African Electronic Media Business Exchange launches at BFMA Conference

The investment platform, dubbed the African Electronic Media Business Exchange, is being put together by Filmbiz Africa in collaboration with AITEC Africa and has already attracted venture capital institutions from as far afield as Netherlands and the US who embrace investment focus on film, broadcasting and creative content development.

Filmmakers, music production houses, unique TV and radio initiatives, animators, advertising agencies, broadcasters and pollsters who attend the conference are being cited as potential beneficiaries.

"It is the best gift the BFMA conference series could give nascent high-potential firms in the continent," said Michael Onyango, of the Africa Creative Hub, urging other content developers to grasp the opportunity. ''About 13 leading venture capitalists have been invited and six have already confirmed participation.

"We can confirm that the US-headquartered Acumen Fund and the Netherlands based Africa Media Ventures Fund will be at the 4th BFMA for the Electronic Media Business Exchange," said Chiaka Orjiako of Filmbiz Africa which is collaborating with AITEC Africa to host the exchange.

BFMA returns to Nairobi

BFMA, now back in Nairobi for the 4th time, is reportedly the largest gathering of film, music, and broadcasting media professionals in the continent.

The conference discusses contemporary and future broadcasting models for pay and Free to Air (FTA) TV, radio, trends in creative content, digital content development, dynamics in Africa film among other issues such as music distribution as well as policy and management matters that impact on their growth. Cinema is also coming under a sharp focus at the July event, with presenters brainstorming whether the big screen is "dead or just in a coma".

This conference has already attracted participation from film and broadcasting industries from across the world including the UK, US, South Africa, Mauritius, Uganda, China, with backing of such locally based institution such as the Kenya Film Commission, UNESCO and multiple media houses.

The conference also expects to host an exciting session on film content and cinema, with leading executives from Nigeria and Ghana film industry expected to share their experiences at the event.

For more, go to Aitec Africa.