China Intends To Install Digital Satellite Television Systems In 200 Togolese Villages
China intends to install digital satellite television systems in 200 Togolese villages
Using digital satellite television and hardware, the Chinese government intends to reach 200 villages across Togo, thereby expediting the West African country's plans to transition to digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting.
In addition to improving image quality and lowering operating costs inherent in broadcasting, digital terrestrial television (DTT) will eventually replace analog television. The Togolese parliament approved a law authorizing the DTT migration in October of this year, completing a process that had begun several years before the regulation was approved.
Beginning with the construction of nine digital television signal transmission sites, the project was expected to get underway in the near future. However, it has come to a halt because DTT coverage in the French-speaking country remains low, and in rural areas, it is non-existent. On paper, the Chinese intervention appears to have the potential to facilitate Togo's transition from analog to digital satellite communications.
In a statement issued late last month, China's deputy trade minister, Qian Keming, stated that the Asian superpower was "committed to assisting in the implementation of this program" in Togo.
The Chinese project will cover more than a third of the villages in the country, which is one of the smallest in Africa in terms of both land area and population, with approximately 8 million people, according to the United Nations.
The 10,000 Villages Project
The provision of satellite TV by the Chinese government in Togo is part of a larger program in Africa, under which 10,000 villages in 20 countries are expected to receive DTT kits, with the goal of bridging the digital divide in rural areas of Africa.
Selected villages are equipped with solar-powered projector TVs, digital television sets, satellite dishes, and decoders, allowing them to watch 20 international and local channels for free on their mobile phones. Technicians from the local community are also trained in the installation and maintenance of the equipment.
The installation was carried out by the Chinese media conglomerate StarTimes, which was contracted for the project. The company claims to have equipped public areas with satellite reception kits in 200 and 1,000 villages, respectively, in the neighboring West African countries of Benin and Nigeria. The same type of deployment was carried out in Uganda and Kenya as well.
China's media presence in Africa is increasing
StarTimes is one of the most popular pay-TV operators on the continent, with over a million subscribers. Despite the fact that it is technically a private company with no known government affiliation, the pay-TV operator plays an important role in China's diplomacy push in the African continent.
It is now possible to see China's significant presence and influence in Africa, which has primarily been in the areas of infrastructure development and trade, but has also extended to the media sector. The Chinese government has made significant investments in the African media landscape over the years, particularly through projects such as the DTT coverage.
Several Chinese media organizations also have a significant presence on the continent, including the People's Daily.
In 2006, the state-funded Xinhua News Agency opened a regional office in Nairobi, which is home to a large network of foreign correspondents in the African continent. For the time being, it is allowing local media outlets to obtain content through its newswire without charging a fee.
The China Global Television Network (CGTN) also has an African bureau in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, where it provides free and discounted broadcasting services to television providers.
Both the China Daily newspaper and China Radio International have bureaus in Nairobi, as does the People's Republic of China.
One of the most important aspects of StarTimes' ambitions in Africa is its ability to promote state broadcasters from the Asian nation, allowing for easier access to Chinese content – ranging from soap operas to news broadcasts. For example, it broadcasts CGTN for free and includes the station as part of every subscription package available.
However, not all of the content available on the platform is created in China. Additionally, in addition to broadcasting Chinese and African national channels, StarTimes produces its own original content in a variety of languages, including Swahili, from its Nairobi-based production facility.
In some ways, China's presence in the African media landscape has been beneficial to the region in terms of economic development. According to reports, the investment in the media industry has resulted in the creation of hundreds of jobs as well as the provision of many journalists with international training courses, often in China.
However, the Asian superpower's increasing investment in African media is seen as part of a strategy to positively shape its image, which is critical to achieving Beijing's longer-term objectives in the continent.
