africa_africa 30/10/2014 16:15 Page 3
Zodiak Rights signs Natural
History Unit Africa
Vizocom, Eutelsat boost MEA
Internet connectivity
Zodiak Rights, the
international division of
Zodiak Media, has signed a
new first-look development
deal with the Natural
History Unit Africa (NHU
Africa).
NHU Africa, founded in
2006, has produced over 100
hours of wildlife
programming, including 3D
documentaries and currently
has 12 hours in production.
between NHU /Sabido and its
roster of Zodiak Media Group
companies.
Zanele Mthembu, group
head content division, NHU
Africa and Sabido
Productions, described the
partnership with Zodiak
Rights as “an exciting step”
for NHU and Sabido
Productions particularly at
this juncture where it had
significantly grown its
Vizocom, a provider of
integrated satellite
broadband solutions, has
selected the Eutelsat 21B
satellite to implement a
reliable and flexible
connectivity service in
countries with harsh and
challenging environments
and limited terrestrial
infrastructure.
Vizocom’s new AfricAsia
Satellite Services will take
with the new services
provided through Eutelsat’s
satellites positioned it as
the ideal provider for
enterprises in the Oil and
Gas, Security, Construction
and NGO markets. “Our
experience, combined with
Eutelsat’s satellite
technology allows us to
provide unparalleled
satellite services in the
Middle East and Africa.”
It produces and commissions
wildlife and natural history
documentaries and works
with both local and
international partners.
Zodiak Rights will take on up
to 20 hours of prestigious
natural history programming
a year from the producer and
sister company Sabido
Productions. As part of the
deal, Zodiak Rights will also
help facilitate co-productions
programming slate and was
looking to establish its
presence in new territories.
“Zodiak’s reputation as a
market leader in the
worldwide distribution of
television and home
entertainment programming
across all platforms and our
diverse and high quality slate
are a perfect fit. We look
forward to growing this
relationship.”
advantage of two highpower service areas of the
Eutelsat 21B satellite to
offer connectivity with
speeds ranging from
6Mbps to 10 Mbps in the
Middle East and Africa.
Mohammed Al Zahri,
Vizocom’s regional internet
services sales manager,
said the company’s thrust
into emerging markets in
Africa and Asia, together
Michel Azibert, Eutelsat
chief commercial and
development officer, said
the deal was an opportunity
to demonstrate to a new
client the contribution of
its satellites and ground
infrastructures for
providing a wide and
scalable range of reliable
communications solutions
in harsh and challenging
environments.
Gencom signs with
Sencore in
South Africa
Signal transmission and
content monitoring
solutions specialist Sencore
has confirmed that
integrated media solutions
provider Gencom
Technology will serve as the
new South Africa distributor
of the company’s complete
line of video delivery and
test and measurement
products.
Under the new agreement,
4 Africa Briefing
Gencom will sell
and support
Sencore’s advanced
line of modular
receiver decoders,
multiscreen
adaptive bit rate
and file-based
transcoders,
satellite modulators,
as well as IP and
MPEG analysis and monitoring
equipment.
“Gencom has a strong
presence in the cable, satellite
and broadcast industries, its
extensive network of
customer
relationships will
help us take the
Sencore product line
to new levels in
South Africa,” said
Tony Oehlerking,
general manager of
international
business
development at
Sencore. “Sencore products,
coupled with excellent
support and service from
Gencom, are an ideal
combination for broadcasters
in the region as they look to