From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SENEGAL: FRANCE RETURN VIA SATELLITE
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 22:19:59 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Europe, western
Title: SENEGAL: FRANCE RETURN VIA SATELLITE


an inter press service feature

by adrienne diop

dakar, dec 23 (ips) --  the french are making a second coming to
their former colony of senegal, africa's most westerly state.

ostensibly booted out at independence in 1960, the parisians
are returning. but this time not via the sea or by air but
through the tube.

the skyline of the capital dakar is fast changing. a mesh of
satellite dishes is sprouting on roof-tops in most of its
sprawling residential areas.

behind this fresh invasion is canal horizon, a subsidiary of
the french television pay channel canal plus.

after opening its first branch in africa in dakar last year,
the company now plans to expand into tunisia, ivory coast and
the gabon.

the french company 's choice of senegal as a launching pad
for its ambitious commercial television thrust in africa comes
as no surprise.

senegal, already one of the most closely aligned nations with
paris in sub-saharan africa, mimicks france in many ways.

as with the majority of francophone africa, french political
and economic influence remains strong.  an additional dosage of
french culture was readily embraced by the senegalese
authorities.

senegal's state run radio and television group, its post and
telecommunication parastal 'sonatel' and local businessmen
clenched the majority share in the venture leaving a low 15
percent to the french subsidiary.

after a few technical hiccups, canal horizons now broadcasts
19 hours a day -- beaming its programmes directly into
senegalese households via satellite.

prior to this development, all broadcasting in senegal was a
government monopoly. the opening up of the airwaves to
competition lies within the framework of an international
monetary fund (imf) induced economic reform package introduced
in 1985. (more/ips)


senegal: french (2)

television viewing is popular in senegal where over 40
percent of its 7.32 million people live in urban areas. some 90
percent of them are islamic.

the french programmes run mainly sports, movies and music.
but for most of the senegalese subscribers it is the children's
programmes and documentaries that have really clicked.

over the years the public have roundly criticised local
television over poor production.

like in most africa states, the senegalese are grappling with
financial problems under the donor driven economic structural
adjustment programme.

the price of decorder through which viewers access the french
channel was set at 95,000 cfa (384.61 u.s dollars). an
additional monthly subcribers fee of 15,000 cfa (60.72 u.s
dollars) makes this new service just a dream for most of the
ordinary workers here.

still some 9,000 subscribers, largely the elite, are now
hooked-up.

but using a dash of local ingenuity there have been attempts
to pirate the signals.

canal horizon aims to capture an additional 11,000 subcribers
in senegal within two years -- a goal likely to be achieved in
part because the price of the decorder continues to tumble.

there are also plans to introduce collective reception that
would enable a cluster of households to receive the french
signal from a single feed. this is expected cut down further the
subscription fees.

but sceptics, some of whom label frances new encroachment
''cultural imperialism'' say it will not be long before the
authorities are forced to review their liberal media policy.
(end/ips/ad/fc/92)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african