YANGA!, a bold new Africa-focused television channel, went live earlier this month with a blaze of colour celebrating the continent’s vibrant dynamism.
The channel, which broadcasts daily on Sky Channel 293, launched on March 5, with a rich portfolio of programming tailor-made for the African diaspora living in the UK and beyond.
Covering everything from current affairs to women’s issues, from children’s content to the African music scene, YANGA! aims to appeal to anyone with links to or an interest in the continent.
Lindsey Oliver, CEO of YANGA!’s London-based parent company, Africa Media Works, said the launch went smoothly thanks to the meticulous planning of the launch team.
“We’ve been practising for quite a long time – we’ve been testing since January. There were some hiccups, but these were just teething problems,” said Lindsey.
The network has hired a wealth of established and up-and-coming presenters, among them Juliana Olayinka, a British-born journalist of Nigerian heritage.
Juliana hosts Noni, a Saturday morning chat show for women, and appears on YANGA!’s forthright current affairs discussion programme, Journalists’ Hangout UK (JHUK).
“I’ve been working in journalism in the UK for about 12 years and this is the most exciting project I’ve done to date,” said Juliana.
She said the channel appeals to people from the diaspora with varying backgrounds, ranging from those, like her, who were born in Britain, to others who may have moved to the UK relatively recently.
“Trying to please everyone hasn’t been easy because Africans are very opinionated. We like talking,” she said with a laugh.
In keeping with its wide intended viewership, the channel had created a diverse schedule with a wealth of original shows that will launch gradually as the channel beds in.
“There are children’s programmes, late-night comedy, women’s shows [and others including] Turn Up, which is very much a programme for young people talking about pop music and stuff on the internet,” said Lindsey.
“It’s a very, very broad range of programmes, which means we’ve got to try to understand the needs of all these people and we have to have something for everyone.”
Other highlights among YANGA!’s original shows include Number 6, a nightly post-watershed entertainment comedy programme presented by Mansour Bellow, who has built up a loyal following on YouTube.
FIZZI Hero
FIZZI Hero
The channel’s children’s segment, Fizzi, hosted by experienced children’s broadcaster Gbemisola Isimi, had made a big impression on people from the African diaspora who watched it in advance of the launch.
“Everyone is excited about it because they’ve never seen a kids’ programme aimed at African children or children of African descent,” added Lindsey.
Among the features on Fizzi will be nursery rhymes in African languages, something aimed at helping young viewers keep in touch with their African heritage.
High production values are important, especially as YANGA! is launching on Sky.
“YANGA! has got to be a channel that people feels sits well in the midst of the other channels on the Sky platform. We want people to see content that’s as good as anything else on the platform,” said Lindsey.
An experienced television executive, Lindsey developed a passion for African-related programming while Commercial Director for Continental Broadcasting Services in Lagos, Nigeria. Her other roles in the industry also came in useful in creating YANGA!
“It’s been a tremendous privilege to be in this setting and learning about these cultures and trying to make sure the channel is going in the right direction,” she said.
As well as its original content, YANGA!, which means self-pride in West African pidgin, has a line-up of acquired programmes to highlight 21st-century life on the continent.
“It’s always people experiencing life in Africa, whether it’s cartoons or real people being filmed. I’m really excited because I think we’ll be the first people to do something like that,” said Lindsey.
Other shows on the channel include Before 30, which depicts the societal pressures facing millennials in Nigeria by focusing on four young women hoping to marry ahead of their 30th birthday. Meanwhile, Brothers with No Game looks at four 20-something friends facing a “quarter-life crisis” as they seek professional and personal fulfilment.
Broadcasting from 9am to midnight and online at YANGATV.com, the channel is also available on YouTube at YANGA UK and its social media presence under @yanga_uk covers Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.