Tanzanian media conglomerate, Clouds Media Group will launch an African TV station, Clouds TV International, on June 15, BroadcastPro ME can reveal. Based out of Abu Dhabi, the main focus of the channels programming will be African content especially from sub-Saharan Africa, with some programmes from North Africa as well. Commenting on the channels operations, […]
Tanzanian media conglomerate, Clouds Media Group will launch an African TV station, Clouds TV International, on June 15, BroadcastPro ME can reveal. Based out of Abu Dhabi, the main focus of the channels programming will be African content especially from sub-Saharan Africa, with some programmes from North Africa as well.
Commenting on the channels operations, Joseph Kusaga, Managing Director, Clouds Media International FZ-LLC and Clouds TV International, said: We dont have a real broadcast platform in the MENA region to reach the African diaspora residing here. This channel will serve as a good vehicle to reach the viewers and advertisers. Our goal is to provide quality TV and OTT programming. We also hope to reach out to other cultures and communities by offering compelling entertainment on Clouds TV International.
The channel will broadcast from the twofour54 facility in Abu Dhabi.
When it comes to African entertainment, there is a gap in the market. Most of our content is being produced in Africa but gradually, we intend to move our production base to twofour54. We are in the process of finalising channel distribution agreements, explained Kusaga.
Twofour54 intajs 20-channel HD/SD playout and teleport facility will handle the end-to-end transmission from ingest and quality check (QC) to the playout of the content. The facility has a dedicated leased line to shuttle content between Africa and Abu Dhabi seamlessly.
As most production houses in Africa do not possess HD cameras, the content will be produced in SD format. The channel is technically finalised and is presently being played out internally with around 35% of the content ready for viewers.
I would like to thank the team at twofour54 Abu Dhabi for their continuous support on this project, especially Paul Baker, Executive Director, intaj twofour54 and Jamal Al Awadhi, Head of Commercial at twofour54. They have literally spent countless hours working with our team here in the UAE as well as Tanzania to ensure that we get this right.
I expected that level of care only for the big names at twofour54 such as CNN and FOX but was pleasantly surprised to receive the same level of attention. I look forward to expanding our relationship with twofour54 from playout to content production in the coming months, added Kusaga.
The group also intends to launch a radio station from the region although the dates have not been finalised.
