Recently I was flipping between several of the major TV
news networks who were reporting a variety of stories
about Africa. All were focusing exclusively on war and
famine.
Come to think of it, that's about all you ever see the
major networks say about Africa. They rarely if ever
report on African sporting events, positive government
activities, or even normal African life.
Anyone who thinks about this predicament for even a
moment would realize Africa is a huge continent made up
of a wide variety of countries, regions, and peoples.
Africa is about as diverse a place as you could ever
imagine. While some areas are sadly embroiled in
horrific problems, other regions are peaceful, pleasant,
and offer their citizens a very rich life.
One thing most Americans never have the opportunity to
learn about is Africa's wide offering of quality TV
programs. Watching African TV can be a real eye-opener.
They include soaps and dramatic series, side-splitting
comedies, and a wide range of news and sports coverage.
Realize that these programs reflect the values,
sensibilities, and every day experiences of people who
live in Africa. If you have little experience with
African culture, watching these programs can really
teach you about this fascinating part of the world.
You'll gain insights into a side of the world you may
not have known existed.
Thanks largely to a growing number of African immigrants
in the United States who want to see the programs they
watched in Africa, African-produced programs are finding
their way to cable TV channels here. On any given
evening you can watch popular series like "Things We Do
For Love," "Sun City," and the hit comedy "Taxi Driver."
Recently, the African TV Network I founded several years
ago announced plans to expand program offerings to cable
channels in the Baltimore and Washington DC areas. This
will make African programming available to large
audiences of African immigrants, African-Americans,
Caribean communities, and others who are eager to have
access to these programs.
As with any new TV programming that appeals to a
previously neglected audience, African programming lets
advertisers reach a very large and active viewing
audience that was not available before with standard TV
programming. African programming is a win-win for both
viewers and businesses.
About the Author:
Clement Afforo is founder of the African TV Network, now
supplying African programs to the Baltimore and
Washington DC areas. For more information on programs
and advertising opportunities, see the site
http://www.africantvnetwork.com.
