Broadcasting
MultiChoice Talent Factory 2025 Opens Portal for Entries
MultiChoice Talent Factory is thrilled to announce that it’s once again calling upon all aspiring filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers, and storytellers to apply for entry into the 2025 fully funded academic year.
Whether you’re a young professional looking to change careers and expand your horizons or a newcomer eager to make your mark in the TV & Film industry, MTF welcomes applicants from all backgrounds across the 13 countries in Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Since its inception in 2018, MTF has welcomed 60 students each year giving them an opportunity to reach their dreams and to unleash their potential by providing a platform that nurtures and develops talent across the continent, providing opportunities for growth, networking and success in the entertainment industry.
Through a series of rigorous training programs, MTF believes in using hands-on approach and mentorship from industry experts. Participants not only get a chance to sharpen their craft but also gain invaluable insights into the business of filmmaking. Imagine being chosen as one of the participants to learn from some of the industry’s best minds and gaining practical experience in areas such as cinematography, sound design, editing, and more. MTF gives you all these opportunities and does not stop there.
At the end of the programme, top performing students from each academy will get further training, mentorship and internship opportunities with MTF global partners, such as the New York Film Academy (NYFA), Indian-based platform Zee World and will get an opportunity to work on productions in South Africa. Upon completion students receive accredited and recognised qualification and get a chance to produce and direct short films showcased on MultiChoice platforms.
All these initiatives are indicative of MTFs commitment to supporting MultiChoice’s content selection of delivering exciting local content, which is rich in culture. Africa has many untold stories and by investing in African talent, MultiChoice gets to uncover and showcase these stories by supporting MTFs students, giving them necessary skills and the platform to produce content that resonates with Africans and the global market. Through this support, MTF alumni’s have achieved phenomenal success in their productions.
Just last year, five alumni secured nominations across three categories at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). In addition to this, Many MTF alumni occupy significant industry roles across the continent, working as directors, producers, sound designers, camera operators, art directors, scriptwriters and editors on major African productions which include Salem, Tempted, Engaito, Mvamizi, Mum vs Wife, Makofi, County 49 and many others.
Habtamu S. Mekonen, MTF student from the East Africa Academy in Nairobi, Kenya, recently won an International Emmy Award for a short film that he produced and directed. The success of MTF is best illustrated by the feature films produced by its students. The films highlight the talents and creativity of participants and demonstrate the programme’s profound impact.
MTF also fosters entrepreneurial spirit, giving young people the confidence to start their own projects and businesses. To date, thirty of its alumni have registered production houses, creating employment opportunities and contributing to the economy. The knowledge and skills imparted by MTF empowers graduates to be catalysts for economic growth and cultural enrichment in their communities.
Applications are now open and will close on 15 September 2024. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/4cjKojb to submit their entries and learn more about the program’s requirements.
Are you ready to unleash your talent and step into the spotlight as one of the next generation of filmmakers? Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to ignite your career in film and television with MultiChoice Talent Factory.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are set to introduce a joint broadcast monitoring framework ahead of the 2027 general elections as part of efforts to curb unethical broadcasting and promote responsible election coverage.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed the plan recently, said the collaboration would strengthen election monitoring through the deployment of advanced technology and closer coordination between regulatory agencies.
According to him, the increasing influence of digital and online platforms has made it imperative for regulators to work together rather than operate independently.
“We have written to INEC, and we are going to have a joint monitoring outlook over the elections. Gone are the days when agencies work in silos. When we coordinate, we’re able to monitor more effectively,” Ebuebu said.
He explained that the partnership would enable both agencies to jointly identify and address violations of broadcasting regulations during the election period instead of handling such issues separately.
Beyond INEC, Ebuebu said the NBC is also partnering with other key regulators to strengthen oversight of election-related content across digital platforms.
According to him, the commission is finalising agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) ahead of the polls to reinforce its monitoring capabilities.
“We are calling in other stakeholders to reinforce the election monitoring. We are signing agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency before the elections,” he said.
