Afrotainment
This article contains promotional content. (December 2018) |
Country | United States |
---|---|
Headquarters | New York City, U.S. Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Soundview Africa |
Links | |
Website | www.afrotainment.us www.afros.tv |
Availability | |
Streaming media | |
Roku | YEBO Mizik OYEEE AFRICA24 Music NAIJA Music CAMER Music |
Apple TV | YEBO |
Amazon Fire TV | YEBO |
Afrotainment, often branded as simply Afro, is an American media company based in New York City, founded by television producer Yves Bollanga in 2005,[1] and owned by Soundview Africa. The company operates linear television channels and digital properties that target African American viewership. Its productions include budgeted films, television series and talk shows.
History
[edit]On June 22, 2005, Afrotainment launched 3A TELESUD, its first channel on DISH Network. Initial launch was followed by 3 more carriage agreements between 2008 and 2011 for Afrotainment Movies, Afrotainment Music, TV9JA, and OUI TVOn.[citation needed]
On October 13, 2011, Afrotainment launched Afrotainment Plus, its first cable channel. It was made available on IO Africa on Channel 1101.[citation needed]
On September 19, 2013, Afrotainment launched 4 new channels in Canada on Bell Fibe TV; marking the company's first expansion outside of the United States.[2]
On December 5, 2014, Afrotainment launched Haiti HD a network targeting the Haitian community on Bell Fibe TV Canada.[3] On October 30, 2016, the channel was began carriage on Videotron in Canada.[4]
In August 2015, Afrotainment launched YEBO, an OTT music video on demand app on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV.[5]
On March 3, 2016, Afrotainment launched AFRO, its Polycultural Black channel, and ABO on Verizon FIOS.[6][7]
On June 28, 2017, AFRO was made available on Sling TV in its Lifestyle Plus package.[8][9][10][11][12] The channel was removed on June 26, 2019.[13]
On November 15, 2018, Comcast announced an agreement to launch AFRO on Xfinity.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
Programming
[edit]Afrotainment programming is produced for, or acquired from, the African and Black diaspora. The company produces its programming from its Orlando TV Studios[citation needed]: including Point of View, a daytime woman talk show; Afrotainers, an Entertainment News show; Afrohits Top 10, a chart of the ten best Afro-centric music videos; The Lowdown, a late night comedy show; Journey, a talk show.
Afrotainment also broadcasts soccer matches of the Confederation of African Football, such as the CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, CAF African Nation Championship, and CAF Youth Championship.[citation needed]
The Afrotainment Museke Online Africa Music Awards, which is held every September, is simulcasted across Afrotainment's US channels and online platforms.
Channels
[edit]The company currently owns and operates the following 8 TV channels:
AFRO TV – Polycultural Black Television channel.
Afrotainment – Afro-centric general entertainment service, broadcasting in High-definition; programming includes TV series, films, talk shows and reality series.
Afrotainment Plus – Cable centric service featuring the best programming from Afrotainment & Afrotainment Music.
Afrotainment Music – Afro-centric music service featuring music from the African continent. Programming includes music videos, live performances and entertainment programs.
Africa Box Office (ABO) – Afro-centric movie service featuring the best in film from the African continent. It airs over 100 new movies every year from Nollywood and other movie houses throughout Africa.
TV Naija – General entertainment service aimed at Nigerian community, airs TV series & music from Nigeria.
Oui TV – Cameroonian, Ivorian and African sitcoms and dramas in French.
YEBO – Afro-caribbean music video on Demand (Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku).
References
[edit][26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37]
- ^ Gundan, Farai. "Meet Yves Bollanga, The Man Televising African Home Entertainment in the USA". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ Channels, Afrotainment. "Afrotainment launches 4 channels on Bell Canada". PRLog. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ Webmaster, Afro. "Afrotainment Channels - AFROTAINMENT launches Haiti HD on Bell Canada". www.afrotainment.tv. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ Webmaster, Afro. "Afrotainment Channels - Afrotainment expands in Canada with the launch of HAITI HD on Videotron". afrotainment.us. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ Webmaster, Afro. "Afrotainment Channels - Afrotainment launches YEBO, an OTT music video on demand app". afrotainment.us. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ Webmaster, Afro. "Afrotainment Channels - The Afrotainment Family of Channels launches 2 HD channels on Verizon". www.afrotainment.tv. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Verizon Launches Afrotainment Channels | Multichannel". www.multichannel.com. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "AFRO brings polycultural television to Sling TV's Lifestyle Extra - What's On Sling". What's On Sling. 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ Webmaster, Afro. "Afrotainment Channels - AFRO, a Polycultural Black Television Network, debuts on Sling TV". afrotainment.us. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "AFRO, a Polycultural Black Television Network, debuts on Sling TV". Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Sling TV Adds a New Channel to Its Lifestyle Extra Add-On - Cord Cutters News". Cord Cutters News. 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Sling TV Welcomes All-Black Television Network AFRO-SRMagOnline". Soul Reflectionz. 2017-06-28. Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "What happened to the Afro Channel?". www.sling.com. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
- ^ "Comcast Sets TV One's Cleo TV, Afro as Latest Independent Channel Launches". 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Comcast to Add Two New African-American Owned Channels in January". 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Comcast to Launch Two New Black TV Networks in January". 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Comcast to Launch Two New African American Majority Owned Nets". 16 November 2018.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (15 November 2018). "Comcast Launching African-American Cable Networks Afro and Cleo TV". Deadline.
- ^ "Comcast to Add Two Networks Geared Toward African-American Viewers in 2019". 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Comcast Unveils Winners of Competition to Launch Cable Networks Dedicated to Black Media Consumers". 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Yves Bollanga's AFRO TV finds new home at Comcast in historic move". 19 November 2018.
- ^ Report, Tribune Staff. "Comcast adds 2 African-American networks to lineup". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Comcast Announces Agreements with Two New African American Majority Owned Independent Networks - MarketWatch". Archived from the original on 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
- ^ "Comcast to add AFRO, CLEO TV to Xfinity platforms". www.spglobal.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Comcast Partners with CLEO TV and AFRO to Promote Diverse Content – Naturally Moi". Archived from the original on 2018-11-18. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
- ^ "Cowboy, Afro Join Sling". The Savvy Screener. 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Afrotainment Expands to Africa with the Launch of OUI TV On Startimes | Balancing Act - Africa". www.balancingact-africa.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Afrotainment provides a bridge between Africa, Europe and the New World to spread Black Culture". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Africa 24 partners with Afrotainment Family of Channels | NexTV News". NexTV News. 2015-03-05. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Afrotainment to launch Oui TV on StarTimes platform". Digital TV Europe. 2015-08-12. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Cablevision Buttresses International Channel Lineup With Pair Of African Channels | Multichannel". www.multichannel.com. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "AFRO debuts on Sling TV". www.triangletribune.com. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Cameroon-Info.Net:: Forbes Magazine Presents Yves Bollanga, The Man Televising African Home Entertainment in the USA". www.cameroon-info.net (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Cameroon-Info.Net:: Cameroun/USA - Télévision: Le cinéma camerounais s'exporte aux Etats-Unis grâce à "OUI TV"". www.cameroon-info.net (in French). Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Yves Bollanga, Bringing Afro-Caribbean Content to Mainstream U.S. Television". ACRAH. 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
- ^ "Yves Bollanga". BizNis Africa. 2014-01-07. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "dish-network-adds-french-african-channel Dish Network adds french african channel". Retrieved 10 December 2022.