Content Development and Distribution

Content Development
and Distribution: A
Broadcasters'
Perspective
Eng. Wainaina Mungai
Head of ICT
Royal Media Services
Naura Springs Hotel, Arusha, Tanzania
12th February 2014
Content is King
“The biggest TV and movie industries in the
world have one thing in common: Hollywood,
Bollywood and Nollywood all owe their
success to ‘local, relevant content’”
– Wachira Waruru, CEO, Citizen TV
(Royal Media Services, Kenya)
Local Content is King
Local content makes up two-thirds of all
content genres on Kenyan broadcast
media (radio and TV) with the exception
of movies and music (both 59.x% foreign).
Content @ Citizen TV
a) Dramas/Comedy: Our locally produced TV shows (Mwala,
Papa Shiradula, Mother-in-Law, Tahidi High, Machachari etc)
target our core group of viewers.
b) Movies: mostly foreign (Nigeria and South American/Mexican)
have a significant – but dwindling - audience following
c) News: We have popular local news bulletins in both Swahili
(Nipashe, Alasiri) and English complemented by News Shows.
d) Documentaries/Discussion shows: these are complemented
with the feature stories (e.g. the Inua Dada initiative) and
reports by our journalists.
Local Content @ Citizen TV
Local Content @ Citizen TV
Local is popular
Impact on share of viewing
“It is not enough to be local – you have to be
relevant” – Wachira Waruru, CEO, Citizen TV (Royal Media
Services)
Distribution is Queen
a) Content distribution partnerships: by Citizen TV within all East
African countries have resulted in the success of shows such as
Tusker Project Fame. The Presidential Debate 2013 was another
production and distribution partnership success story.
b) Distribution of regional content: for popular shows such as
Uganda’s “Do not mess with Anne Kasiinme”. East African content
is thus being appreciated and recognized as local content.
c) Distribution of local Kenyan content: for popular shows such as
Naswa, Kubamba, Shamba Shape UP, Know-Zone, Siri, Shuga! has
nurtured many upcoming content producers
d) Distribution partnerships for foreign content: including
AfroCinema (Nigerian), Mexican soaps and Indian shows.
“The rapid development of local
content in Kenya’s broadcast
media owes it’s success to a
business case – and not to
content quotas”
Distribution is Queen
a) Signal Coverage: Citizen TV also owes its success to an extensive
signal footprint resulting in over 86% audience reach
b) Signal Quality: the station maintains high quality of video and
audio signals on all transmission centres in Kenya and other East
African countries.
c) Distribution Network Management: Citizen TV has experience in
running 50+ self-owed transmission sites rivaled only by the Public
Broadcaster. Most broadcasters lease the transmission facilities.
e) Digital Channels: they are developing live streaming, youtube
and plans to offer VoD, IPTV on DTT and other distribution modes
f) Considering FTA satellite as a signal distribution alternative to DTT
Signal Distribution Debate
ICT Sector Policy Guidelines of March 2006 & the DTT Taskforce Report
(iv)In order to reduce the cost of migration, the existing designated
transmitting analogue sites and infrastructure will be used for digital
transmission
(v) Existing infrastructure owners will enter into agreements with signal
distributors and future infrastructure investors regarding integration
of their facilities into the signal distribution network
(vi) “…Simulcast Period: In order to ensure that television viewers without settop boxes are not deprived of services, analogue and digital will have to be
broadcast in tandem for some period – the “simulcast” period
[the actual digital migration process, involving a gradual replacement of
analogue broadcasting equipment by digital broadcasting equipment].”
Alternatives to DTT
Broadcasters are seeking ways to address
the regulatory barriers laid in their way
during the Analogue to Digital migration
process.
Apart from regulatory and legal measures;
they are exploring alternatives such as:
o Satellite based FTA such as
OpenViewHD in RSA, MultiTV in Ghana
etc
o Combining Satellite FTA with satellitefed DTT
“It is not enough to be local –
you have to be relevant”
Wachira Waruru, CEO, Citizen TV (Royal Media Services)