The organisers of this year's DISCOP Africa, which takes place 1-3 September 2010 at the Hilton Nairobi in Kenya stated that following a series of meetings during the last two events, many of the leading broadcasters and content suppliers involved in sub-Saharan Africa have come together to form Africa Media Rights Watch. The initiative is supported by international key players such as Canal+ Overseas, M-Net and Cote Ouest as well as by African associations of broadcasters and content producers.
As an anti-piracy body standing against audiovisual piracy across that region, its objective is to help establish and promote a business environment that is respectful of copyright laws and of measures to enforce these laws. Participants believe the timing is right considering the speed at which the Sub-Saharan African television marketplace has grown over the last two years.
Commenting on the initiative, Bernard Azria, founding manager, Cote Ouest, one of Africa's largest independent distributors noted, "It is vital that the problem of piracy be eliminated, or at least significantly reduced in Sub-Saharan Africa. If the theft of intellectual property is allowed to continue at its present levels it will be a very severe blow to the possibility of building a flourishing audiovisual business with a secure long-terms future in the region."
"For all those legitimately concerned with the audiovisual business in Sub-Saharan Africa, content piracy is robbing them of their future. We have to put an end to this theft, and we will," states Benedicte Cheneut, GM Canal+ Overseas.
Mike Dearham, head of sales and acquisitions, M-Net, underlined the necessity of the initiative, observing, "It is not enough merely to frame rules, it is also necessary to construct a mechanism capable of ensuring that the rules are enforced."
"As the only market at which the continent's entire audiovisual business gathers, DISCOP Africa has a key role to play in providing the means for all the major players of Sub-Saharan Africa to unite and defeat the pirates, and we are very pleased to host the launch of the initiative," says Patrick Jucaud, founding manager, DISCOP Organisation in conclusion.
Go to www.discop.com for more information.
