Independent Production Manager of "Money Wise" on  the private DBN TV for two years when I was 35. 

When I look at both the public and private TV stations in Nigeria, I shake my head is disappointment. The underdevelopment of NTA in programmes is embarrassing when compared to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

The federal government gives peanuts to the NTA and expect the NTA network of over 36 TV stations to produce world class programmes, because they are clueless about the economics of the TV industry which can be learned from the more advanced TV industry of South Africa. 

If the public and private TV stations in Nigeria are producing great content for entertainment and enlightenment of the best standards, they will be highly profitable to compete with MultiChoice, the South African company that operates DStv, the leading satellite television service in Sub-Saharan Africa and GOtv operating in several countries and has the popular streaming service, Showmax. 

The NTA network and private TV stations in Nigeria have channels on DStv and GOtv instead of competing with MultiChoice. But how can they compete without the required infrastructure for a world class international TV industry with the budgets for the best TV productions and for the premium content that will increase their revenues from TV commercials and international distribution of their content. 

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOOD MIRROR® Series.

Multichoice Delivers Steady Margins Despite Content Cost Normalisation

 

PRESS RELEASE

Multichoice Delivers Steady Margins Despite Content Cost Normalisation

The group’s linear pay-TV subscriber base (measured on a 90-day active basis) increased by 0.9m to reach 21.8m households

