The newly combined Canal+ and MultiChoice Group has been urged by Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, to increase its investment in Ghana’s creative sector and increase local content development as part of its strategic operations in Africa.
During a courtesy call from group executives to formally introduce their merger and lay out their objectives for the continent’s future, he made the call.
The delegation, which was led by Mr. David Mignot, Chief Executive Officer for Africa Operations, and other senior officials, informed the Minister about the plan to increase the production and distribution of African content by combining Canal+, MultiChoice, and Group Vivendi Africa (GVA), three significant companies in the broadband and entertainment industries, into a single continental platform.
In addition to applauding the merger as a daring move to increase African ownership and representation in the international media and entertainment industry, Hon. Samuel Nartey George urged the firm to increase its investments in Ghana’s local content ecosystem.
He suggested that the Ministry and the business work together to arrange a roundtable discussion to address collaborations, production standards, and investment prospects between Ghanaian content producers, film producers, and the Canal+ and MultiChoice team.
The Minister stated, “Our culture is deep and rich with untold stories, from Yaa Asantewaa to Ghana’s role in African liberation movements. These are narratives that deserve to be told on continental and global screens. I would like to see Canal+ and MultiChoice actively support the creative sector to bring these stories to life,”
He emphasised the significance of growing Ghana’s film and digital creative industries, emphasising that domestic production need to be on par with that of other top African markets.
The Minister urged the group to think about funding local collaborations, shared equipment facilities, and production studios in order to improve the calibre of content and increase the visibility of Ghanaian artists.
Regarding digital infrastructure, the Minister praised GVA’s fiber-to-home programs and asked the organisation to look on cost-effective approaches that would enable more homes to have access to high-speed broadband.
He clarified that more extensive fibre connectivity will allow for smooth streaming of content and improve the quality of experience for mobile customers.
“Our goal as a Ministry is to lower the barriers to entry for both consumers and investors. Affordable and reliable internet is key to digital inclusion, and partnerships like this can help us achieve that,” he continued.
In order to resolve pricing discrepancies that have previously led to conflict between regulators and service providers, Hon. George also advocated for consistent content pricing across African nations, with just national tax variances.
Mr. Mignot responded by restating the organization’s dedication to enhancing its presence in Africa and highlighting how the merger would pool resources to provide more than 10,000 hours of African content per year in 25 languages, backed by more than 17,000 staff members around the continent.
He was excited about Ghana’s position as a vital market and applauded the Minister’s suggestion to work more closely with the nation’s creative sector.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment at the end of the conference to use digital technology and local storytelling to reshape Africa’s story and increase access to high-quality entertainment and broadband services throughout the continent.
Source: newsthemegh.com