BROADCAST & FILM AFRICA: Growing support for African Broadcast & Film Conference

Growing support for African Broadcast & Film Conference

Wananchi (Lead Sponsor) and Aitec join forces for Broadcast & Film Africa 2008.

The first African Broadcast & Film Conference, to be held in Nairobi over 23-25 September, is receiving strong local and international support from the broadcast and film industries, setting the scene for an event that is going to have a major impact in terms of promoting the sector. The event is being organised by AITEC Africa and held under the auspices of the Ministry of Information and Communications. The conference will be opened by Hon Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya.

The Wananchi Group, which recently entered the broadcast sector by buying Mitsumi TV, has announced its Lead Sponsorship of the event. Announcing the sponsorship, Suhayl Esmailjee, Chief Operating Officer of the Wananchi Group, said that the event had an important role to play in developing the broadcast market “The conference comes at a turning point for the industry, when new technologies, services and business models are being rolled out. Wananchi is in the process of expanding its cable service to offer an unprecedented triple play service in Kenya – Internet, TV and telephony, all in the same cost-effective package. This conference provides the ideal platform to launch the service.”

Al Jazeera is the International Broadcast Partner for the event and KBC is the National Broadcast Partner. David Waweru, MD of KBC, welcomed the boost Kenya’s film and broadcast industries would have by hosting the event. “KBC is proud to be the National Broadcast Partner for this conference, which has high educational and marketing value. It will provide a showcase for Kenya’s expanding communications sector and have a major impact in terms of promoting new technologies, increased professionalism and international exposure. We have worked with AITEC in the past and are confident they are going to stage a world class event.”

Other supporting organisations for the event include the Communications Commission of Kenya, the Kenya Film Commission and the African Broadcast Network.

The impressive line-up of over 50 speakers includes some of the continent’s leading lights in broadcasting and film-making. The event includes an exhibition of latest technologies and services in the sector.

For further information, contact AITEC on +254(0)20-212-1028. The full conference programme is available at www.aitecafrica.com