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Econet secures Viceland in Africa

Broadcaster Econet Media has agreed a deal that will make Viceland available in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 James Rosenstock

James Rosenstock

The youth-focused lifestyle and culture channel from Vice Media will be available on Econet’s multi-platform pay service Kwesé TV.

Viceland claims to offer programming with “a contemporary take on music, food, identity, fashion, sports and more” and is headed by Spike Jonze, co-president of the network internationally, and Eddy Moretti, Vice’s chief creative officer.

James Rosenstock, president at Viceland International, said: “The linear and multi-platform nature of this deal with Kwesé emphasises our continued vision of ensuring viewers are given access to our programming 24 hours a day, across all screens and we share the ambition and dedication of Kwesé in making this a huge success.”

Joseph Hundah, president and CEO at Econet, added: “This partnership is a natural fit for Kwesé because our target audiences include the urban youth, which will better relate to Viceland’s offering.”

At launch, programming will include originals such as Huang’s World, which is fronted by Eddie Huang, Noisey, Vice World of Sports and Black Market.

The net launched in the US and Canada in February 2016 and has since been rolled out in the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

This deal in Africa, first revealed in June last year, is the latest in a number of expected international arrangements that aim to make multi-screen programming available for viewers in 51 territories.

Kwesé, which airs shows from FremantleMedia and Red Arrow as well as channels from Discovery Network and Trace, completed a deal to buy the free TV broadcasting and production businesses in Ghana and Nigeria from Scandinavia-based media operator Modern Times Group in December.

The operations were sold for an undisclosed sum, with Econet also buying MTG’s free TV broadcasting business in Tanzania.

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