The Africa Channel

Last updated
The Africa Channel
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States, Caribbean
HeadquartersNorth Hollywood, California
Programming
Picture format 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Ownership
OwnerThe Africa Channel, LLC
History
LaunchedSeptember 1, 2005 (2005-09-01)
Links
Website theafricachannel.com

The Africa Channel is a cable and streaming channel focusing on travel, lifestyle, and culture documentaries. The channel covers the lands, people, culture, and history of Africa. Co-founded by Zimbabwean James Makawa, [1] who had prior experience in the United States and founded the African Barter Company, [2] the Africa Channel launched in the United States in September 2005. [3]

Contents

The Africa Channel is broadcast in the United States through Comcast, Charter Communications, Cox Communications and also available in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Lucia, Barbados, Bermuda, Grenada and other islands throughout the Caribbean. [4]

The channel launched in high definition on August 1, 2010. [5]

The Africa Channel is an associate member of the Caribbean Cable Cooperative [6] and is distinct from the international version of The Africa Channel which launched in September 2007. [7] The African Channel is a showcase for English language television series, specials, documentaries, feature films, music, soaps, biographies, current business analysis, cultural and historical programs. [8]

In 2017, The Africa Channel launched the streaming service Demand Africa. [9]

History

Makawa moved to Los Angeles in 2001 and it was there that the idea of The Africa Channel began to cement itself, drawn by his experience working in over twenty African countries, where he discovered African content that wasn't sold to. To this end, he began negotiations with established African broadcasters to license their productions. Not long after launch, the channel still lacked widespread availability and did not change the perception most Americans had of Africa, which was what Makawa intended. [2]

Programs

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sanders, Brandee (30 December 2010). "OWN: Not the First Black-Led Network". The Root. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  2. 1 2 "Afro Beat : The Man Behind The "Africa Channel"". Afro Style Fashion Magazine. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  3. ↑ Szalai, Georg (August 2006). "Cox set to bow Africa Channel". Hollywood Reporter.
  4. ↑ "The Africa Channel". The African Channel. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Cable Show 2010: Africa Channel To Launch In HD Come August Multichannel News May 12, 2010
  6. ↑ "Member channels of the Caribbean Cable Cooperative". Archived from the original on 2011-08-16. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  7. ↑ Oatts, Joanne (2007-08-15). "Africa Channel launches on Sky". Digital Spy . Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  8. ↑ "The African Channel". The African Channel. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "Streaming Video Service Focused on African Content Launches In the U.S." Demand Africa. 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
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