GTV, the pan African pay TV network this week warned its competitors with the official launch of Discovery World in its service that became available from 10 November.
According to a press statement from GTV, the network is teaming up with Discovery World to offer its viewers a showcase selection of rich, colourful and high quality factual programming from around the globe.
It promises to engage, challenge and enlighten its audience with programmes spanning an extensive range of genres. With landmark series and a selection of in-depth documentary programmes exclusive to the channel, Discovery World will immerse discerning viewers in a compelling mix of history, culture, real life stories, investigation and mystery.
Discovery World will kick off on GTV with the premiere of acclaimed documentary Expedition Alaska in search of the most extraordinary wildlife in one of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth ÔÇô the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Other gripping series include James Bond ÔÇô A True Story, FBI Files, Solved, which explores some of America’s most sensational and compelling unsolved crimes of all time and ‘How Not to Become Shark Bait’ which follows a host of experts experimenting with one of the world’s most mysterious and deadly sea predators.
Discovery World joins a prestigious line-up of TV channels on GTV. In addition to its own six channels: G Prime, G Series, G Africa, G Sports 1, G Sports 2, and G Xtra, GTV offers its subscribers BBC World, Sky News, Aljazeera International, Setanta Africa, Fox Sports Africa, MTV Base, Kidsco, Zee Cinema, GOD, Kiss, and MGM among others.
GTV is a dynamic pan-African pay-TV service.  Since its launch in June 2007, GTV has been redefining pay-TV in sub-Saharan Africa with a balanced and carefully selected choice of sports and family entertainment programming at a price point accessible to most African families. The pan-African broadcaster is home to top worldclass sports events across Africa including the Barclays Premier League, FA Cup, Serie A, Bundesliga and many African Football leagues. It also offers quality African and international family entertainment programmes. Over 1.5 million regular viewers tune to GTV on a monthly basis.
GTV is currently available in Botswana, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and is currently proceeding with a phased roll-out across sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking on his plans to extend the reach and service of GTV, Julian McIntyre, Founder and Managing Director said: “These are exciting times for GTV and we’re delighted to have Discovery World on board and bring more family entertainment to our viewers. According to a survey by Balancing Act, five out of seven subscribers in Africa now choose GTV and we plan to continue offering a wider choice of channels with quality and wholesome family programming at an affordable cost.”
Richard Pembroke, Head of Channels, Emerging Networks EMEA at Discovery Communications Europe, has also congratulated the partnership and said ‘We’re extremely excited to be partnering with GTV to finally bring Discovery World into lounge rooms across Africa. European audiences have been very quick to warm to the new programming on Discovery World and it’s fantastic that GTV’s audience in Africa can now share in the many inspired and fascinating stories from across the globe that we air on Discovery World’.