Access Multimedia Content

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 9, 2022/ -- MultiChoice Group (MCG, or the group) (www.MultiChoice.com), Africa’s leading entertainment company, delivered steady margins for the year ended 31 March 2022 (FY22). Download document (1): https://bit.ly/3Q6YBpP “Reduced losses in the Rest of Africa (RoA), a rebound in advertising revenues and a continued focus on cost containment enabled us to absorb the R1.1bn impact of a normalisation in content costs as live sport returned and we resumed our local content production post the COVID-19 lockdowns,” says Calvo Mawela, Chief Executive Officer. “We continued to enhance our video entertainment offering and expanded the variety of services offered to our customers as we grow our entertainment ecosystem,” he added. The group’s linear pay-TV subscriber base (measured on a 90-day active basis) increased by 0.9m to reach 21.8m households, comprising 9m in South Africa and 12.8m in the RoA. The 5% growth year-on-year (YoY) is subdued due to the tough economic environment and elevated subscriber growth during  COVID-19 related lockdowns in the previous year. Here are a few highlights: Revenue: ZAR55.1bn up 3% (up 7% organic) Trading profit: stable at R10.3bn (up 1% organic, due to absorbing cost normalisation) Core headline earnings: R3.5bn (up 6% as Forex impact was less negative)) Free cash flow: R5.5bn (down 3%, due to one-off prepayments) Dividend: R2.5bn 565 ZARc per share (±4% yield) MCG continued to pursue its differentiation strategy through local content, stepping up its local content production by 32% YoY to 6 028 hours and bringing its local content library close to 70 000 hours. Local content accounted for 47% of total general entertainment content spend and the group remains on track to achieve a target of 50% by 2024. Seven major new channels launched, including two Portuguese-focused channels in Angola and Mozambique. In South Africa, the group’s co-productions such as Reyka and Recipes for Love and Murder were broadcast to critical acclaim and international interest. SuperSport delivered world class productions given a bumper calendar of major sporting events. A record number of viewers tuned into Euro 2020, the British and Irish Lions rugby tour and the Tokyo Olympics. SuperPicks, a free-to-play predictor game and the group’s first product collaboration with KingMakers, was launched in Nigeria in August 2021 and already has 0.5m registered users. SuperSport Schools, now 100% owned by the group, continues to grow rapidly and broadcasted 5 249 live games of schools sport during FY22. Growth in Connected Video users on the DStv app and Showmax service is outpacing the market. Paying Showmax subscribers were up 68% YoY, whilst overall monthly online users of the group’s connected video services increased 28% YoY. A major driver has been the focus to localise by expanding local payment channels and enabling local billing in various markets. In addition, local content was stronger than ever with titles like DevilsDorp, the Real Housewives franchise and The Wife. Showmax Pro delivered an enhanced customer experience, which included the Tokyo Olympics, Euro 2020 and every English Premier League game.   On the product side, the announcement of DStv as official launch partner of Disney+ in South Africa is a further extension of the group’s aggregation strategy, which aims to bring customers more content, and convenient access in one central place via DStv’s connected devices. DStv Internet, which was launched in September 2021, is growing strongly. The DStv Rewards program, which supports customer retention and has been successful in reducing dormancy, continues to gain traction with close to a million customers. Digital adoption continues to track well with around 75% of customer touch-points now being managed through the group’s self-service channels. Due to the ongoing global silicon chip shortage the DStv Streama launch has been delayed and is now expected to launch in the first half of the next financial year. SEGMENTAL REVIEW South Africa The South African business faced an increasingly difficult consumer climate, with FY22 growth rates impacted by rising unemployment levels, intermittent loadshedding and a disruption caused by the July riots in Durban and Johannesburg. Revenue increased 4% to ZAR35.6bn, supported by the rebound in advertising revenue and a 1% increase in subscription revenues, driven by subscriber growth in the mass market and the uplift from annual price increases. The return of live sport and other value adding initiatives contributed to reducing churn in the Premium base relative to the prior year. Trading profit declined 1% to ZAR11.0bn as the ongoing cost-optimisation programme only partially offset consumer pressure in the middle market and the normalisation of content costs and sales and marketing expenses. Rest of Africa (RoA) The Rest of Africa business benefited from the popularity of local content such as Big Brother Naija and live sporting events. Whilst revenue of ZAR17.9bn reflects a strong 14% organic increase, it is only 4% higher than the prior year due to the impact of translating Rest of Africa’s USD revenues at a stronger ZAR for reporting purposes. Trading losses amounted to ZAR1.2bn, which is a 24% improvement YoY on an organic basis. Local currencies held up better against the USD than prior years, resulting in an overall headwind on reported results of only ZAR0.1bn (FY21: ZAR1.2bn). Although liquidity challenges continued in Nigeria, the group successfully repatriated cash throughout the year, albeit at a premium to the official exchange rate. Technology segment Irdeto, was impacted by global silicon shortages affecting supply chains, as well as COVID-19 related disruptions in large markets such as India. Revenues of ZAR1.5bn, down 17% YoY (9% organic), were further depressed by the impact of a stronger ZAR upon translation from USD. The segment contributed ZAR0.5bn to group trading profit with margins strong at 33%. Irdeto gained additional market share in its core media security business by winning four new Tier-1 customer. It also grew its device security business, expanded its deployment of connected vehicles with Hyundai, and started new projects like providing security software to large logistics companies.  KingMakers On 29 October 2021, the group increased its shareholding in KingMakers from 20% to 49.23%. KingMakers delivered USD136m (ZAR2.0bn) in revenues, representing robust growth of 74% YoY. It recorded a loss after tax amounting to USD19m (ZAR0.3bn) as increased revenues were offset by investment in people, product and technology to further scale the business. Although revenues are still primarily generated in Nigeria, the group is now also active in Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia. Future Prospects In the year ahead, the group will continue to drive penetration of its video entertainment services across the African continent by offering customers an array of unique and rich media content delivered in a convenient and cost effective way. Local content and select sporting events such as the English Premier league, UEFA Champions League and the 2022 FIFA World Cup will contribute to the growth in linear and streaming services. Returning the Rest of Africa business to profitability in FY23, maintaining strong cash flows to support a healthy balance sheet and pursuing innovative products and services remain key pillars for long term value creation. “As a platform of choice, our group will look to further expand our entertainment ecosystem by identifying growth opportunities that leverage our scale and local capabilities,” says Mawela. “We will continue to strive to be a trusted partner for our customers’ ever-evolving needs, enriching their lives by delivering entertainment and relevant consumer services underpinned by technology.”  Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.   MultiChoice Group Contact Details: Elizabeth Fourie, Senior Manager: Corporate Communications Tel: +27 11 289 4735 Mobile: +27 83 482 5241 Elizabeth.Fourie@multichoice.co.za Meloy Horn, Head of Investor Relations Mobile: +27 82 772 7123 meloy.horn@multichoice.com About MultiChoice Group: MultiChoice Group (MCG), which listed in the Main Board of the JSE on 27 February 2019, is one of the fastest-growing video entertainment providers globally, delivering entertainment products and services to 21.8m households across 50 countries on the African continent. Its track record of more than 30 years is reflective of a commitment to provide audiences with only the best local, sport and international content. MCG’s strong partnerships with distributors, installers and telecommunication companies, along with its well-established payment solutions, competitive pricing and choice of viewership packages continue to secure its place in the global market, while also providing solutions unique to the African market. Its direct-to-home (DTH), digital terrestrial television (DTT) and over-the-top (OTT) solutions enable the business to stay relevant and aligned to changing consumer habits while capturing new markets. Content is at the very core of the business. MCG aims to deliver quality content anywhere, anytime and on any device through a comprehensive video entertainment offering at different price points. As pioneers in African video entertainment, MCG plays an important role in making information and entertainment easily accessible to Africans. MCG aims to secure content rights in a manner that is cost-effective and reflective of the diversity of its audiences. Its substantial portfolio includes award-winning local content (a key differentiator in its service offering), a leading sport offering (including production capabilities) and access to international content, which is all shared on the group’s platforms: DStv, GOtv, Showmax, M-Net and SuperSport. MCG has superior technology capability through the security solutions that Irdeto, its technology company, brings to the group. These solutions enable MultiChoice to protect its investment, create new offerings and combat cybercrime. With 50 years’ expertise in software security, Irdeto’s software security solutions and cyber services protect over 5bn devices and applications for some of the world’s best brands. SOURCE MultiChoice Group

