SA Direct TV celebrates one year of broadcasting

Developing innovative solutions for an established industry such as television is always a challenge, but it is one that Southern Africa Direct CEO and co-founder Pierre van der Hoven relishes. A year ago Van der Hoven helped launch Southern Africa Direct as the first destination marketing television channel in the UK on Sky channel 270.

“The concept at the time was to consolidate African content and deliver it to new audiences using a focused medium such as television. Then to add new technologies offered by the internet and mobile, eventually delivering a global, multiplatform environment and integrated solutions to advertisers and viewers alike,” Van der Hoven says.

One year later Southern Africa Direct has attracted a TV audience of over 3.5 million. The TV channel is backed by a website which allows viewers to further interact with the content, research Southern Africa and buy Southern African related products. It seems the company is well on tract in its aim to reach across borders and tell the African story from a fresh perspective.

Southern Africa Direct offers tourists and potential investors quality programming, depicting the character and essence of Southern Africa as told by the people of the region. It focuses on 25 African countries below the equator, including the islands such as Seychelles, Mauritius and the Comoros.

Single port to Southern Africa

Van der Hoven says: “The original idea was to market the Southern African region to the global market by creating a single port of entry for anyone wanting focused information pertaining to the sub-continent, its lifestyle, culture and, perhaps most importantly, its commercial potential.

“Having laid the foundation for the TV channel and website, we now have global reach. For us, the development of a strong content distribution network and high impact, multiplatform environment is imperative to increasing the service proposition for our clients."

Southern Africa Direct operates two offices, one in London, UK and one in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company aims to straddle the gap between Africa and the rest of the world, creating a meeting point for investors, tourists and Africa enthusiasts from across the globe.

Plans are underfoot to roll out the TV channel across Africa, as well as globally. In addition Van der Hoven is keenly aware of the growing role mobile technology is playing in Africa, and the effect the availability of online video is having on the traditional way television is viewed.

“The vision in its simplicity is innovative leadership - we want to keep challenging ourselves to create and not just exist as an entity,” he concludes. "Africa has an incredible talent base and in the current global environment, where emerging countries are playing an increasing role in influencing the world agenda, we need to make our voices heard."

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