Pan-African 24-hour news channel, TVC News set for February 28 launch

Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS) Nigeria Limited has concluded arrangements for the soft launch of TVC News, a pan-African 24-hour news channel, which will air across Africa from the end of February and go live in April 2013.

The TV channel , which is based in Lagos, will follow a similar model as other international 24 hour news channels, like the British Broadcasting Corporation , Cable News Network Inc. and Al Jazeera.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of CBS, Mr. Nigel Parson, who spoke to newsmen at the media tour of the TVC news facilities, the TV channel aims to become Africa’s leading news channel by bringing the latest new, breaking news and other informative programmes from across Africa and the world.

Parson stated that TVC news was set up to look at the world through African eyes; and serve as a voice for Africa and Africans on the street to be heard on the global scene.

He said: “For a long time now, issues concerning Africa and Africans have been overwhelmingly reported by the foreign media, thus a need to bring the African news the African way to the African people.”

Parson added that too many foreign channels only report deaths and disasters in Africa.

“There is a lot to celebrate, business is booming in Africa; TVC news is focused on projecting Africa’s voice at the global scene. It is a medium for all Africans living in Africa and the Diaspora to be heard. The TV station with its state-of-art equipment, veteran broadcasters and visionary leadership is on the right track to achieving the set target.” he added.

He stated that what sets the TV channel apart is the coverage of under-reported regions, in-depth and reliable source of journalism and news coverage across Africa and the world; enabled by bureaux and correspondents all around the world.

“TVC news is committed to excellence that will engage the viewer with fearless truth telling and informative reporting, leveraging on technology and veteran broadcasters,” he said.

Parson added that the TV channel, which is pioneered in Lagos, will have offices in Abuja, in Port Harcourt, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Accra and Dakar.

He said “TVC News will join other pan-African stations, such as Johannesburg-based eNCA, which became South Africa’s first 24- hour news channel four years ago. With its facilities, TVC news can compete favourable with other international broadcasters for viewers.”

He explained that the TV channel would run half hour stations to support the life style of Africans; the culture and environment, health, women and children and many more subjects which would appeal to any ordinary African.

According to him, the TVC will air on British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY) in the United Kingdom, StarTimes in Nigeria, Multi TV in Ghana, other cable stations in United States and Kenya, disclosing that the firm was still talking with South Africa’s MultiChoice.