Tuesday 23 March 2021

The digital migration process in Francophone African countries has been a long-lasting and thorough transition, even in the most developed countries. Panellists will discuss the different ways to accelerate the transition from analog to digital in order to transform television experience in the African francophone countries.

As demand for local content rises across Africa, most of the key players in the sector are going into local production. Yet, the industry is not evolving as rapidly as one would hope, producers, filmmakers and talents are there, but the funding is not. Collaboration with international players seems required to build a long-lasting African film industry.

How can we give new impetus to 2021?

The TV and broadcasting industry is evolving rapidly in Ivory Coast leading to the emergence of new players and services. The digital migration process is ongoing and private satellite television and platforms flooded the Ivorian market with their attractive offers. Speakers from this panel will give an overview of the country’s potential in terms of TV broadcasting.

The consumption of audiovisual content is no longer solely on television but is also increasingly via the Internet. While internet access remains limited and expensive in most African countries, connectivity is gaining in accessibility and quality with the development of 4G, fibre networks and more affordable offerings. To support these investments, telecom operators are increasingly including content in their development strategy: payment methods, data-video bundle and customer loyalty. The African streaming sector is dominated by free international platforms like YouTube and Facebook, but the local market is starting to structure:

• What roles do operators play in the deployment of audiovisual services in their markets?
• What business models can be implemented to deliver an attractive online content offering?
• What kind of partnerships can be developed to facilitate cooperation between operators, producers and distributors of local content?

Public broadcasters play an important role in many African countries. However, many of them have to struggle to remain competitive and profitable in the face of the arrival of pay TV operators and OTT. Panellists will shed light on how public broadcasters can reinforce their position to face the rising competition from digital players.