Tag Archives: Kwesé

Mmabatho Kau takes Rapid Blue role

November 22, 2021NewsBBC Studios, Beyond The River, Happiness Ever After, Kalushi: The Solomon Mahlangu Story, Kwesé, Mmabatho Kau, Rapid Blue, SABC, Soul City 12, Ziyanda NgcabaGary

BBC Studios-backed South African prodco Rapid Blue has appointed experienced TV exec Mmabatho Kau as its new head of scripted.

The newly created role will see Kau develop and drive Rapid Blue’s ambitions in scripted content and sourcing new business opportunities.

Kau has over 20 years’ experience as a producer, development executive and broadcaster. She has produced a variety of shows in South Africa, including a 26-part South African educational drama Soul City 12 for SABC.

She has also worked as a script consultant on films such as Happiness Ever After (the sequel to Happiness is a Four Letter Word) Kalushi: The Solomon Mahlangu Story and Beyond The River.

Kau has also managed an entertainment TV channel and led the original content department for pan-African satellite TV network KWESE.

Ziyanda Ngcaba, MD at Rapid Blue, said: “Following more than 30 years of producing award-winning unscripted content for African audiences, Mmabatho is an important hire to fulfil our ambition for growth in scripted.

“Rapid Blue has already seen success in scripted production, having produced two seasons of Is’thunzi for Mzansi Magic, with Thuso Mbedu, who received two iEmmy nominations for Best Actress. I am confident that with Mmabatho’s varied experiences and ability to craft and produce African stories that resonate globally, she will carve a new path for Rapid Blue.”

Rapid Blue is behind Come Dine with Me South Africa, now in its seventh season, and local versions of Celebrity Game Night and The Bachelorette, amongst many others. It is also producing a local version of Family Feud with the show’s US host, Steve Harvey.

tagged in: BBC Studios, Beyond The River, Happiness Ever After, Kalushi: The Solomon Mahlangu Story, Kwesé, Mmabatho Kau, Rapid Blue, SABC, Soul City 12, Ziyanda Ngcaba

Kwesé partners with Alpha Networks

April 16, 2018NewsAlpha Network, KweséJohn Winfield

Econet Media-owned African broadcaster Kwesé has partnered with Alpha Networks to distribute its over-the-top services.

The partnership will ensure a wider reach of Kwesé TV across several African countries, via a single platform.

Joseph Hundah, CEO of Econet Media, said: “We are excited to partner with Alpha Networks in the creation of a seamless end-user experience for our Kwesé Play and Kwesé TV offerings using the Tucano back-end software platform.

“As we continue to penetrate markets in the rest of the continent, we look forward to an enhanced customer engagement through this partnership.”

Alpha Networks is a technology company with a hybrid back-end platform that manages content and subscriptions. It helps pay TV service providers to personalise user experiences, monetise content and increase the quality of content.

tagged in: Alpha Network, Kwesé

Iflix hires for global partnerships

April 16, 2018NewsCoconuts Media., iflix, Kwesé, Luis Duran, TIMWE GroupGary

Malaysian SVoD service iflix has appointed a global head of partnerships as it begins to build up its position following investment from pan-African entertainment company Kwesé.

Luis Duran is a telecoms expert and former exec at Portuguese multinational TIMWE Group. He is sxpected to draw on his global leadership and business development experience in the telecoms, technology and fast-moving consumer goods sectors to expand iflix’s reach.

He was previously head of telco TIMWE’s EMEA business and also served as an advisor to telcos in the Middle East and Africa at advisory and investment firm Delta Partners.

Econet Media-backed Kwesé, which already had a distribution deal with iflix in Africa, acquired a “significant stake” in iflix’s African operation, with the SVoD firm becoming the “core” mobile offering for the pay TV operator, providing local African series and international programming to viewers.

Additionally, iflix has boosted its Asian content output through the launch of documentary series Coconuts TV in association with Coconuts Media.

tagged in: Coconuts Media., iflix, Kwesé, Luis Duran, TIMWE Group

Econet’s Kwesé takes iflix stake

February 21, 2018NewsEconet Media, Hearst, iflix, Kwesé, Mark Britt, Strive Masiyiwa, SVoDGary

Econet Media-backed pan-African entertainment company Kwesé has acquired an undisclosed stake in SVoD service iflix, based in Malaysia.

Kwesé, which already had a distribution deal with iflix in Africa, has acquired what is being described as a “significant stake” in iflix’s African operation. Further details have not been revealed.

Iflix will now become the “core” mobile offering for the pay TV operator, providing local African series and international programming to viewers.

Kwese said the deal would allow it to offer “an exceptional mobile offering for consumers on the continent.”

Strive Masiyiwa, Econet Group’s founder and executive chairman, said: “We are thrilled to deepen our operating partnership with iflix to lead the transformation of media in Africa.

“Our companies share a mutual passion for innovation, along with a deep understanding of the culture and evolution of digital businesses. Mobility in content consumption has grown exponentially in Africa and by partnering with iflix Africa we are ensuring that we are not only taking part in the evolution, but are leading the movement.”

Mark Britt, iflix Group’s co-founder and CEO, described the deal as “a huge milestone” for his company.

“Following the initial phase of building our business in Africa, we have seen tremendous growth across our operating markets, far exceeding our expectations. Econet’s deep experience and success in media and telecoms will be a huge advantage and enable us to continue to grow rapidly.”

Kwesé is present in 13 countries while iflix claims to be available to more than one billion consumers in 24 territories throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Last year, iflix secured a US$133m funding round with investors including US media giant Hearst. Existing shareholders such as US cable giant Liberty Global and European pay TV operator Sky were also part and have increased their investments in Netflix’s rival.

Last year’s round took the total funding raised by iflix in 2017 to more than US$220m. The firm launched in May 2015.

The company has also been agreeing distribution partnerships with telecommunications operators to bundle the iflix service with customers’ mobile and data subscriptions.

tagged in: Econet Media, Hearst, iflix, Kwesé, Mark Britt, Strive Masiyiwa, SVoD