Camelot coming to Fox Entertainment from 18 October.

Fox Entertainment (HiTV 015/TopTV 180/MyTV 002/Zuku) has scored the first-run pay TV broadcasting rights to the lavish, big-budget TV drama Camelot with Joseph Fiennes as Merlin Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur and Eva Green as Morgan with Fox Entertainment planning to start broadcasting Camelot from Tuesday 18 October in Africa.

Camelot is now the latest hot show going to a Fox, following big-buzz dramas The Walking Dead, Falling Skies and quite posibly, also soon the new Dallas.

The big-budget Camelot telling the tale of a young Arthur who's not yet King Arthur, was filmed on location in Ireland. The terrific adult drama filled with sex, sword-fighting, sorcery, comedy and excellent production values started on the Starz channel in America in February. The first season of Camelot retelling the Arthurian legend with several mysteries, twists and fascinating plot developments besides some quite breathtaking scenery has 10 episodes.

Due to hefty production hurdles, the ambitious show announced at the end of June that there won't be a second season of Camelot although the show started off strong and viewership went up s the season concluded its last episodes. ''Due to significant production challenges, Starz has decided not to exercise the option for subsequent seasons of Camelot with our production partners GK-tv, Octagon Films and Take 5 Productions,'' the production said in a statement.

The elaborate costumes, props and magnificent sets of Camelot contributing to the million dollar per episode budget, as well as the intricate scheduling conflicts amongst some of the show's main stars, led Starz to throw in the towel. Camelot is however definitely worth watching.


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Steven Spielberg's new Falling Skies lands on Fox Entertainment July 4th.

The new highly anticipated Steven Spielberg drama Falling Skies starting in Africa on Fox Entertainment (HiTV Channel15 /MyTV Africa/ Zuku TV /Top TV) on Monday 4 July at 7:15pm (Nigerian time) is an out-the-box TV hit in America where the first two hour premiere Sunday had a record viewership.

Falling Skies had 5,9 million viewers Sunday night in America which makes it the most-watched start of any TV show this year on a pay TV channel in America, and even beating the popular The Walking Dead that started with 5,3 million viewers in America.

In Falling Skies Noah Wyle plays a dad Tom Mason in Boston who leads a group of resistance fighters after aliens have attacked and invaded Earth while he's looking for his one son who has been ''altered'' by the aliens looking for teenagers. African viewers will only be three episodes behind America with Falling Skies that will have a definite full first season of 10 episodes.

Kidsco launches video games morning slot.

International kids channel KidsCo has announced the international launch of a new breakfast block of video games.From 6:00am to 9:00amNigerian time, kids will start weekdays with a range of video game heroes first run exclusives as well as classic and original productions. This includes series like Turbo Dogs, Sonic Underground, Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong and Boo&Me2. The shows have been selected for KidsCo’s different regions based on popularity.

“We know what different localities want and this is our way of giving it to them in a controlled way” commented Programming Director Eileen McCarthy. Joint owned by NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment and Cookie Jar Entertainment, Kidsco is now rolling out into 93 territories worldwide in 18 languages.



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FX now available on Kenya’s Zuku TV

The male oriented FX channel has been launched in Kenya on pay-TV platform Zuku TV, bringing to six the available offer from Fox International Channels (FIC) now in the East African country.
Kenyan viewers already have access to Fox Entertainment, Baby TV, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Wild, and National Geographic Adventure.

Kenya’s broadcast market is currently in transition from analogue to digital transmission, which has allowed a number of new private entrants to the scene, including triple play cable operator Zuku TV, operated by the Wananchi Group.

Zuku TV is currently available via cable to higher income families in Nairobi, and plans to roll out its fibre network to urban areas nationwide – as well as launching a satellite TV service in April.

“Given the exciting changes, Kenya is an important country for us to be in, and we see this as our firm entry into the East African market,” said Thandi Davids, regional director, Africa, FIC.

