Cox set to bow Africa Channel
July 18, 2005
By Georg Szalai


NEW YORK -- The Africa Channel, a new independent cable network showcasing soaps, films, music, reality TV and news shows from the African continent, is set to launch on Cox Communications cable systems on the digital tier in September.

The founders of the Los Angeles-based, advertising-supported, 24/7 general entertainment network, which also has an office in Johannesburg , South Africa . "Our network will serve an important cultural need while providing diverse, entertaining programming that demystifies Africa to the American television audience" and that has never been seen in the U.S. before, Africa Channel CEO James Makawa said. "We also want to highlight that there is a lot of good stuff going on in Africa ."

He and fellow founders Jacob Arback, who serves as president, and executive vp communications Richard Hammer said in a conversation last week that their past work experience in Africa gave them the contacts that allowed for content deals that make economic sense and allow them to showcase high-quality, English-language African content on the network.

Among the more than 1,200 hours of original and first-run programming the channel has are favorites from the South African Broadcasting Corp., Summit TV, Endemol and other content suppliers. That content will be presented on the Africa Channel based on the programming by day-parts that U.S. audiences are used to, executives said.

The channel's flagship series will include "Carte Blanche Africa," a weekly full-hour investigative program a la "60 Minutes"; reality shows "Big Brother Africa" and "All You Need is Love"; award-winning soaps "Generations" and "Isidingo"; as well as special annual events like modeling competition "M-Net's Face of Africa."

Original series on the channel include "Conversations With Felicia," hosted by African talk show icon Felicia Mabuza-Suttle; "AfricaMusic!" a VJ-hosted music series; and, premiering in 2006, "Africa Today," a half-hour weekday wrapup of news, features and lifestyle reports from the continent hosted by Doreen Morris and former ABC News correspondent Kenneth Walker.

Executives said the channel's programming also lends itself to video-on-demand packages in addition to traditional channel carriage deals.

Asked about the target demographic, Makawa compared the potential audience to that of the Discovery networks and said "it really cuts across religious, ethic and other lines."

The Africa Channel has been funded and supported by sports, entertainment and political figures. a, said they also are in discussions with other distributors and expect to conclude additional carriage agreements soon (HR 5/10).
Its key partners are Andrew Young, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and his advisory firm Goodworks International, production company Weller/Grossman Prods. and NBA players Dikembe Mutombo and Theo Ratliff.

Africa Channel advertisers are expected to come from among global corporations that also do or want to do business in Africa , as well as African tourism and other firms, the founders said.

Originally from Zimbabwe , Makawa served as a correspondent with NBC News in New York and Chicago and, among other things, also co-founded the African Barter Co., Africa 's first barter syndication firm. Arback was a vp at DirecTV International among his various previous jobs, and Hammer has worked for Buena Vista International, Paramount Television and Columbia Pictures.