StarTimes launches 9 new channels

Wazobia TV and Cool TV, which have been transmitting broadcasts from their radio studios on TV since October, will launch as early as November 1 alongside seven other channels.Other channels unveiled at the AfriCast Conference in Abuja this week include DaVinci Learning for children, a children’s entertainment channel Pop, Yoruba music and lifestyle channel Tiwan’tiwa, […]

Wazobia TV and Cool TV, which have been transmitting broadcasts from their radio studios on TV since October, will launch as early as November 1 alongside seven other channels.
Other channels unveiled at the AfriCast Conference in Abuja this week include DaVinci Learning for children, a children’s entertainment channel Pop, Yoruba music and lifestyle channel Tiwan’tiwa, Hausa-language Dadin Kowa, and Trace Sports Stars, where sporting glory meets celebdom.
The channels target local choices among its 2-million-strong subscribers on the continent, said Israel Bolaji, public relations manager at NTA-StarTV Network.
“As a platform for digital migration, we are committed to supporting Nigerians actualise the 2015 deadline by ensuring that Nigerians get the best of digital television at an affordable price,” he said.
The new channels bring the platform’s channel base to over 85 in the last four years since its launch, and point to its getting into gear to push the switch from analogue to digital television across the continent by 2015, by providing access to analogue broadcasters wanting to make the jump.
It has already starting helping terrestrial TV stations go digital, with viewers free to choose between an antenna-based decoder and a dish-based one.
“The digital switch will offer clearer and crisp television signal, access to wide range of both local and international channels for everyone,” added Bolaji.
The emphasis on local content is a strong catch for advertisers to target in-your-face commercials-which pop up while the decoder boots up or when switching channels or changing volume-at viewers.