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Photo: courtesy of Africare. Pictured from left to right. Ambassador from Zimbabwe His Excellency Dr. Machivenyika T. Mapuranga; Julius E. Coles, President, Africare; James Makawa, CEO, The Africa Channel; Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Star; Her Excellency Faida Mitifu, Ambassador The Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Africare Hosts the Africa Channel’s Debut
By Nasserie Carew, InterAction
WASHINGTON, DC, August 14, 2006 — The Africa Channel, a new cable television network, made its official debut on August 1, 2006 in Washington, D.C. at an event hosted by Africare. In attendance were the channel’s sponsors, former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, and NBA stars Dikembe Mutombo and Theo Ratliff. Ambassadors from Congo, Zimbabwe and Tanzania joined guests as they welcomed the live channel signal into Washington.
“The Africa Channel will help to bring media coverage to the African continent. It will also enable Americans to see the beauty, richness and accomplishments of the people on this vast continent – beyond wars, disease, and hunger,” said Dr. Julius Coles, Africare’s President. “As the oldest and largest African-American development organization working in Africa, we are proud to host this very special event, which will introduce the real African continent to the Washington, D.C. area and the people of America.”
In addition to it’s lifestyle and entertainment programming, the channel will also offer a weekly Africa Journal series, a magazine-style news program produced by Reuters, and Carte Blanche Africa, also known as “the 60 Minutes of Africa,” which will offer investigative reporting and real time news coverage.
“Our network will serve an important cultural need, while providing diverse, entertaining programming that demystifies Africa to the American television audience,” said James Makawa, CEO and a founder of the Africa Channel. “We want to engage, entertain and inform.”
“There may be no more important market for the Africa Channel than the nation’s capital, thanks to the numerous political and economic ties between our government and the governments of Africa,” said Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young. “Washingtonians know about the rich culture and emerging economies of Africa, and I’m sure they’ll be especially responsive to the informative, entertaining and unique programming that the Africa Channel delivers.”
For additional information about the Africa Channel visit http://www.africachannel.org
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