--
African content is king at DISCOP JHB 2016 --
Mon, 07 Nov 2016 10:03
--
DISCOP Johannesburg wrapped up on Friday 4 November after three days of intense deal-making between hundreds of production companies, distributors and media platforms from across Africa and beyond.
With a more streamlined and business-oriented approach, the market saw a major increase in African representation with African content producers taking centre stage throughout the event.
Feedback from many of the organizations attending this year s event all pointed to an increased interest in African content. International distributors, perhaps for the first time, are experiencing major competition from African content producers and suppliers. With twice as many exhibitors from Sub-Saharan Africa as last year, African content on offer was not just more abundant, but also of higher quality.
This content is now in high demand from broadcasters, Pay-Tv operators, Telco s and mobile and online content aggregators: 218 content distribution platforms from 39 African countries from Africa attended DISCOP Johannesburg, predominantly seeking locally generated content.
This trend is in-line with other regional trends over the past few decades, as Basic Lead CEO and DISCOP organisation director Patrick Zuchowicki explains, Across Central and Eastern Europe, where we started our first DISCOP markets 25 years ago, there was also a marked increase towards locally or regionally produced content. Whilst international content was not fully replaced, better production values in locally produced content spurred an increase in interest in homegrown content that still exists today. Africa is now at the start of that same trend that will see more and better produced African content taking its place on screens across Africa and beyond. Our international content producers were certainly feeling the heat this year from the increase in both the quantity and quality of African content on offer.
Whilst registration was up for this year s DISCOP Johannesburg, the event team was mindful to ensure a high quality mix of serious producers and distributors and this year s event had a much more business-focused feel, as many delegates will attest.
267 independent production companies were in attendance hailing from Africa - an increase from 193 last year - to take part in a rich program of talks, workshops and pitching sessions offered alongside the 3-day market.
The total number of companies participating in this year s event was 742, an increase from last year s 637 and the organizers are optimistic about the continued growth of the annual DISCOP Johannesburg and DISCOP Abidjan events. The USA was welcomed as this years Guest Country as part of ongoing effort to assist and encourage American independent producers and platforms to build stronger ties with South Africa.
As part of a concerted effort to promote film content produced in Africa, DISCOP Johannesburg partnered up with the inaugural edition of the Johannesburg Film Festival, which ran from 28 October to 4 November.
Next year s DISCOP Johannesburg will take place from 25 to 27 October in order not to conflict with the American Film Market anymore. DISCOP Abidjan will take place from 30 May to 1 June.
For more information visit the DISCOP website.
Related Articles
StarSat and AFOREVO join forces to elevate local contentSA PayTV operator StarSat and online African entertainment video content AFOREVO, have joined forces...
Read more...
IPO at DISCOP AfricaThe independent Producers Organisation through the support of DISCOP, Joburg Film Festival and Gauteng Film Commission...
Read more...
DISCOP pre-registration up by 15 per centOrganisers of DISCOP Johannesburg announced a 15 per cent year-to-year increase in the number of pre-registered delegates...
Read more...
Zambia s first musical feature film to be unveiled at DISCOPPost-production work is nearing completion on the first African musical film to be produced in Zambia...
Read more...
USA announced as official guest country for DISCOP JHB 2016DISCOP believes that the time is right to honour the United States of America as DISCOP Johannesburg s guest country for 2016...
Read more...
-- --
-- --
-- Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
-- 
