[eccr] Conference: African Broadcasting in Transition: Challenges, Risks & Opportunities in an Era of Liberalization & Convergence

African broadcasting conference confronts political, digital revolutions

African broadcasters and policy analysts will meet in Johannesburg, South
Africa, in September to develop strategies for overcoming the political and
digital technology challenges currently inhibiting both public and
commercial broadcasting on the continent.

The conference, entitled "African Broadcasting in Transition: Challenges,
Risks & Opportunities in an Era of Liberalization & Convergence", is
designed around a series of specialist interactive roundtable debates It
will take place on September 30 and October 1.

The key conference objectives will be to align continental strategies with
legislative and regulatory approaches in Africa and beyond, and to explore
new strategies for exploiting content to gain and retain African audiences.
An additional major focus will be a review of the opportunities presented by
cutting-edge digital broadcasting technologies.

The conference is expected to attract senior media managers, broadcast
directors, infrastructure providers, content production managers - all
involved in the full range of technical, policy and regulatory
responsibilities in private, public and community radio and television.
The continent's leading broadcasters will facilitate many of the open format
discussions on issues, such as the changing African approaches to media
diversity and development, new technology capabilities for delivering
innovative content, an exploration of funding options for local content
production, a high level investigation of the satellite market in Africa and
opportunities for broadband revenues.

Digital broadcasting focused discussions will attempt to develop strategies
for exploiting the factors driving digital technology, as well as
identifying opportunities for additional revenue streams, and the challenges
of protecting intellectual property assets and copyright in cyberspace.
Demonstration will also be given on ways to harness the power of digital
platforms for delivering interactive service and Internet even into the
mobile environment, and for delivering the multimedia radio of the future
through digital audio broadcast (DAB).

Panelists and speakers include Nolo Letele, CEO of MultiChoice Africa; Judi
Nwokedi, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) public broadcasting
managing director; O. Mac Emakpore, Nigerian National Broadcasting
Commission operations director, Davie Kadwa, Malawi Communications
Regulatory Authority general counsel; Ihron Rensburg, National Association
of Broadcasters of SA chairman; Savannah Maziya, CEO of African Broadcast
Network and Channel O CEO Collins Khumalo.

Telephone enquiries and bookings should be made on (+27-11) 463-2802, while
faxes can be sent to (+27-11) 463-6000 and e-mails to
(enquiry.za /at/ terrapinn.com). Delegates can also book online at
www.terrapinn.co.za/conference/E1192/
(July 24, 2002)


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Carpentier Nico
Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University Brussels
Studies on Media, Information & Telecommunication (SMIT)
Centre for Media Sociology (CeMeSO)
Office: C0.04
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.18.30
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.28.61
E-mail: (Nico.Carpentier /at/ vub.ac.be)
W1: http://www.vub.ac.be/SCOM/smit
W2: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ncarpent/
W3: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~jteurlin/Koccc.html
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