MSNBC Expands to Southern Africa

NEW YORK, November 15: On
Monday, November 19, U.S. news channel MSNBC will roll out in Southern Africa
via the free-to-air satellite platform Free2View TV.

The channel, MSNBC Africa,
is a joint venture between Great Media and MSNBC. It will deliver breaking
news, documentaries and discussion of topical events. Free2View will air
MSNBC’s 4 p.m.-to-12 a.m. programming in a block that will repeat twice. The
first airing will be live. The channel will also include regular Southern
Africa weather forecasts from Weather Plus.

“This expansion is
integral to NBC News’ commitment to growing its business internationally,” said
Steve Capus, the president of NBC News. “The opportunities are limitless and as
MSNBC continues to grow and thrive within the U.S., the timing is right for us
to increase its global presence as well.”

“MSNBC—led by Keith
Olberman—is witnessing double-digit growth nationally and this momentum
is allowing us to take advantage of these global opportunities,” said Adam
Jones, the VP and chief financial officer of NBC News. “We’ve set an aggressive
plan to increase the global reach of this news division and this distribution
deal will ensure that more people—now worldwide—will get their news
from NBC News.”

MSNBC launched in the U.S.
in 1996. Built on the worldwide resources of NBC News, it features a full
schedule of live news coverage, political analysis and documentary programming
24 hours a day, seven days a week.

—By Irene Lew