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THE CHANNEL
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ISSUE 1 2013
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05
GUNDA CANNON EDITOR
HackingTV
Can 'buildingcoolstuff'solve
TV'sproblems?
P34
REMOTECELLULAR
Ip.access small cell
technologymakes itpossible
P20
OPENINGUPAFRICA
Eutelsat creatinggateways
and space for ideas
P48
PICTUREPERFECT
NHKWorldTVgoes for
nextgenerationHDTV
THE INTERNATIONALMEDIAMAGAZINEFORTV,RADIO,ONLINE&MOBILE
ISSUE1 |2013
Archivegoese-
Howtocapitaliseonyourarchive
innewmediamarkets
TheChannel
The Channel
is the
international media
magazine for TV, radio,
online andmobile,
published by AIB, the
Association for
International
Broadcasting
Through this magazine
and its online publications
AIB reaches in excess of
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Contact us now to
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE &
MANAGING EDITOR
Simon Spanswick
E
EDITOR
Gunda Cannon
E
Are you taking the Fastjet to Africa? In case you
haven't heard, it's a no-frills airline using a fleet of
Airbus A319 aircraft. Everyone is interested in
Africa, everyone wants to be jetting there soon.
I was fascinated by the round of interviews for this
edition, could have gone on talking for hours with
each interviewee. Except that the telephone lines
were atrocious at times. The fact that the fixed
telephone lines in Nigeria have practically
collapsed is part of the reality of Africa – even in a
country exporting oil electricity cuts happen
frequently and leave your TV screens blank. But as
always, one man's problem is another man's
opportunity: bypassing the infrastructure problems
of Africa, satellite is leaping in with internet by
satellite, with the help of low-energy tablets that
can be charged. Eutelsat, SES and SatLink have
interesting approaches.
All my interview partners were agreed that despite
the frustrations on many fronts it is right now an
incredibly exciting time to be on this vibrant
continent of Africa. It is a time of firsts: such as
setting up TVC News, the first pan-African
channel by Africans for Africans. It is a time of
Africans doing business in their warm and
personal style, running out their plans, and being
courted by a number of companies who are
promising them all sorts of clever solutions.
Technology is key, one just has to look at the role
of the mobile phone in all aspects of daily life.
Whereas a newspaper produced in the capital city
takes up to two days to get to the rural areas - if it
ever gets there – the mobile allows you to be up-to-
date by receiving some kind of news and
information. Beyond that, very interesting what
Joel Kibazo has to say about the role of mobile
with regard to governance. And Nick Johnson
explains very nicely how small cells make it
possible in the first place to use a mobile in the
most remote parts of Africa.
Voice of Nigeria's DG Jijiwa makes the point that
the values that are relevant to Africa are very much
the same as in other parts of the world. He is right
of course. Let us hope that some of the present
irregularities will soon be a thing of the past, such
as polarisation of the media and advertisers being
reluctant to place their ads within private media
for fear of reprisal. The creation of AMI has had a
profound effect on the African media landscape
but as Amadou Ba knows only too well there is
still much to be done. No doubt the world and its
media will be watching – or wanting to get
involved.
I hope you enjoy this edition.
WELCOME
The values
that are
relevant to
Africa are very
much the same
as in other
parts of the
world
”
“
REGIONAL HEAD |
SOUTH ASIA
Amitabh Srivastava
E
ADVERTISING
MatthewPorter
Sales and Marketing
Executive
T
+44 20 7993 2557
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Channel print edition
is available on subscription
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The views and opinions
expressed in
The Channel
are not necessarily those
of AIB. The publisher
accepts no responsibility
for errors, omissions or
the consequences thereof
Copyright
© 2013
Association for
International Broadcasting
ISSN
1477-8718
Print
BuxtonPress, Buxton, UK
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