EXPANSION PLANS
M-Net tunes in to Africa’s local needs
The prolific broadcaster has bigger plans to add to its Africa Magic channels, writes David Furlonger
Increasing demand for programmes in local languages offers M-Net huge growth potential across Africa, says CEO Yolisa Phahle. The South African-based broadcaster, which recently celebrated its 30th birthday, is already a prolific content producer in other countries and plans to extend its footprint in coming years. UK-born Phahle, who ran M-Net’s South African activities before her appointment as Africa-wide head in October 2015, says M-Net produces a steady stream of programming out of its Nigerian studios and through local producers. Although this output is aimed primarily at West African viewers, some is available in SA on M-Net’s Africa Magic channels. Language is a particular issue. A single country may be home to a dozen or more. In Kenya and Tanzania, the populations speak different forms of Swahili. In all, M-Net broadcasts in 10 languages. The rise of new technology, particularly smartphones, is changing the way people consume programming. Smartphones in Africa outnumber te...
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