Black Television in Europe

Now that US entertainment network BET is broadcasting in Europe, it's time to look at black TV in Europe. A fast video overview.

In Europe Black TV reflects the differences between the communities. In France Afro-Caribbean Aka TV broadcasts professional web TV. In the UK the Ghanaian OBE TV broadcasts African programs and black European programs on Satellite. In the Netherlands SME TV broadcasts news and interviews on the public city TV network. And in Germany Cybernomads does event reporting via YouTube. On national TV in the UK and the Netherlands there have been black drama series, but nowadays the lack of diversity on UK and Dutch TV is epidemic.

UK

OBE TV

OBE TV (Original Black Entertainment Television, a wholly Ghanaian-owned London-based Television company, is a television channel launched in September 2004. OBE TV is broadcasting via the SKY Digital Platform.

Programming
It shows film, food, advertisements, sports and talk shows as well as church service programmes. The channel is aimed at black audiences, and shows programmes from South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. Although the shows are targeted at viewers who are interested in African programs, the network also has the UK show ‘The Platform’

Video - Upcoming drama series on OBE TV to find actors and actress in a new reality TV program.




Global Faction

Global Faction is a video production company. The company produces video on social issues within the black community in the UK, which are shown on YouTube.

Video - Young People from Tulse Hill, Lambeth speak about their needs, hopes and dreams. Global faction on YouTube


BBC

Read:
The lenny Henry show
Lenny Henry: Where are all the black new faces?


FRANCE

Aka-a TV

Aka-a TV is Afro-Caribbean web TV. It’s connected with the Aka-a etno-marketing bureau.


Programming
News, sitcoms, interview and lifestyle programs. Aka-a TV works with Kalihnas Productions, which produces: Le Tcip show, the first Afro-French sitcom. K-Dam, a fashion and a beauty program and several other programs.

Video - Le Tchip show (sitcom)



THE NETHERLANDS

SME TV

SME (Cooperative Media Entertainment) is a TV (and Radio) station which broadcasts on the public city TV network in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. SME was founded in February 2000 as an Afro-Surinam media organisation, but now it’s goal is to reach other black communities in the Netherlands. The TV station is also campaigning to become a national broadcasting corporation.

Programming
Event reporting and talk shows.

Video - The report is about an event organised by Da Bounce


NPS - Dutch public broadcasting

Bradaz (brothers) a Surinam-Dutch comedy on the Dutch public broadcasting Network (2001 - 2002)


GERMANY

Afrotak Cybernomads

The Afro-German community has no black television organisation, but is does have cyberNomads AFROTAK. Afrokak is an online Text & Multi Media Databank Network Community since 2001 and also does YouTube community reporting.


Programming
Event reporting, and special productions on social issues.

Video - The report is about a community weekend of the Afro-German community


BLACK US TELEVISION IN EUROPE

BET

The launch of BET in the UK 2008


Read: BET Comes To The U.K.
Look at: Pics of the BET UK launch Party

BlackTree

BlackTree Media launched BlackTree TV Europe in September 2008. Blacktree produces web TV via Youtube and their social media site.

Video - Promo of Blacktree Europe

Read: BlackTree Media launches BlackTree TV Europe at the Netherlands Film Festival