Advanced Television

south africa

SpaceX complains over South Africa investment rules

SpaceX currently cannot operate in South Africa despite some apparent enthusiastic support from Cyril Ramaphosa, the nation’s president. SpaceX has formally asked for local telecoms regulator ICASA to modify its requirements. ICASA is to hold consultations starting on February 5th and 6th with interested stakeholders and the public. The filing is by SpaceX Internet Services […]

February 5, 2025

Arrested Industries announces talent management division

Arrested Industries, the content development, financing and production company run by Anthony Kimble, has announced the launch of Arrested Industries Talent. The new division has been specifically established to help identify and curate the best talent from smaller markets and expand their careers in the international marketplace. Kimble, who currently manages his business between the […]

February 5, 2025

South Africa DSO hindered by STB fiasco

South Africa is due to end transmissions of analogue TV signals by March 31st. This much-delayed event looks like it will again be in jeopardy. Local South Africa press is quoting contractors responsible for installing new digital set-top boxes saying that the switch off date is in disarray because of a shortage of boxes and […]

February 3, 2025By Chris Forrester

South Africa analogue deadline looms

South Africa must totally end analogue TV transmissions by March 31st. The problem is that there are at least 220,000 homes needing new set-top boxes in order to receive digital signals. The obligation for the installation falls on the country’s signal transmission company, the publicly-owned Sentech. It has regularly failed to meet previous ‘switch-off’ dates. […]

January 30, 2025By Chris Forrester

Starlink poised for South Africa approval

SpaceX’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system could soon be legitimately be available to South African residents. Local reports say that the nation, which requires incoming businesses to have a shareholding which includes a 30 per cent ‘black’ ownership (officially Historically Disadvantaged Groups), is close to approving Starlink’s availability. South Africa recently announced that it would introduce new […]

January 28, 2025By Chris Forrester

Dialog TV to broadcast South African cricket in Sri Lanka

Cricket South Africa (CSA), through international media rights partner IMG, has secured a deal with Dialog TV to broadcast the Proteas Men and Proteas Women international matches in Sri Lanka. The agreement will see Dialog TV broadcast all fixtures for both teams across all three formats. This includes the current international home test series for […]

December 4, 2024

UNESCO will be the privileged partner of G20 in 2025

As South Africa prepares to take over the presidency of the G20 in 2025, UNESCO’s role as a privileged partner has been expanded to include the agenda of the finance ministers, in addition, the Organisation will be contributing particular expertise on issues relating to artificial intelligence. “After fruitful cooperation with the G20 in 2024, at […]

December 2, 2024

MultiChoice, eMedia make peace

The long-running war of words and legal disputes between South Africa’s two giant independent broadcasters, MultiChoice Group and eMedia, has seemingly come to an end. All legal actions have been curtailed and the two entities have apparently opted for a private settlement between themselves. A note within eMedia’s half-yearly results (issued on November 25th) says […]

November 28, 2024

MultiChoice CEO exiting

MultiChoice CEO, Marc Jury, has announced he will leave the South African pay-TV operator at the end of March 2025. Jury has been in post for some 18 months and he transferred to the top job from being CEO at MultiChoice-owned SuperSport. He was also responsible for MultiChoice’s Showmax service. In a letter to staff, […]

November 25, 2024By Chris Forrester

SABC at risk of collapse

A proposed restructuring of South Africa’s public broadcaster SABC by the country’s Communications & Digital Technology parliamentary committee has been stopped by the nation’s Communications minister Solly Malatsi. The move has led to criticism that the proposal will “sound the death knell” for the broadcaster. SABC is widely understood to be near-bankruptcy. The complaints are […]

November 13, 2024By Chris Forrester