Mary Remmy Njoku, The African Queen of Content

 The African Queen of Content

Mrs. Mary Remmy Njoku’s creative work so far has led ROK to produce more than 540 movies and 25 original TV series.

She founded ROK Studios, a leading African film and television studio and production house based in Lagos, Nigeria. It has produced over 540 films and 25 original TV series, including Festac Town, Single Ladies, Body language, Losing Control and Husbands of Lagos since its launch.

Njoku launched ROK on Sky, a network airing across the UK in 2016. She also launched ROK on DSTV, a network airing across Africa, in the same year.

She was nominated for The Futures Awards and EbonyLife Prize for Screen Producer in 2017.

In April 2018, ROK Studios launched two new channels, ROK2 and ROK3, to meet the growing demand of ROK on DSTV.

She produced the movie Nwanyioma in 2018, where her role required her to completely shave her head.

In 2019, Njoku oversaw the acquisition of ROK to CANAL+, the largest international deal to-date for a Nollywood brand.

The MultiChoice Talent Factory and other Film Schools in Nigeria

The MultiChoice Talent Factory and other Film Schools in Nigeria

I have waited long enough to assess the progress of the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) before writing about it 

I was told that the primary purpose of the establishment is to train screenwriters and filmmakers that will produce regular content for the M-Net Channels on DStv. But it has done more than that, because the alumni are producing content for the global entertainment industry.

The MTF covers WEST AFRICA: Ghana & Nigeria; EAST AFRICA: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania and SOUTHERN AFRICA: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia & Zimbabwe.

The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy has achieved within three years of its establishment since 2018 what other older film schools in Nigeria have failed to achieve for the advancement of the Nigerian film industry. In fact, MTF has exposed the shortcomings of the film schools that have been existing since 2010 to date, but they are still having unaccredited courses and poorly trained graduates who have been rushed through ad-hoc courses in overcrowded classes without in-depth hands-on training on the most important components of filmmaking and film studies.

In filmmaking, if you are good, your works will show that you are good from the script to the screen. In filmmaking, seeing is believing. You show more and talk less. A good film school is not judged by attractive curriculums or fine buildings, but by the quality of the faculty and the quality of the film and TV productions of the alumni in the film industry.

The alumni of MTF have won international awards and scholarships; including the Spotlight award at the 15th edition of the Mobile Film Festival held in Paris, France in 2019 and awards of scholarships from the New York Film Academy (NYFA)  among other notable achievements.

The other film schools in Nigeria should use the template of the MTF for the improvement of their curriculums in accordance with the international standards of the best film schools in the world and they should join the International Association of Film and Television Schools (Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision (CILECT)

https://www.cilect.org/

It is highly recommended to read the interview of MultiChoice Group CEO,  Yolisa Phahle .

TBI Spotlight On Africa: MultiChoice Group CEO Yolisa Phahle – TBI Vision
https://tbivision.com/2021/10/26/tbi-spotlight-on-africa-multichoice-group-ceo-yolisa-phahle/

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael China,

The Publisher/Editor,

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series.

Netflix Needs More Nigerian Content To Attract More Nigerians

#nigeria #banks #network #movies #tvseries #entertainment #Nollywood

#subscriptions #millennials #acquisition #amazon #africa

Netflix Needs More Nigerian Content To Attract More Nigerians

Some of the best Nigerian movies and TV series are not on #Netflix.
They are on DStv, iROKOtv, StarTimes and on other OTT platforms run by two leading Nigerian banks and one multinational GSM network.

