EXCLUSIVE: The Africa Channel (TAC) has unveiled an AVOD choice for its streaming service, a collection of FAST channels and struck offers with a number of content material suppliers.
Unveiled in packaged unfronts announcement was “vital growth” of TAC’s streaming enterprise will see its subscription streamer Demand Africa add a free, ad-supported streaming tier toplines information out of the Black-owned content material firm’s 2024-25 Upfront.
Thus will launch later this yr and has been created on the again a profitable Upfront final yr, when TAC noticed a 140% enhance in bought stock, with advert revenues up 155%, and upfront commitments up 57% from firms in areas comparable to pharma, retail, automotive, monetary and CPG.
On the FAST entrance, the primary channel added to the Demand Africa platform is Afro-Cinema, which is able to launch this spring with a curated choice of movies, docs, collection and cultural applications from established and rising filmmakers. Music, journey, cooking, house and wonder channels will observe, and in coming months the suite shall be supplied to different FAST platforms.
Further, TAC revealed it’s in “lively conversations” with third-party FAST channel operators so as to add Demand Africa.
A earlier introduced partnership with Whoopi Goldberg and Larry Adams’ BLKFAM will see a BLKFAM-branded block launch on the TAC cable channel and Demand Africa, with a BLKFAM FAST channel additionally debuting “within the close to future.”
At present TAC has about 1,000 hours of recent and renewed applications throughout genres in its library, and the corporate has closed a number of new agreements heading into the 2024-25 season. Most notable amongst them is a cope with thought-leader model TED Talks. This may see the launch of TED Talks on TAC, showcasing the likes of Serena Williams and Shonda Rhimes.
A cope with city music, leisure and sports activities content material model Hint TV will add exhibits such actuality collection #I Am Serge Ibaka, concerning the Congolese-Spanish NBA champion and trend icon, and Afrobeat: From Nigeria to the World, which is a deep dive into the musical phenomenon.
From Hong Kong-based distributor Lightning Worldwide is unique U.S. broadcast rights to the 71st Miss World Pageant for the cable channel;, and a cope with Carol Bouwer Productions provides the Miss World South Africa Finalist Particular and Miss World South Africa Pageant Finale.
A partnership with African pay-TV and streaming big MultiChoice for a whole bunch of hours of applications has been renewed, and contains drama Lockdown, life-style collection Date My Household, and soaps The Wild and Battleground. Equally, TAC will proceed in enterprise with BBC Africa although exhibits comparable to Deal with Africa and Africa Eye. Additional content material renewal offers have been struck with Cardova Buying and selling, which makes long-running breakfast present Expresso, plus e.television, Wild Africa Fund, FilmOne, ACI, the MTV Staying Alive Basis and Ruby Rocket.
“There continues to be sturdy demand for numerous content material focusing on Black audiences and we’re filling that hole not solely by showcasing programming from throughout the continent but additionally by in search of new methods to attach with viewers on each platform,” mentioned TAC COO Narendra Reddy. “Our strategy is working, as evidenced by the content material and model companions we’re lucky to work with, and we’re assured that our give attention to participating the neighborhood not solely on cable, but additionally SVOD and FAST provides extra depth and breadth to our providing within the market.”
The TAC cable channel is obtainable on Constitution’s Spectrum, Comcast and Cox Communications pay-TV providers, in addition to in Canada on Rogers Ignite and Bell Fibe and within the Caribbean by way of the Caribbean Cable Cooperative. The Demand Africa streamer is obtainable globally and has places of work in LA and Johannesburg.
