The Africa Channel International

The Africa Channel was an international television channel based in the United Kingdom.

For the American version, see The Africa Channel.

The Africa Channel
CountryUnited Kingdom
Broadcast areaInternational
HeadquartersLondon, England
Programming
Picture format16:9 (576i, SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerThe Africa Channel Limited
History
Launched3 September 2007
Closed29 September 2015
Links
Websitewww.theafricachannel.co.uk
Availability
(at time of closure)
Streaming media
Virgin TV AnywhereWatch live (UK only)

History

The Africa Channel launched in the UK and Ireland on 3 September 2007 and is distinct from The Africa Channel in the United States.[1][2]

In April 2012, The Africa Channel in the UK was made free-to-air and in July moved from the Lifestyle and Culture section of the Sky EPG to the Entertainment section.[3] A one-hour timeshift channel briefly ran between 12–30 July 2012.

An Asian stream of the channel was launched on 16 August 2012.[4]

On 11 October 2012, The Africa Channel launched on the Virgin Media cable TV platform.[5]

On 29 September 2015, The Africa Channel closed in the UK after being removed and restored several times during Summer 2015.

Programming

The Africa Channel sources much of its content from production companies in Africa. The channel broadcasts a range of genres including lifestyle, live news, travel, music, documentaries (e.g. Cuba, an African Odyssey and Surfing Soweto) and films (e.g. Daratt, Imani and Rachida). In 2012 the channel began developing its own production arm to generate programming focussed on Africa-related subject matter including a documentary about the Pan-African bank Ecobank first broadcast in December 2012.[6]

Programming is sourced from various countries, and includes a Kenyan talk show, The Patricia Show, and Nigerian and South African soap dramas Tinsel and Scandal!. All programming is focused on Africa and the diaspora, and the channel is aimed at people with an interest in the continent.

The channel broadcasts the British sitcom Meet the Adebanjos whose characters are British Nigerians living in Peckham, South London.[7]

On 14 January 2013, The Africa Channel relaunched Desmond's - the popular British situation comedy that centred on Desmond’s bustling barber shop in Peckham, and featured a predominantly Black British cast.[8] The series was originally broadcast between 1989 and 1994 and alongside The Fosters, is well known as one of the first British television programmes to focus on the lives of Black British, Caribbean and African people living in Britain.[9]

See also

References
  1. Oatts, Joanne (15 August 2007). "Africa Channel launches on Sky". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  2. "The Africa Channel". Skyidents. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  3. "The Africa Channel is moving!". The Africa Channel. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  4. "Welcome to our viewers in Asia". The Africa Channel. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  5. "The Africa Channel launches on Virgin Media". Digital Spy. 11 October 2012.
  6. "We Face Forward: The Ecobank Story". The Africa Channel. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  7. "Original UK comedy comes to The Africa Channel". Fashion's Finest. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  8. Williams, Hazelann (26 January 2013). "It's about time they brought back Desmond's". The Voice Online. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  9. Jafaar, Ali (4 February 2013). "Desmond's". BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
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