I watch more than 20 Nigerian movies and five different series weekly on DStv and many trailers of new Nigerian movies every day released on Showmax and iROKOtv.

Netflix needs to comprehend the demographics of the population of Nigerian lower and upper Middle Class and Upper Class, who are the largest subscribers of cable TV channels and they are from the largest dominant tribes of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa Fulani. You have to show them movies and series they can relate with.

Netflix should balance the equation for the acquisition of Nigerian movies and series. Check out the #content on REDTV of UBA,  NdaniTV of GTBank and airtel TV of Nigeria. They have more exciting Nigerian movies and series with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
Increase your Nigerian content and  your Nigerian subscribers will increase with more new movies and series by new outstanding Nigerian producers preferred by the Nigerian millennials who are from the Middle Class and Upper Class of Nigeria whose population is over 35 million.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi

Film Distribution is No Longer the Problem of Nollywood

Film Distribution is No Longer the Problem of Nollywood

Widespread piracy and international film distribution were the recurrent problems of Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry before the attraction of the leading companies in acquisition and distribution in the global film industry through the participation of Nigerian filmmakers in international film festivals and markets in America and Europe.

The international exposure improved the quality of Nigerian movies in accordance with the criteria for international acquisition and distribution of film and TV productions with the use of the best digital cinema cameras and accessories from Canon, Sony, Blackmagic Design, Christie Digital and ARRI.

With the attractions of the MultiChoice Group, StarTimes, 

Canal+, Sky TV, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney, Lionsgate and others, Nigerian filmmakers cannot complain about the lack of access for the international acquisition and distribution of their movies. The only challenge to them is to produce very good movies to meet the growing demand for global content of top quality of international standards.

Nollywood has attracted Dolby for the best sound quality in film and TV productions, Hiventy for the best dubbing in different international languages of movies, TV dramas, comedies and series and Drylab R&D AS of Norway for the best set reports and workflows for film and TV productions.

 

Nollywood has also attracted the IMAX Corporation of Canada for mega cinemas and CanalOlympia of France. 

"It is very important for us to be close to Nollywood," Simon Minkowski, development director at Canal Olympia, told AFP.  

Another IMAX cinema is going to be built within the next five years.

There are other leading global companies with big budgets for international acquisition and distribution and are willing to acquire the film and TV rights to Nigerian content of which I have recommended two new movies by two outstanding Nigerian filmmakers. One of the movies is scheduled for theatrical release in local cinemas in Nigeria. They are also looking for new movies that can have international theatrical release.  

Success Iyoha, one of the actors for the "Naked Beauty".

My Big Picture of Nollywood is to see Nigerian movies grossing up to US$100 million globally in the next five years and to see Nollywood actors (both female and male) earning up to US$5 million for playing leading roles in big budget movies. The leading actor in my proposed first feature, "Naked Beauty" will earn US$500, 000 for her role alongside the African American A-List Hollywood actor. And she will still be under 30 years at the world premiere of the film in Europe. 

The final statement is international acquisition and distribution companies are available for the best film and TV productions from Nollywood.

And only the best is good enough for us. So, don't settle for less.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

The CEO,

International Digital Post Network Limited,

Publisher/Editor,

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,

@247nigeria Twitter,

Vuulr Program Partner,

International Acquisition and Distribution.

Drylab Ambassador for international productions,

Member, Digital Cinema Society.

Netflix is Improving the Quality of Nollywood To World Class Standards

Netflix is Improving the Quality of Nollywood To World Class Standards

#Netflix is actually helping #Nollywood to improve the quality of film and TV productions in the Nigerian film industry.

But MultiChoice is still accepting substandard movies from #Nollywood for the Africa Magic. They come cheap for as low as US$1200 per movie.

The producers say being seen on #DStv is an achievement and Netflix is their ultimate dream. Making it to Netflix is like winning an #Oscar to Nollywood filmmakers.

Netflix should only accept Nollywoood or #Kannywood movies with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, because it would boost the quality of the sound in the film and TV productions. 

Your sound begins from writing the screenplay: from the first draft and not the copy and paste soundtracks during the post production which is the common practice in Nollywood.

Using Dolby Vision is not rocket science. 