FX has been broadcast in sub-Saharan Africa since May 2010 via Top TV, and the News Corporation subsidiary is now “looking at taking international pay television channels to the continent”. The channel, which carries US series Lie To Me, The Office, The Archer, and The Walking Dead, FIC says, has been well received already in South Africa.

Other entrants to the market challenging Multichoice DSTV’s dominant pan-African satellite TV network include HiTV,StarTimes, My TV and Smart TV – as well as Indian telecommunications and direct to home (DTH) satellite TV operator Airtel, which is reportedly also interested in launching a television platform in Africa.


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2011 MTV EMA HOLDS IN BELFEST

MTV announced that Belfast, Northern Ireland will play host to the 2011 MTV EMAs. Packed with unprecedented performances and appearances, the 2011 MTV EMAs will take place at Belfast’s renowned Odyssey Arena in early November 2011 (date to be announced). The 2011 MTV EMAs will air in sub-Saharan Africa on MTV base (HiTV,DStv,StarTimes,Zuku,Smart TV) and affiliate TV stations.

Belfast’s vibrant nightlife and compelling music scene, known for fostering emerging artists and turning out international chart toppers, will provide the perfect backdrop for one of the world’s biggest nights in music.

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Pat Convery, said: "It is fitting that the EMAs are coming to Belfast - one of Europe's most exciting and vibrant cities and with around 35 per cent of our population below the age of 25. Belfast has a rich musical history and has produced artists such as Snow Patrol and the legendary Van Morrison and we now have an unprecedented opportunity to shine a spotlight on our musical heritage while also providing a major boost to our economy.”

"I am delighted that MTV has chosen Belfast. The decision to host such a world class event in our city is an endorsement of what we have been saying for some time now - Belfast is a happening place."

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster welcomed MTV to Northern Ireland and said: “Playing host city for the MTV EMAs is a huge coup, not only for Belfast, but for the whole of Northern Ireland. We are thrilled that Belfast will join the elite club of other leading European cities which have hosted these prestigious music awards.”

“Hosting the MTV EMAs will surely elevate Northern Ireland’s profile on the international stage. I hope those who come to Northern Ireland for this spectacular event are inspired to explore more of what we have to offer for themselves,” she added.”

MTV also announced plans to host a series of local events around Belfast in the lead up to the EMAs.


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MTG Launches 4 Pay-TV Channels in Africa

Modern Times Group MTG AB , the international entertainment broadcasting group, Friday last week announced that it will launch four pay-TV channels in Africa on 28 February. Viasat History, Viasat Nature, Viasat Explorer and Viasat Crime will initially be made available to satellite pay-TV subscribers in Nigeria and cable pay-TV subscribers in Kenya.

The channels are localised versions of Viasat Broadcasting's existing thematic documentary channels. Three of the channels are currently available in 29 countries across Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. Viasat Crime is available in the Nordic region. Each channel will be broadcast 12 hours per day, with Viasat History and Viasat Nature sharing one satellite feed, and Viasat Explorer and Viasat Crime sharing another. Distribution agreements have initially been signed with the HiTV and Infinity TV satellite networks in Nigeria, and with cable network operator Zuku in Kenya.

Viasat History is a documentary channel with a broad range of high quality, award-winning history programmes, biopics, period dramas and popular culture shows. Viasat Nature features inspiring content for the family including animal rescue, and wildlife experts and celebrities on their fascinating journeys. Viasat Explorer is a male skewed entertaining factual channel with thrilling sports, science, travel and adventure formats from around the world. Viasat Crime carries a mixture of unsolved crime and mystery investigations, as well as programmes about police work, criminal masterminds and daring heists.

Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG, commented: “The launch of four of our documentary channels in Africa is the latest example of our strategy to launch tried and tested formats in new territories. Our intention is to make our channels as broadly available as possible in these rapidly developing TV markets and economies. We already have a free-TV operation in Ghana in West Africa, and look forward to developing our presence in the sub-Saharan region of Africa moving forward.”


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