Tag Archives: BBC Africa

African networks shop for factual at Beyond

August 12, 2021NewsA+E Television Networks Africa, Azam Media, BBC Africa, Beyond Rights, CBS Africa, Discovery MENA, OSNJohn Winfield

Sheridan Smith hosting the UK version of Pooch Perfect

Programme buyers in Africa have agreed deals for English-language factual programming from UK-based distributor Beyond Rights.

A+E Television Networks Africa – a US-owned Johannesburg company that operates channels such as History, Crime+Investigation and Lifetime on the DStv platform in Africa – has licensed seasons seven and eight of property series Love It or List It (38×60’) and two seasons of Filthy House SOS (18×60’).

Meanwhile, BBC Africa – which operates channels such as CBeebies, BBC Brit and BBC Earth in parts of the continent from South Africa – has bought the first season of dog grooming format Pooch Perfect UK (8×60’).

Additionally, CBS Africa has bought two of Beyond’s true crime offerings in Murder in the Outback: The Falconio & Lees Mystery (4×60’) and Handsome Devils (10×60’). CBS Africa owns channels such as CBS Reality and CBS Justice, which broadcast in Africa via DStv.

Tanzanian company Azam Media, meanwhile, has also gone for crime, buying drama series Halifax: Retribution (8×60’) for its channel.

In related news, UAE-based Middle East/North Africa (MENA) pay TV network OSN has bought 190 hours of factual content from Beyond Rights, including docuseries Maternity 24/7 (6×60’) and Hitched in Vegas (10×60’), plus seven seasons of property and lifestyle title Love it or List It (174×60’).

Meanwhile, Discovery MENA has picked up the fifth season of Abandoned Engineering (12×60’) for the Middle East and Africa.

Holly Cowdery, Beyond Rights’ VP of sales for the region, said: “As broadcasters and platforms across Africa and the Middle East expand their reach and broaden their offering, we are seeing a growing opportunity for a wide range of our content.”

tagged in: A+E Television Networks Africa, Azam Media, BBC Africa, Beyond Rights, CBS Africa, Discovery MENA, OSN

BBC Africa debuts Covid-19 updates

May 14, 2020NewsAfrica Coronavirus Minute, BBC Africa, Covid-19, Nisha Kapur, Sharon Machira, The BreakdownGary

BBC Africa, which delivers pan-African content in indigenous languages, has launched a weekly Covid-19 TV programme called The Breakdown as well as the bitesize Africa Coronavirus Minute.

The Breakdown is presented by Sharon Machira and will reveal what African governments are doing, what lockdown cost entails, relevant health information, answers from experts on the myths surrounding the pandemic and quarantine tips showcasing the ways people are coping while in quarantine.

The Coronavirus Minute will air twice daily, providing updates in the form of short bite-sized audio content. This is in addition to the Covid-19 video bulletins that are available across the BBC’s 12 language services for Africa.

The new launches are aimed at providing audiences across Africa and globally with the latest updates on the pandemic as it moves through the continent.

Nisha Kapur, head of TV commissioning for Africa at the BBC, says: “With the amount of information and disinformation around Covid-19, audiences can turn to The Breakdown for factual, accurate and engaging content on what is actually happening and what they can do. The Breakdown brings the best of BBC Africa all in one place.”

Mary Lusiba, the BBC’s head of Africa business development, added: “At a critical time such as this, audiences seek out trusted and reliable news and information. BBC Africa is making every effort to offer audiences unrivalled news and information on the impact, implications and solutions around the corona pandemic in Africa across radio, TV and online through our vast partner network.”

BBC Africa is also hosting a number of Facebook live specials in English, Swahili and Somali that address topics such as how the virus has affected Africa and financing healthcare in Africa.

BBC Africa ensures a pan-African approach to the output, offering audiences opportunities to join the global conversation and has teams based in London and across sub-Saharan Africa.

In Nigeria, the service airs on Silverbird TV, Silverbird News 24, Wazobia TV, TVC News, ABS TV, NTA Network and on other channels.

tagged in: Africa Coronavirus Minute, BBC Africa, Covid-19, Nisha Kapur, Sharon Machira, The Breakdown

BBC Africa unveils election coverage

January 24, 2019News#TheSheWord, BBC Africa, BBC World Service Group, Elections, Fact Finder, Jamie Angus, Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, TheGistGary

BBC Africa is planning full coverage of the Nigerian general elections taking place next month with new TV and radio programmes set to air on stations across the country.

The coverage, including interviews with commentators and politicians, will be aired in various languages, such as the BBC News services in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Pidgin.

A statement published on the BBC Media Centre reads: “As Nigeria prepares to hold elections on February 16, BBC Africa will be offering comprehensive coverage for our local and international audiences across radio, TV, online and social media.

“During the campaign period there will be special programming across all BBC Africa’s 12 language services, including English and French as well as Nigeria-based BBC News Yoruba, BBC News Hausa, BBC News Igbo and BBC News Pidgin.”

The TV programmes include #TheSheWord, a women-in-politics discussion programme, and Fact Finder, a show that aims to verify the facts about claims made during the election campaign.

Meanwhile, TheGist, produced in partnership by Channels TV and the BBC World Service Group, aims to help Nigerian audiences understand the news better.

Jamie Angus, deputy director of the World Service Group, said: “We wanted to make a weekly programme in partnership with a trusted partner and Channels TV is the right partner; they have great coverage.

“The weekly half-hour show will help people understand issues behind the news. It is going to have a mixture of international news and is strictly for Nigerians.”

The BBC’s head of West Africa languages, Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, said: “We are prepared to deliver memorable coverage of what is set to be the most competitive election in Nigeria, and even across Africa.

“Our audiences across the continent and around the world can now keep up to date with the action in 12 languages including English, Hausa and the newly launched Igbo, Pidgin and Yoruba languages.

“We will bring key interviews from politicians, commentators and viewpoints from voters on the ground. From every state, whatever the issue, BBC Africa will be there.”

BBC Africa has also revealed that more than 50 reporters will be on the ground to cover the elections.

tagged in: #TheSheWord, BBC Africa, BBC World Service Group, Elections, Fact Finder, Jamie Angus, Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, TheGist