The new channel will launch with Rok Studios’ exclusively-produced content, including Husbands of Lagos, Festac Town, Banks Chronicles and Bloodline, with all the TV series and movies showcasing for the first time on African television. Rok will be available to DStv Premium, DStv Extra and DStv Compact customers, and some of the shows will be on DStv Catch Up.
Nigerian cinema, known colloquially as Nollywood, is the second largest film industry in the world, in terms of production output. In its short history, Rok has become one of the industry’s most prolific producers of new, original content, with arguably Africa’s most extensive Nollywood catalogue of 12 TV series and over 150 movies.
The new, exclusively Nollywood channel will be fully programmed, produced and developed in-house, by Rok’s Lagos-based team. Mary Njoku, award-winning Nollywood actress and film producer who has spent over 12 years at the heart of Nigerian filmmaking, will head up the channel.
Speaking on the launch, Rok CEO Mary Njoku says: “Joining the DStv family is the next step in Rok’s evolution as Nollywood’s leading film production house and brand. Broadcasting our original content to millions of movie fans across the African continent, on a platform as far-reaching and illustrious as DStv, is an exhilarating prospect.
“What lies beneath every Rok production, the Rok brand, be it movies or TV series, is our fanatical love of African storytelling; we want to relate amazing African stories that our fans can recognise, be swept away by and be entertained with. We work with Nigeria’s most exceptional talent, in front of and behind the camera, and we continue to push the boundaries in terms of production values. This has given us the edge, in our short history, and has helped us build a fanbase around the world. Rok on DStv allows us to bring Rok to every corner of the continent and connect viewers with content they love”.
“One of the cornerstones of our customer promise is to deliver content that our customers love and enjoy, and that is why we’re excited to introduce Rok which will boost DStv’s local content and further diversify our offering”, says Aletta Alberts head of content at MultiChoice.
Rok launched across Africa on 01 November 2016.
