MultiChoice Revamps Partnership with VIMN Africa Retains Major Channels

Mary Nnah

In a bid to ensure the continuous broadcast of a host of channels by Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, such as BET, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV Base, MTV Music 24, Nickelodeon, NickToons and Nick Jr on its platforms, DStv and GOtv, MultiChoice Group, Africa’s leading video entertainment company, recently announced the renewal of its distribution partnership with (VIMN) Africa.

The renewed partnership also highlights the investment in local content, bringing programming that showcases the best of Africa’s creativity and talent and offers a broad range of original entertainment content across every age demographic.

“As Africa’s most-loved storyteller, we are pleased to share this market announcement of VIMN Africa. Our content offering ensures that we provide our partners platforms to tell their own stories in an authentic way. We invest over US $164,850 million in local content to keep bringing exciting and engaging African content to market and the industry”, MultiChoice Chief Executive Officer, General Entertainment, Yolisa Phahle, said.

Executive Vice President and Managing Director for VIMN Africa and BET International, Alex Okosi, explained that this continued partnership demonstrates the shared commitment between VIMN Africa and MultiChoice to invest in local and international content that resonate with the audiences across the continent.

“We truly value our collaboration with MultiChoice as it also enables us to consistently deliver great African productions,” he said.

Hence, BET continues to celebrate black excellence across the African continent with its broadcast of locally produced programmes. An array of programmes that would continue to air on the channel include: A biopic that portrays one of South Africa’s legendary musicians in Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story, featuring a joint lead cast of KB Motsilanyane and Bahumi Madisakwane will air on the channel. The Behind the Story series with Pearl Thusi also returns for another season, while Black Tax, the channel’s first locally produced sitcom, will bring laughter to the audience in 2020. Tyler Perry’s studio productions, Sistas and The Oval.

Comedy Central continues to make life funnier and keep audiences laughing with a deep history of local productions from The Roast franchise to Most Ridiculous featuring the hilarious internet sensation, SuzelleDIY. The channel is the exclusive home to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, giving audiences the best in satire and comedy. Other entertaining shows on the channel include Impractical Jokers, Key and Peele, Crank Yankers, and The Other Two and South Park.

On MTV, Have Faith, a local reality series showcasing the flamboyant lifestyle of socialite and businesswoman, Faith Nketsi, will make its debut on the channel. The Guy Code and Girl Code comedy series on the channel feature popular comics, athletes and entertainers who bring viewers jaw dropping how-to manuals about the wonders and woes of brotherhood and sisterhood.

MTV Base continues to entertain audiences with trendsetting music from genres such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, Hip Hop and Gqom. The channel’s investment in local content includes Celeb Living, Musicology, Slade or Shayed and the recently launched cutting-edge series, Behind The Label, which unearths never before told stories and casts a lens on the turbulent relations between record labels and musicians.

Nickelodeon continues to provide fascinating content for the kids with programmes such as SpongeBob SquarePants, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. The channel together with the LEGO group also launches the new series, LEGO City Adventures, which is loaded with hysterical, action-packed and often absurd slices of urban life. Nickelodeon additionally welcomes the brand-new animated pre-school series of the adventurous Paddington Bear who makes a return to TV. NickToons will deliver an exclusive format of SpongeBob the Musical Live for audiences and a behind-the-scenes special of JoJo’s D.R.E.A.M. concert. Nick Jr. will launch a new series, Becca’s Bunch, while continuing to deliver popular favourites: Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machine, Nella the Princess Knight and Sunny Day.