African Animation Network and TREAMM to create mobile channel on MTN backbone

13 February, 2017 - 06:01

The African Animation Network, which was piloted as The Animation Lounge at DISCOP Johannesburg 2016, is partnering with SSTREAMM to create an African Animation Network mobile channel. SSTREAMM offers mobile-driven video solutions into the Sub-Saharan African market and owns PockitTV, a short-form mobile VOD platform available exclusively to MTN subscribers across MTN digital platforms.

According to Nick Wilson, African Animation Network, Project Manager: Africa has a population of 1.2-billion people with approximately 115-million TVs, but it is also the fastest growing smart device market in the world. Africa is a very fragmented broadcast space with over 400 channels. The biggest mobile service provider in Africa is MTN and they have 250-million subscribers.

The African Animation Network will put out a call for content ahead of each DISCOP event in Abidjan and Johannesburg in 2017. All content suppliers will be offered a non-exclusive license to be part of the catalogue of African content on the African Animation Network channel. The best content, curated from these calls for content, will be cut into a promo/showreel to promote the African Animation Network channel at each DISCOP event in 2017.

An African Animation Network conference is planned for DISCOP Abidjan 2017 on the main programme. Delegates from each African country participating in the conference will be given the opportunity to introduce their industry to the broader broadcast community, give insight on the size and scope of their industry, and discuss the challenges and opportunities that they are faced with.

The African Animation Network channel launch on PockitTV will be one of the highlights of the conference, and will give attendees in-depth insight into the mechanics of the platform, the long-term strategy of the channel, the benefits to the African animation industry, and how content suppliers can generate revenue from their catalogues.

The mobile platform naturally favours shorter formats of content, owing to high data costs in Africa. However, the African Animation Network will be actively engaging potential sponsors to zero rate the data and thus allow free access to the African Animation Network channel while simultaneously allowing longer formats of content to be consumed.

Says Greg Upton, Managing Director of SSTREAMM and PockitTV: We have a robust platform on the single biggest telecommunications infrastructure in Africa. We are excited about creating a platform for the fledgling African animation industry, and are looking for animated content across all genres and formats that represent the richness and diversity of cultures on the continent.

Wilson continues: Animation is an expensive medium and requires significant access to audience to attract investment. With access to MTNs enormous subscriber footprint, and the potential to reach and carve out an audience for African animation, we could be one step closer to creating a sustainable African animation industry - an industry sustained on our home broadcast territory.

For more information, contact:

Nick Wilson

Project Manager

African Animation Network

nick@thecar2n.tv

Animation

Africa South Africa

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