Friday, September 4, 2015

Viacom at the MultiChoice Content Showcase 2015: 'We're not just in the business of creating TV - but experiences'.


Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) told Africa's press on Friday morning that it's not just in the business of creating and bringing viewers TV content "but experiences".

VIMN Africa runs channels like MTV, MTV Base, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., NickToons, Comedy Central and various BET channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and On Digital Media (ODM) and StarTimes Media SA's StarSat.

VIMN Africa was the second electronic media content provider presenting on Friday morning at the 5 day MultiChoice Content Showcase in Mauritius held at the Outrigger Mauritius Resort & Spa for the continent's press and TV critics.

MultiChoice however excluded South Africa's press and TV critics from attending the MultiChoice Content Showcase and MultiChoice didn't inform South African journalists covering the TV industry beforehand that the event would be taking place.

For the VIMN Africa panel discussion and press conference VIMN Africa flew over executives like Evert van der Veer (head of comedy for Africa), Tasania Parsadh (the senior channel manager of Nickelodeon in Africa) and Tim Horwood (VIMN Africa creative director and channel director for MTV Base).

VIMN Africa made several announcements at the MultiChoice Content Showcase to journalists, including that it's working on creating an African version of the successful American Black Girls Rock awards.

VIMN Africa is also working on a Nigerian version of the family friendly festival NickFest for West Africa.

VIMN Africa will show Nickelodeon's Genius on NickToons (DStv 308) from June 2016 - a brand-new educational quiz show aimed at kids between 9 and 13 - a math and science quiz show that will encourage boys and girls to learn more about these subjects in Africa.

VIMN Africa is teasing that the 3rd Comedy Central Roast of... on the African channel version of Comedy Central and following those of Steve Hofmeyr and Kenny Kunene, could very well be a famous personality from ... Nigeria.

VIMN Africa said its working on "themed events" for channels like MTV (DStv 130), Comedy Central (DStv 122), MTV Base (DStv 322), Nickelodeon (DStv 305) and BET (DStv 129).

Programming wise the new season of weekday talker The Wendy Williams Show will start in mid-September on BET, again showing episodes in South Africa and across Africa on the same day as broadcast in the United States - beating even M-Net's (DStv 101) daily Ellen DeGeneres Show in topicality and quickness to African audiences.

New African entertainment news show BET Buzz just started on 1 September on BET on weekdays.

The 4th season of dramatic edu-tainment series Shuga will start on 13 September on MTV Base.

The reality competition show Top Actor SA has been renewed for a second season and will start in early 2016 on BET.

The mocku-reality show 4th season of Real Husbands of Hollywood will start on BET on 15 November.

VIMN Africa said it will continue to bring African viewers - including those watching in South Africa - Viacom's series of American awards shows: MTV EMAs (25 October on MTV and MTV Base), the MTV Movie Awards (April 2016 on MTV and MTV Base), BET Honors (February 2016 on BET), the BET Hip Hop Awards (October 2015 on BET), Black Girls Rock (April 2016 on BET) and the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards (March 2016 on Nickelodeon).

VIMN Africa said its celebrating its 10th anniversary by making "its biggest ever investment in content for African audiences".

"We are excited about our 2015/2016 slate of high-quality content that will engage our African viewers across multiple genres, including stand-up comedy, music specials, entertainment news, chart shows and awards properties," said Alex Okosi, the senior vice president and managing director of VIMN Africa, in a statement.