By Ogova Ondego
Published June 16, 2010

DISCOP Africa, a three-day event aimed at providing African audiovisual media content producers access to both the domestic and the international market, holds in Nairobi, Kenya, September 1-3, 2010.

Billed as sub-Saharan Africa’s most established TV market, DISCOP 4 organisers announced on June 14, 2010 that more than 120 buyers had already registered for the event. They also reported a marked growth in demand from broadcasters looking for quality content from African producers.

“The African Diaspora is growing and we are seeing more niche channels targeting this audience across Europe and North America,” Cherise Barsell, DISCOP Africa Executive Manager says. “Five channels from the UK are already registered for DISCOP AFRICA 4, with more international channels expected to register before September.”

DISCOP Africa 4 will continue to host its ‘Made in Africa’ workshops that are designed to create dialogue between industry leaders and independent African producers on improving content quality, finding funding, and increasing distribution.

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“Through our discussions, it became clear that the best way to increase the viability of African content was to focus directly on funding and sales, which is exactly what we will do at DISCOP AFRICA 4,” Barsell says in a Press Release issued simultaneously in Los Angeles and Paris on June 14, 2010.

Independent African producers registered for DISCOP Africa 4 will be expected to hold meetings and screen their content in the ‘Made in Africa’ Pavilion. Additionally, DISCOP Africa 4 says it will offer them “advanced sales services which include access to an on-line database of buyers and their content needs, and the possibility to post programmes to the DISTUBE on-line screening platform. Furthermore, all producers will have access to a professional workshop to help improve their sales skills.”

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Producers will also have access to funding opportunities, as the event plays host to a co-production pitching session which will see five qualified fiction producers selected to pitch their programmes to five international and Kenyan broadcasters and producers interested in African co-production opportunities.

An estimated 2500 participants are expected to take part in the various DISCOP events organised in 2010,demonstrating the growing importance of world regions such as Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East for audiovisual media content business.