Hitv has recorded over 100,000 people on its subscription base with a further promise to give customers value for money through compelling content and technical quality.

Owned by Entertainment Highway Limited, it commenced transmissions on February 1, 2007 with a pledge to providing qualitative, informative and entertaining content to Nigerians at affordable rates, all aimed at serving as a catalyst for the growth of the entertainment industry in Nigeria.

Olumide Amure, chief operating officer of the company, disclosed that an unprecedented patronage has propelled the subscriber base from 25,000 in August last year to 47,000 in December; over 70,000 in February 2008 and 122,000 at the end of July 2008.

Amure said that having overcome such start-up challenges as freezing of satellite signals and late kick off of live matches, the platform is poised to offer subscribers quality services having invested heavily in equipment and infrastructure, as well as recruitment of tested hands.

The firm’s phenomenal growth, he said, has been driven largely by such crucial elements as robust technology, compelling content, competitive pricing, aggressive marketing, financial clout and management savvy.

He said the company has strengthened its technical base, adding that over the next 12 months, the company will be adding more content in different areas of interests to customers such as sports, movies, news and entertainment.

Hitv operates on two platforms – the cable service, which is currently in operation in Lagos only, and the satellite Direct-To-Home (DTH) service, which is available all over the country.

The station jolted the Nigerian broadcasting market when in 2006; it won the rights to the English Premier League for three seasons, and the Spanish Liga for the whole of Africa. It became the first television platform in Africa to deploy the new terrestrial pay per view decoder system technology known as the MMDS Hypercable, which makes pay TV viewing cheaper.

Since Wednesday, August 15, 2007, Nigerian viewers, who waited for 15 years to have access to affordable pay television, started enjoying the pleasure of watching their soccer idols live on three Hitv channels – Hi-Soccer, Hi-Sports and Hi-Sports 2, and two additional channels on standby just in case several matches are played simultaneously.

Overall, Hitv made a hit in content development when its parent company acquired the broadcast rights to the English Premier League for three seasons beginning from the 2007 season. The company clinched Package A of the EPL offerings, which gave it the right to beam live 80 percent of the games totaling 380 matches a season and eight per week.

For the 2008/2009 season which gets underway August 15, the firm has acquired new wardrobe for its presenters and analysts, built two new sets to accommodate more analysts and added more commentators for prompt analysis of games. There will also be audience participation and feedback through live contributions to ongoing matches, as well as SMS competitions.

In thanking its subscribers for their patronage, Amure said the company will consistently respond to meet the wishes of consumers, adding that the transformation of the country’s television and broadcast industry remains on course from content to programming, and technology to platforms.

Dragon’s Den: From Classroom of Fire, Cash

Episode 3 of the Dragon’s Den was packed with more dramatic energy, more ambitious smooth-talking entrepreneurs, and more ruthless dragons.

The first entrepreneur Aniekeme Friday Bassey came in search of 8 million naira in exchange of 20% equity in a business he believed would solve Nigeria’s electricity problem for good. He came hoping to convince the dragons to invest in a business that would make wind turbine power-generating sets available in Nigeria. He revealed that the wind turbine apparatus generated up to 2 mega watts of electricity, and was currently being employed in Europe, where this technology is responsible for generating more than 40% of the continent’s energy.

Femi Tejuoso’s question initiated his undoing and before long, it was obvious that this entrepreneur’s idea was not only unoriginal to him but he lacked faith in his business plan. He was sent home with only a piece of advice from Ibukun Awosika. 

Emmanuel Achukwu barely escaped being scorched by the infuriated dragons who felt enormously insulted by his bizarre demand for 5 million naira in exchange for 60% equity in a company that would specialize in writing business plans for other businesses when the business plan he had presented to the dragons for this business was flawed by an overwhelming dose of mediocrity, incompetence, and severe lack of any fundamental knowledge in the art of business writing. 

It was not long before this entrepreneur went crashing down with yet another advice from Awosika, "please don’t try again. Go back to school. Make yourself more qualified to do this kind of work- but for now, you don’t have a business."

The third entrepreneur, Alao Olatunji had the idea of starting what he dreamt was a ‘Modern Day Carwash’, and in order to turn his dream into an growing enterprise, he requested for 31 million naira in exchange of 70% equity.

During his presentation he had revealed his plans to roll out a bouquet of car-washing services under the glam titles ‘Flexi’, ‘Supreme’, ‘Instanta’ etc. He pegged the prices for his services at N1, 000.

Attacks came from Chris Parkes, Awosika and John Momoh and Olatunji could not keep up. He lost out!

Michael Ijegwua and his partner Idu Paul went into the den, looking smart, and confident that they were going to secure an investment in a business they had tagged the "Mobile Aided Mail-Box", which was ear-marked to provide a service that would replace the conventional Private Mail Box (PMB) addressing system with a subscriber’s mobile phone number. The idea sounded very brilliant but confusing at first.

However, on closer examination the Dragons discovered it was just a value added service which would prove profitable if only they made plans to work with the postal agency to introduce this concept to their subscribers.

They opted out.

The fifth entrepreneur, Walter Asikaro, the chairman of Consolidated Gems Limited, came to expand his business of exporting rough and processed gem stones with a 6 million naira investment from the dragons. But his undoing was not being able to convince the dragons on the legality of the business. He lost out!

Abiodun Bolaji came to ask for 6 million naira in exchange for 60% equity in his refuse disposal business. But indications that he would use bribery to advance his business put the dragons off whom of course, opted out.

The seventh entrepreneur, Jumobi Daniel and his "Jumoby Fruity Eatery" left a fruity taste in the den when he came asking for 5 million naira in exchange of 30% equity in his business, an outlet where fruits can be savored by customers all day long

The dragons on a closer look discovered that his business plan was not feasible, and his idea was not well-researched. They advised him to allow his business to grow from bottom upwards instead of jumping from start-up to becoming a conglomerate.

However, he went home with Chris Parkes 1Million Naira advice only after the dragons had opted out.

iTunes and Rick Dees Shows: Two Peas in Pod

hilary okeke

iTunes download radio show has been launched by Premier Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channels Communications; and will debut on top 40 radio stations in America.

The three-hour weekend music countdown show will feature the 30 most downloaded songs in America as featured in iTunes Store.

Hosted by Alex Luke, iTunes director of music programming, the show will be transmitted on Saturdays and Sundays, from Los Angeles, where Luke will interview high profile music artists.

The show will also feature a celebrity playlist and iMixes created by iTunes Store listeners.

Music fans in Nigeria however, can have a delightful music experience on the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 music show, originating from California.

Rick Dees is broadcast every Saturdays and Sundays on the Cool FM 96.9 dial.

Countdown usually begins on Saturdays at 12pm, going all the way down to number 21 while the Top 20 countdown continues the next day, same time.

The Top three songs on this week’s countdown are Leaving by Jesse McCartney, I Kissed a Girl by Kate Perry and Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield.

So, music lovers in Abuja, Lagos and its environs who may not have access to the iTunes Download show; can tune into Cool FM on weekends for same wonderful music experience on radio.