The Africa Channel

World Screen Weekly, October 4, 2007

COUNTRY: U.S.A.

LAUNCH DATE: September 1, 2005, in the U.S. and August 20, 2007 in the U.K. on Sky.

NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS: 10 million across the U.S. and the U.K.

DESCRIPTION: A 24-hour general-entertainment network, The Africa Channel serves as a window into modern Africa, as well as a tool to demystify the continent. It is the first and only U.S.-based television network to present Africa’s English-language dramas, feature films, cultural and historical programming, music, soap operas, reality series and talk shows, as well as lifestyle, business and travel programming.

CO–FOUNDER & CEO: James Makawa

CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT: Jacob Arback

CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE VP, COMMUNICATIONS: Richard E. Hammer

EXECUTIVE VP & GENERAL MANAGER: Bob Reid

EXECUTIVE VP, PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION: Shirley Neal

EXECUTIVE VP, AFFILIATE SALES: Eric Brown

PROGRAMMING STRATEGY: The Africa Channel was created for an audience whose “viewing habits go beyond just entertainment,” says James Makawa, the channel’s co-founder and CEO. “They are explorers; the same people who are watching Discovery Channel, National Geographic and 60 Minutes or listening to NPR,” he explains. With a broad audience base that stretches from kids through adults, The Africa Channel differentiates itself from other networks that air African content. “We’re the Discovery/Nat Geo without the animals,” Makawa jokes. “We are there to amplify the African experience from a human standpoint. It’s about human stories, human success and dealing with the tragedies as well.”

A goal for the channel is to open people’s eyes to the real happenings of modern Africa. “The only thing we ever see here [in the U.S.] about Africa is about war and famine and there are so many other things going on on the continent that we want people to be aware of. We’d like to see more people traveling there and more people getting a better understanding of this place that has been portrayed as such a mysterious, dark land�which couldn’t be further from the truth,” says Makawa.

Close to 85 percent of the content is licensed from African broadcasters and producers. For example, travel and lifestyle series such as Going Nowhere Slowly and Africa Within are all done with African correspondents. As is the daily 30-minute series Studio 53, which profiles African art, travel, fashion and entertainment with a wide range of celebrity guests. The series covers the 53 countries that comprise the African continent.

The channel has been faring well with its soap operas Generations and Isidingo. Generations is set against the backdrop of the advertising industry. Isidingo is set in city that is split between its industrious middle class and the world of the rich and ruthless. Both programs are shown five days a week.

In terms of original productions, which represent the remaining 15 percent of the network’s schedule, music concerts and event specials lead the slate. These programs showcase the best in contemporary and traditional African music, highlighted by exclusive concert series that feature the biggest names in the African music industry. The Africa Channel Presents is a block that provides a front-row-seat to high-profile events, including a behind-the-scenes look at an exclusive photo shoot featured in Vanity Fair’s Africa Issue.

WHAT’S NEW: Looking ahead, Makawa acknowledges the need for every network to develop content for new media. “In this digital age, you can’t be a one-horse wonder, so to speak. You have to develop things for all of these multiple platforms and we are in the process of it. Any new productions we do, we’re always looking at other things that we can set aside for cell phones and all the other new media.”

The Africa Channel is looking to build its Africa Channel Sports strand, which kicked off earlier this month with the 24th edition of the African Basketball Championship. The tournament is held every two years and is broadcast live in more than 40 African countries. In addition to basketball offerings, Makawa notes that the channel would also like to add soccer and other sporting events.

Following on the successful launch of The Africa Channel in the U.K., Makawa says there are plans to continue the network’s expansion into other territories. “There’s more to come and we’re just making sure that we get as broad [a range] of carriage deals as we possibly can. The distribution is key and I think we are well on our way,” he says. “It’s not just a channel for the U.S., even though we started it here. It’s a channel that we are taking around the entire world.”

WEBSITE: www.theafricachannel.com

—By Kristin Brzoznowski