If Nollywood wants to improve on the quality of productions to qualify for the official selections of top international film festivals and nominations for the Academy Awards, Nigerian filmmakers have to use the same benchmarks for international productions as their counterparts and peers in the leading film Industries in the world.

And I am still waiting for the first Nigerian movie with Dolby Vision.

- By Ekeyerengozi MichaeI Chima,

Publisher/Editor,

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series,

@247nigeria Twitter

Africa Pay TV Forecasts Report 2020 Featuring Airtel, Amazon, Canal Plus Afrique, DStv, Globacom, GOtv, MTN, Netflix, Showmax,

Africa Pay TV Forecasts Report 2020 Featuring Airtel, Amazon, Canal Plus Afrique, DStv, Globacom, GOtv, MTN, Netflix, Showmax, StarSat, Tigo & Vodafone

Nearly 17 million pay TV subscribers will be added in Africa between 2020 and 2026 to take the total to 51 million. Nigeria will be close to 11 million, with South Africa bringing in another 9 million.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/africa-pay-tv-forecasts-report-2020-featuring-airtel-amazon-canal-plus-afrique-dstv-globacom-gotv-mtn-netflix-showmax-starsat-tigo--vodafone-301209252.htm

BET Networks and DStv Bring Auditions for BET's Hit Gospel Singing Competition 'SUNDAY BEST' to Nigeria Sunday, December 6

2 Dec 2009 17:47 Africa/Lagos


BET Networks and DStv Bring Auditions for BET's Hit Gospel Singing Competition 'SUNDAY BEST' to Nigeria Sunday, December 6

EVENT MARKS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF LAUNCH OF BET IN AFRICA Gospel Greats Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Kim Burrell and Muyiwa Olarewaju Invite Nigeria's Best Gospel Singers to the First Ever International Search for BET's Next Gospel Star BET Networks and MultiChoice to Hold Press Conference at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria

NEW YORK, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past year, through the agreement with MultiChoice, BET Networks has delivered high quality programming on DStv to countries in the sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. Since the November 30, 2008 launch BET has remarkably increased its reach from 11 to over 30 countries in the region. To commemorate its one year anniversary BET will bring its hit Gospel music competition series, SUNDAY BEST to Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday December 6, 2009.


(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )


Hosted by gospel legend Kirk Franklin, SUNDAY BEST returns for its third season in search of the next great gospel singer and expands its auditions outside of U.S. borders for the first time. Gospel greats and judges for the Nigerian try outs, Donnie McClurkin, Kim Burrell and British-Nigerian gospel artist Muyiwa Olarewaju, will join Franklin during the auditions at the Eko Hotel located at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Lagos, NG 12724. An episode of the new season of SUNDAY BEST will highlight footage taken from the Nigerian auditions and the series will air in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Africa reaching more than 101 million households around the world.


The first round of SUNDAY BEST auditions on Sunday, December 6, 2009 in Lagos, Nigeria will be open to the first 1000 contestants age 21 and older who have a government issued form of identification. Doors to the venue will open at 10:00 a.m. Contestants who make it past the first round will be asked to come back on Monday, December 7 and judges will then determine who will travel to the United States to compete during the third season of SUNDAY BEST. U.S. auditions cities and dates to be announced.


On Monday December 7 BET Senior Vice President and General Manager Michael D. Armstrong and MultiChoice Nigeria Managing Director Joseph Hundah will host a press conference at the Eko Hotel to discuss partnership achievements between the two companies, future programming and the expansion of SUNDAY BEST to Nigeria. Armstrong and Hundah, along with panelist gospel artists Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Kim Burrell and Muyiwa Olarewaju, SUNDAY BEST executive producers D'Angela Proctor Steed and Nia Hill and BET Vice President of International, Programming and Production Ava L. Hall will be present. "I'm pleased to mark BET's one-year celebration on DStv with this unique opportunity to showcase Nigeria's remarkable gospel singing talent for the millions of SUNDAY BEST viewers around the world," said Armstrong.


MultiChoice Nigeria Managing Director Joseph Hundah was also enthusiastic about the upcoming BET auditions saying, "Nigeria has some of the finest gospel singers in the world and so MultiChoice Nigeria is pleased and proud to be associated with this landmark BET initiative. We remain committed to developing strong and deep relationships with international and African channel suppliers to ensure that our partnerships create vital opportunities, such as this, to positively showcase Nigerian talent."


