Windhoek: On Thursday, 14 July, at a ceremony attended by leading figures from Namibia’s business and media communities, President Pohamba inaugurated One Africa Television’s long-awaited signals to Swakopmund, Walvis Bay ond Outjo. At the same time, he also launched the station’s transmission to Intelsat 906, giving the station satellite reach to the rest of Namibia and entire Sub-Saharan continent. The inaugural coastal signals and live broadcast from the Windhoek station were viewed by Their Worships, the Mayors of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and confirmed by them in telephone calls to President Pohamba. Established in Windhoek in September 2003 to fill the gap left by the closure of Television Africa, the station has since broadcasted a popular mix of international news and entertainment, and local content free of charge to a rapidly growing number of viewers in possession of ‘yellow’ antennas in Windhoek, Rehoboth, Okahandja and Outjo. The station broadcasts 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. According to the One Africa Television’s Chairperson, Milka Mungunda, the station is 100 per cent Namibian owned and entirely independent. It generates its income from advertising alone. In this regard, she also stated that the station is not in competition with the NBC, nor does it seek to compete with the NBC’s role of public service broadcaster. She pointed out that the station is driven by the needs of its advertisers, and that further expansion of the terrestrial broadcast to households using antennas would be determined by profitability and economic feasibility. According to Paul van Schalkwyk, founder of One Africa Television, director and member of the board, the satellite broadcast, through an N$500,000 earthlink station to Intelsat 906 enables Namibians who are in possession of widely available DVB decoders and C-Band satellite dishes, to tune into the broadcast as well. “We expect lodges and guest farms to benefit particularly from this signal as it gives them an additional channel for their guest rooms and for their own entertainment. An added benefit is that the signal is free, and is not charged according to the number of sets or rooms,” he said. Asked about the prospects and timing for further expansion, Waldheim Shiluwa, One Africa Television’s Director of Operations commented that negotiations for a transmitter on NBC’s tower in Oshakati were at an advanced stage and that an announcement in this regard would be made in the near future. Madryn Cosburn, Technical Director of One Africa Television, noted that capacity was being developed for a transmitter with a 100 km radius from Oshakati, giving the station a signal that will also reach Ondangwa, Ongwediwa, Oshikango and the smaller settlements falling within the 100 kilometer broadcast radius in the surrounding peri-urban areas. Negotiations with the NBC to make use of existing transmission infrastructure are in progress. On the topic of the satellite broadcast to Sub-Saharan Africa, Waldheim Shiluwa said, “Our name is One Africa, so obviously there is a broader strategy, but this is long range. One day, we hope to reach the whole of Africa, but for now we are concentrating on our home base and building our strengths and experience locally.”
According to Madryn Cosburn, Technical Director of One Africa Television, viewers within the terrestrial broadcast areas will need antennas, however the signal across the rest of Namibia can be picked up from satellite transmission. He noted the following requirements for viewers wishing to tune in: Windhoek: Yellow antenna He pointed out that the antennas for terrestrial broadcasts and equipment for the satellite transmission can be obtained from Ellies and reputable satellite dish installers. For more information: Carlen Uys or Waldheim Shiluwa, tel. 061 253 190 |
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