What you need to know about the new direct marketing guidance note
Nadine Mather and Chloë Loubser
TVAfrica's new locally-produced fare
TVAfrica - Africa's only free-to-air television network - is set to introduce a number of new locally produced programmes for viewers across the continent.
These will include "7 Days" - a one-hour Pan African weekly news round-up programme starting in May - which will showcase the week's current affairs broadcast highlights.
With the emphasis on a truly African content - "news about Africa by Africans" - the programme will comprise inserts from a number of TVAfrica's affiliate broadcasters, including Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria, among others.
It will be presented by Manu Padayachee, TVAfrica's Executive Producer News and Actuality. A founder member of M-Net, Padayachee joined TVA in mid-January. He also worked as a freelance with a big international programmer on children's' educational programmes. Manu is also an Anchor on Summit TV.
Padayachee believes the programme will provide a platform to project the talent of African journalists. In this regard, TVAfrica is also planning to develop it's own television journalistic awards for the continent.
In another development, the popular African Business Tonight programme is being extended from 15 to 30 minutes, in response to extremely positive feedback from viewers.
The programme will be more in-depth and be broadcast in the new half-hour format as from the first week in May.
The English version of the programme is presented by ex SABC News reader Alice Chavanduka while Willie Yao hosts the broadcast in French.
African Business Tonight focuses on presenting business information of relevance to the African business community. The daily weekday programme - which has already been a feature of TVAfrica's programme scheduling for a year - is broadcast at 9:30pm.
The show is recorded by African Business Channel - part of the Johnnic Group - who are also responsible for Summit TV.
Among other enticing tit-bits for viewers to look forward to, TVAfrica is currently evaluating movies and aims to feature a combination of some of the best local and international films available.
There are also plans for a locally produced Cooking Show, to be broadcast in mid-2002, as well as concerts from various countries featuring their local artists.
A game Show offering is also in the pipeline.
