CNBC AFRICA LAUNCHES KENYA BUREAU

Tue, 20 Mar 2007

CNBC Africa, the first international business news channel in sub-Saharan Africa, has launched its Kenyan operations with the opening of a bureau in Nairobi.

The announcement was made by CNBC Africa Chairman Zafar Siddiqi at a joint press conference with the Kenyan Minister for Information & Communication, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe.

“We believe that the launch of CNBC Africa will be a milestone in African television broadcasting,” said Zafar Siddiqi, adding that it will fill a gap in the information needs of audiences.

“By focusing on the financial, business and economic news of the region, our aim is to provide a platform to an ongoing inter-African discussion on globalisation, employment, career, business and investment opportunities, living standards, infrastructure development, and other relevant issues,” Mr. Siddiqi said.  “This is the first channel of its kind that caters to the information needs of the average viewer, as well as to business and investment communities by providing meaningful analysis behind the headlines relating to how current events can impact on our lives.”

CNBC Africa will start broadcasting on 1st June, 2007, with feeds from bureaus in Nairobi, Lagos, Abuja, Cape Town and London.  Further bureaus in Africa will be established on a roll-out basis. The station will also feature live coverage of essential business, economic and markets news from CNBC Europe, US, Middle East, Dubai, India, Pakistan and other CNBC affiliates around the world.

The CNBC Africa signal will be accessible to all DStv subscribers, as well as free-to-air across South Africa and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa on the Sentech “Vivid” platform. CNBC Africa is owned and operated by Africa Business News under a licensing and affiliation agreement with CNBC.

CNBC Africa has appointed former BBC producer Richard Crompton as its Nairobi Bureau Chief and former KBC Channel 1 anchor Terryanne Chebet as the bureau’s lead reporter / presenter.

Richard Crompton comes to the post of Bureau Chief having spent recent years covering Africa as a reporter for the BBC World Service and for the British broadcaster ITN. He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked for the BBC since 1998 as a producer on the flagship Six O’Clock News and on BBC World TV.

“Nairobi is rapidly establishing itself as the business and media hub of East Africa,” says Crompton. “We’re excited to be the first international TV channel to report daily on this expanding and dynamic market.”

Terryanne Chebet is a familiar face to TV viewers in Kenya, having been a news anchor on KBC Channel 1 since 2004. Prior to that, she was a reporter for Nairobi radio station, Metro FM, and an advertising executive.

Says CNBC Africa COO Trevor Ormerod: “The African business markets are burgeoning and investors, big and small, need information that is accurate, immediate and easily accessible. Our experienced anchors, market analysts and bureau chiefs will deliver live business news and immediate analysis to discerning audiences across sub-Saharan Africa”.

ENDS