DISBOOK - The Africa 2012 Edition - (Page 131)
Tr e n d s a n d b u si n e ss - Disbook AfricA 2012
Discover Discovery in Africa at Discop Africa
for about the last six years, discovery has been intent, in partnership with DStv, on building significant business in Africa. Here, Phillip Luff, country Manager for Emerging Business at discovery Networks in central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Europe, and former cEo at XYZ Australia, tells disBooK Africa, why the continent is so important to his company.
Luff is a man with a great deal of responsibility, having overall control of all Discovery channels in Africa, Turkey and the Middle East. But he is clear on one point, “My special focus at the moment,” he insists, “is Africa.” There are a number of reasons for this. One is that Discovery believes that its access to both content and talent will allow it to grow significantly in what is fast becoming a very important market for the audiovisual content business. Currently, Discovery operates six channels across Sub-Saharan Africa on DStv and Top TV, although the channels on Top TV are only available in South Africa. However, Luff is clear that he is determined to grow beyond this reach, saying, “There are gaps in the market, and I think we have the scale to grow across the continent, even if that means that some channels might be offered on a non-exclusive basis.” One example of this planned growth is the presence of Discovery channels on Star Times in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. In fact, the company now operates a Pay TV business available in 47 African countries, supplying content to cable, satellite and IPTV operators across the region. TLC has become the number one lifestyle channel for wo-
men in South Africa, where it has a particular appeal to young black women. Luff believes this is because, “It is an inspirational channel with an emphasis on self improvement, and it also shows women in vital roles such as mothers and doctors Discovery’s growth to date has been impressive since its launch in South Africa in 1996, with just Discovery and Animal planet. The portfolio expansion was undertaken in 2010, when Africa’s largest satellite operator, DStv, launched Discovery HD Showcase and Discovery World, increasing the group’s presence in Africa to four channels. The group’s offer in Africa increased to six channels in October last year when TLC and Discovery Investigation launched on DStv. However, Luff is clear that, “This is by no means the totality of our business in the region. We also have a sales team that is very active in selling across the continent, and we are increasingly active in the area of merchandising, although I must admit this is a business that is still in its early stages of development.” But this is not the only opportunity that Discovery is building for itself in Africa. It is also looking to launch many more of its premiere channels such as Science,
which currently is available in 68 million homes outside of the US, and ID: Investigation Discovery, which is currently in 27 million households outside of America. Luff is convinced that, “One of the reasons we have become the leading factual entertainment broadcaster in Africa is because we offer a flexible operation with a strong ability to adapt to the fast changing dynamics of the new markets and local platform developments.” This is a view backed up by the fact that in 2010, Discovery was voted the number one factual broadcaster in Kenya and Nigeria, and earlier this year was also voted Broadcaster of the Year at the SatCom awards. But Discovery’s operations in Africa are not just about sales and channel launches; they also shoot a number of their flagship series on the continent, such as RIVER MONSTERS, presented by Jeremy Wade, and also INTO THE DRAGON’S LAIR. All in all, it is clear that Discovery’s presence in Africa is growing and permanent—and that the company has very good reasons for ensuring it stays that way.
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http://www.discoveryenterprisesinternational.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DISBOOK - The Africa 2012 Edition
Cover
Foreword - Welcome to Johannesburg!
Content
Conference Program
- English Version
- Version Française
Joburg Vibes
- Street Talks
- Drum Archive
- Made in Maboneng
- The Bioscope
- Faces
First Look
- Watercolors of love - Siri
- Mooz-Lum - Meet the Adebanjo’s
- Irrational Heart - Destiny River
- City of Men - Black hands
Trends & Business
- Made in Africa / Made for Africa
- The titans of laamb
- Inside «Inside Story»
- Ecology of african audiovisual content industry
- Gems from the namibian film collection
- The century of formats
- Great formats will come from Africa
- Partners wanted
- How many people (really) watch TV in Africa?
- Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ?
- Africa’s digital switchover is coming - The question is when ?
- Intelsat’s epic
- China in Africa
- Zee : from a to z
- The Brazilians are coming !
- Against all odds
- Discover Discovery in Africa at Discop Africa
- Television with a purpose - A detailed look at educational television
- Branded Entertainment
- Hot docs-Blue ice, a unique opportunity for African documentary makers
- A solution to Africa’s thorny problem of dubbing costs
- Mission statement
Country report
- ALGERIA
- ANGOLA
- BENIN
- BOSTWANA
- BURKINA FASO
- BURUNDI
- CABO VERDE
- CAMEROON
- CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
- CHAD
- COMOROS
- DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- DJIBOUTI
- EGYPT
- EQUATORIAL GUINEA
- ERITREA
- ETHIOPIA
- GABON
- GAMBIA
- GHANA
- GUINEA BISSAU
- GUINEA CONAKRY
- IVORY COAST / CÔTE D'IVOIRE
- KENYA
- LESOTHO
- LIBERIA
- LYBIA
- MADAGASCAR
- MALAWI
- MALI
- MAURITANIA
- MAURITIUS
- MOROCCO
- MOZAMBIQUE
- NAMIBIA
- NIGER
- NIGERIA
- REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
- RWANDA
- SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
- SIERRA LEONE
- SENEGAL
- SEYCHELLES
- SOMALIA
- SOUTH AFRICA
- SOUTH SUDAN
- SUDAN
- SWAZILAND
- TANZANIA
- TOGO
- TUNISIA
- UGANDA
- ZAMBIA
- ZIMBABWE
Speakers
Participants
Index Advertisers
DISBOOK - The Africa 2012 Edition
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