Ebuebu also revealed that the NBC is upgrading its monitoring infrastructure with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to keep pace with the rapidly expanding media landscape.
He noted that the proliferation of online platforms has made traditional monitoring methods inadequate.
“With online platforms, there are thousands of them. You need more than staff; you need AI monitoring facilities,” he said.
The NBC chief added that the commission has significantly improved its monitoring capacity and can currently track nearly 50 broadcast channels from its monitoring centre in Abuja.
He said additional monitoring facilities would be established across the country in line with evolving broadcasting technologies.As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, Ebuebu announced plans for a sensitisation workshop in Ibadan that will bring together broadcasters, INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the engagement had become necessary as political discussions surrounding elections continue to grow more heated, including on television, stressing the need for broadcasters to adhere to professional standards.
Ebuebu noted that the commission has had to issue several warnings to broadcast stations for violating the broadcasting code during election periods.
“We have had to write several of them because they simply forget what the code says,” he said
Mrs. Clementine Wamba, head, Digital Switch Over (DSO) at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has stressed the need for broadcasting stations and practitioners nationwide to work towards meeting the 2028 global deadline for the switch over.
She made the call in her presentation titled, “DSO Big Picture: Free TV Audience Measurement and the Evolving Media Landscape”, at the 2026 NBC South West Summit held in Ibadan.
Wamba harped on the need for practitioners to adopt DSO in the transmission of news and other programmes in order to meet future challenges, stating that any country that fail to align with the DSO by 2028 will be shut out of practice.
This development, according to her, may result in job losses and other consequences that could hinder the growth of the industry in Nigeria, noting that Free TV is tailored towards the DSO, with provision for many channels in contrast to the age-long analogue system.
According to her, “The Digital Switch Over is a technological improvement on the age-long analogue style of broadcasting in the country. With the adoption of the DSO, practitioners will be in tune with global practice of broadcast journalism.
“Also, its benefits include efficient use of spectrum, changing of industry landscape, more access to national development programmes and better viewing experience.”
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that Nigerians will no longer pay annual Digital Access Fees under the renewed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Ebuebu said viewers only need to purchase an approved decoder and satellite dish which cost below N20,000 to enjoy free television permanently.
“Previously, users paid an annual digital access fee of about N1,500, described as an administrative charge.
“The new system removes that annual fee. It provides free access to free-to-air television channels without any payment.
“Premium channels will be introduced later. Viewers who want those additional channels will be able to access them through paid services.
“Nigerian content on free-to-air channels remains free to watch. Unlike Pay TV, this platform does not require monthly subscriptions for its basic service,” he said
Ebuebu said approved decoders for the FreeTV will cost less than N20,000 and authorised sales outlets will soon be announced.
He urged Nigerians to wait for official information on approved dealers for the DSO decoders, warning that unauthorised sellers are exploiting growing public demand.
He reiterated that people only need a free-to-air decoder, along with a satellite dish instead of the old antenna system to receive the DSO signal.
“Once the equipment is installed, viewers can access all available channels across the country without paying any subscription fees,” he stressed
The DG dismissed claims by some retailers that there are different categories of decoders sold at varying prices, stressing that such sellers are not authorised by the commission.
According to him, the NBC will soon publish the list of approved dealers, official prices, and locations where genuine decoder boxes and accessories can be purchased.
The NBC boss said the DSO project is designed not only to improve television broadcasting but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and opening up opportunities for businesses that support the broadcasting industry.
Ebuebu noted that content producers and broadcasters stand to benefit significantly from the nationwide reach of the DSO platform.
Unlike the previous system, where many stations had limited regional audiences, he said the new platform will make their channels available to viewers across Nigeria.
He added that the introduction of audience measurement technology will provide scientific and reliable data on television viewership.
Ebuebu added that audience measurement technology will give advertisers greater confidence in placing adverts and enable broadcasters to demonstrate the true size and reach of their audiences nationwide.
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