China’s StarTimes invigorated to invest in Zambia and Africa

StarTimes a Chinese communication network technology group says Zambia is among the 17 African countries that benefited from the two point five billion United States Dollars (USD 2.5 billion) contract for digital migration.

StarTimes Vice President Guo Ziqi revealed that the media group signed a two hundred and seventy three million United States dollars (USD 273 million) contract with the Zambian government alone for the exercise.

Addressing Journalists from 25 African countries and one Asian country, Mrs Ziqi explained that Zambia will further benefit from the 10,000 African Villages satellite Television project.

She explained that the Zambian government just like other governments in Africa will have to identify villages to receive the digital television innovation.

Mrs Ziqi said the fact that areas around and along the line of rail in Zambia have been digitalized should also give the rural communities confidence that they too will receive the much awaited digital satellite television services.

She said StarTimes which was established in 1988 and began expanding its business to Africa in 2002 has been working closely with African governments to jointly promote digitalization and informatisation.

“We did a survey in Africa and found out that very few households had access to digitalized television and that the cost for accessing this technology was high,” she explained.

She revealed that StarTimes has established subsidiaries in more than 30 African countries with nearly 10 million subscribers becoming the fastest growing and most influential digital TV operator in Africa.

“We have introduced more than 480 quality international channels programming in more than ten languages including English, French, Swahili, Hausa and Luganda among others. We employ more Africans at 80 percent of the 30,000 total workforce,” she explained.

Mrs Ziqi pointed out that the media group aims to operate in 40 African countries in the near future and to have over 30 million subscribers on the continent.

Meanwhile, the StarTimes Vice President revealed that the media group is in the process of constructing another headquarters and dubbing centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

She allayed fears of political instability on the African continent saying StarTimes believes African leaders are seeking stability all the time but was quick to note that the media group will choose stable countries for future investments.

And speaking when he led African Journalists on a tour of the StarTimes headquarters in Beijing, another Vice President of the media group, Gao Wenzhi revealed that the StarTimes research team is composed of the research and development institution, gathering professionals and talents from well-known institutions at home and abroad.

Mr. Wenzhi further explained that StarTimes focuses on enabling African families to affordable digital and accessible good digital television.

Mr Wenzhi also pointed out that the next generation stage aimed at consists of multi-service integrated business, intelligent data system, converged media cloud and content security among others.

51 journalists from Africa and Asia are in China for a media tour and to cover the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China which officially opens tomorrow 18th October and will last for seven days.

Delegates to the congress will reflect on the work of the party in the last five years and to discussion the way for the party and China.