Available via DStv's Premium, Compact, Family and Access bouquets, BET provides consumers in Africa access to the network's top-rated and critically acclaimed shows, including 106 & PARK, THE MO'NIQUE SHOW, TINY & TOYA, MONICA: STILL STANDING, FIRST IN, THE BET HONORS, BOBBY JONES GOSPEL, and many more.


BET Networks is the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture, currently reaching more than 101 million households around the world. The programming that airs on BET on DStv include series and specials such as:


Series
-- 106 & PARK - As BET's highest-rated music and variety series of all
time, 106 & PARK has quickly become the leading music video countdown,
performance and interview show on television.
-- FIRST IN - Narrated by entertainment mogul Tyrese Gibson, FIRST IN
delves into the lives of Compton's firefighters and paramedics as they
try to balance the high stress of a gruesome 72-hour work schedule and
family life.
-- BOBBY JONES GOSPEL - BET's longest-running gospel program, BOBBY JONES
GOSPEL, returns for another divine season of uplifting performances
and special appearances - all hosted by veteran gospel show host, Dr.
Bobby Jones. This fall marks the show's 28th season.
-- THE MO'NIQUE SHOW - hosted by the extraordinary actress and comedienne
Mo'Nique, the show delivers viewers a fun-filled hour of
entertainment. From A-list celebrity guests to sizzling performances
by the hottest musical artists in the game, THE MO'NIQUE SHOW is BET
Networks' #1 late night show.
-- MONICA: STILL STANDING - After a brief hiatus from the music
industry, R&B singer Monica is back in the spotlight with an intimate,
profound docu-drama that takes a look at her day-to-day world in the
new original BET series MONICA: STILL STANDING.
-- TINY & TOYA - BET's brand new original series "Tiny & Toya" reveals
the lives of two best friends defining themselves despite the harsh
glare of the public Eye. Tiny's life with fiancee T.I. and Toya's
former life with ex-husband Lil Wayne is standard fodder for the
gossip mill. Now, for the first time, these two fascinating women get
to tell their own stories on their own terms.

Specials
-- BET AWARDS - The BET AWARDS brings together the best in entertainment,
music and sports and stands as the most-watched awards program for
African American viewers in cable television history.
-- THE BET HONORS - THE BET HONORS celebrates Black achievement in
business, entertainment, social justice and philanthropy while
providing the kind of award-winning, show-stopping musical
performances that make BET specials deliver huge results.
-- CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL - Always a star-studded gathering of gospel and
R&B greats, CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL holds the crown as the highest-rated
gospel program anywhere on television for eight years running.
-- CENTRIC PRESENTS: 2009 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS - Special honors the
longstanding careers and musical influences of legendary artists Chaka
Khan and Charlie Wilson, acknowledges the phenomenal star power and
showmanship of the late Michael Jackson with the special Entertainer
of the Year Award, and is guaranteed to take viewers on a
soul-stirring ride through Soul Train's most memorable moments.


In addition to delivering original programming to audiences in Africa, BET has continued the international expansion of its Emmy Award-winning pro-social initiative Rap-It-Up and extended the campaign into Africa, beginning with the 2008 special World AIDS Day programming such as the BET News special ARE YOU POSITIVE?


Since 1998, BET has partnered with the Kaiser Family Foundation on Rap-It-Up, a comprehensive public education campaign designed to inform young people about sexual health issues, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The award-winning campaign features special news programs, documentaries, public service announcements, online content, a U.S. toll-free hotline, community forums, mobile HIV testing events and school curricula.


ABOUT BET'S SUNDAY BEST


Back by popular demand, BET is on the search for the next great gospel singer. For two seasons, millions of viewers have tuned into SUNDAY BEST to get their "praise on!" Each week during the hour-long contest, viewers will be treated to musical performances from the remaining hopefuls along with candid feedback from the all-star team of judges and surprise visits from an array of celebrity mentors, until one singer is named SUNDAY BEST. Season three of SUNDAY BEST breaks into the international realm and will hold its first ever auditions abroad in Lagos, Nigeria. Prize packs for past SUNDAY BEST winners included national U.S. recording contracts, brand new vehicles, a prize package for the winner's community and the title of SUNDAY BEST.


ABOUT MULTICHOICE & DStv


MultiChoice Africa Limited is a multi-channel pay television platform providing premium services to 47 countries across the African continent and adjacent Indian Ocean islands. Through the range of DStv bouquets, the company provides quality television entertainment to Africa's rich diversity of cultural and language requirements.


