Organisers of Discop Africa, the TV market in sub-Saharan Africa, announced on Monday 14 June that more than 120 buyers have already registered for the fourth event which returns to Nairobi, Kenya in September. The Discop Africa market is held twice a year, with the first one having taken place in Dakar, Senegal, in February.
Discop Africa 4 will focus on providing African producers access to both the domestic and international marketplace in response to a demand from broadcasters who want quality content from African producers. “The African diaspora is growing and we are seeing more niche channels targeting this audience across Europe and North America,’ explains Cherise Barsell, Discop Africa executive manager. Five channels from the UK are already registered for Discop Africa 4, with more international channels expected to register before September.
Discop Africa 4 will again host the hugely successful Made In Africa workshops, designed to improve content quality, source funding, and increase distribution. “Through our discussions, it became clear that the best way to increase the viability of African content was to focus directly on funding and sales,’ says Barsell.
From the sales perspective, independent African producers registered for Discop Africa 4 will be able to hold meetings and screen their content in the Made In Africa Pavilion. They will also be offered advanced sales services which include access to an on-line database of buyers and their content needs, and the possibility to post programmes to the DISTUBE on-line screening platform. Furthermore, all producers will have access to a professional workshop to help improve their sales skills.
Producers will also have access to funding opportunities, as the event plays host to a co-production pitching session which will see five qualified fiction producers selected to pitch their programmes to five international and Kenyan broadcasters and producers interested in African co-production opportunities.
Discop Africa 4 will take place 1-3 September 2010 at the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi in Kenya.
