DISCOP Africa announces intl initiative

4 Jun 2012

Basic Lead, organisers of the annual DISCOP Africa which focuses on the film and television content market, has announced that they will subsidize the attendance of up to 100 international content buyers at the event. Acquisitions executives who are interested in the increasing range of quality content and formats created in Africa will be targeted.

The initiative is driven by recent TV consumption trends which indicate that a growing number of television operators around the world are acquiring programming from the region. Shows with particular interest are South African documentaries, Nigerian films, Kenyan soap-operas, Burkinese series, Uganda game shows as well as other "made in Africa" content which continues to gain new viewers and subscribers.

In partnership with Tourism Gauteng's Convention Bureau, programming and acquisitions executives representing international public and private broadcasters will be invited to attend the 7th edition of DISCOP AFRICA which takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa from 31 October - 2 November 2012.

What to expect

With three national umbrellas for up-and-coming content producers from Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria; a co-production forum centered on French-speaking African programs; a pitching contest for low-cost formats; cross-border comedy concepts and a training program fostering closer co-operation amongst regional and international key players, DISCOP Africa 2012 is expected to be the largest ever gathering of film and television content producers and distributors representing Africa's multicultural television market.

The event is also expected to welcome content buyers representing African broadcasters, thematic channels, pay-TV and on-demand platforms, mobile, broadband and closed circuit networks and alternative content distribution platforms. The event will also see attendees involved in the development, funding, production, programming, branding, marketing and licensing of content across all distribution platforms in Africa.

"African television has undergone a huge renaissance, far outpacing the traditional production formulas that the rest of the world falls back on so much, providing a fresh antidote to more mainstream television," says Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, general manager of Basic Lead.

He added "DISCOP Africa is on track to showcase the very best African content, produced in what has become one of the world's most compelling multiplatform content production centers".

Global TV companies increasingly involved in Africa and exhibiting at the 3-day event include BBC Worldwide, Canal+ Overseas, Caracol, CCTV, Cote Ouest, Endemol South-Africa, Fox International Channels, France 24, Globo TV, IMC, IMG, M-Net, MGM Networks, Mondo TV, Nollywood Worldwide Entertainment, Octagon, Optima Sports, Telemundo, Televisa, Thema, Trend TV, TV Azteca, TV5 Monde, UFA TV, Venevision, Zee TV and many others.

For more, go to www.discop.com.