Operations include subscriber management services and the management of a digital satellite television platform providing DStv which consists of a wide selection of video and audio channels 24 hours a day. MultiChoice Africa operates from four satellites over Africa, this includes the C-Band IS 10 satellite which covers the whole of Africa, the KU Band Eutelsat W4 satellite which stretches from Senegal in the West to Mauritius in the East, SESAT over central Africa and the KU Band IS 7 satellite which covers Southern Africa.


Through continuous innovation in technology and assembling an excellent range of bouquets, built around compelling news, as well as premium movie and sports channels, MultiChoice Africa has succeeded in adding significant value for subscribers and television consumers in Africa.


MultiChoice Africa Limited is a registered company based in Mauritius and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Naspers Group.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS


BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 97 million households and can be seen in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.


*For more on SUNDAY BEST please visit us at BET.com/SUNDAYBEST


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Tricia N. Newell, BET, +1-212-975-8230, tricia.newell@bet.net,
or Zabrina Horton, BET, +1-310-481-3737, zabrina.horton@bet.net, or Voncella
McIntosh, BET, +1-310-481-3732, Voncella.mcintosh@bet.net; or Segun Fayose,
MultiChoice Nigeria, 0803 402 3983, SFayose@multichoice.co.za


Web Site: http://www.bet.com/

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BET Networks and DStv Bring Auditions for BET's Hit Gospel Singing Competition 'SUNDAY BEST' to Nigeria Sunday, December 6
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Re: The Untold Story Of Distributing Newspapers And Magazines In Nigeria

Re: The Untold Story Of Distributing Newspapers And Magazines In Nigeria
« #1 on: April 18, 2009, 01:44 AM »

What can I say, Oriks? You hit it right on the button.

I admit, I'd rather borrow a newspaper to read than buy one myself - in fact, until a few years ago, the first things I looked for whenever I encountered a newspaper were crossword puzzles and cartoons. Honestly, I can't even remember when last I bought a newspaper. As for mags, I've never bought one in my life - never! - and yet I write short stories and poems. I even published a novel last year. Says it all, doesn't it?

Perhaps it has to do with the way one is brought up; my dad stopped buying papers when I was like eleven - harsh times, not enough spill-over "change" to spend on such luxuries anymore. I wouldn't have noticed if not the sudden unavailability of newspaper cartoons. After that, the only other times I really missed not having newspapers and mags around were in college; at least once every term, some hair-brained teacher would saunter into the class and ask us to look some issue in the newspapers, or (even more often) to just cut out some certain pictures from magazines and put 'em up in a card-board paper album. Sic!

But about the "Nigerian" tendency to borrow rather than buy tabloids, I think it is more than just the natural inclination to take advantage of an "awoof" - going over to the paper-stand and "paying-as-you-read", rather than buy the entire caboodle. Really, it goes beyond that - its the internet and cable TV. Switch on the TV or click at a link online, and Eureka! you get all the information and whatever else you ever wanted.

Three months, an free online magazine I subscribe to (Hackwriters.com; you probably know it) announced that it was going belly-up. The magazine accepts write-ups from subscribers and publishes select ones every month on real, hard copy publications (like you do, Oriks); the editor uses the proceeds to keep the mag and the website afloat. Then sometime in February, I get this mail saying there won't be any March publications; reasons: low sales, can't keep up with all them blog sites and online forums. I never bought a copy of the mag myself (thing was sold in USDs, darn expensive, plus I have that habit with mags, you know ), but what about them britons and americans? If even they won't buy mags and papers no more, then there's a lota trouble. And you know else? It's not just the Punch and other Nigerian papers that are recording all time lows; LA Times, Chicago Tribune, you know 'em, they are all low on sales, too - I think I posted something on that sometime ago . . .

Anyway, to cut down a long winding tale to a short winding one, it's not just the "pay-as-you-read" and "read-and-dash-me" syndrome (they contribute, yes, that has always been the status quo, even back when Punch was selling 200,000 copies); CNN, DSTv, Google, Bloggers and yes, even our own dear Nairaland have contributed more. Remember, over 70% of the newspaper buyers and almost 90% of the magazine buyers in Nigeria are either in or above the middle class, and these folks DEFINITELY won't stand at a news-stand to "pay-as-you-read".

~ By Kay 9