With its extraordinary music performance and thrilling competition, the Singer 2024 TV programme won the hearts of audiences in Ghana, shortly after the nine-episode singing competition on Hunan Satellite TV gained widespread attention in China.
Besides Singer 2024, audiences in Ghana now have access to a variety of high-quality Chinese programmes on satellite TV offered by the Golden Mango TV (GMTV) channel.
GMTV was jointly established by Hunan TV International Channel and Ghana’s CGTV. Satellite broadcasting officially started on 10 August 2023, covering 23 countries across Central and West Africa, reaching an audience of approximately 500 million people. The team consists of over 20 Chinese and foreign employees dedicated to building a bridge for cultural exchange between China and Africa through television.
Rich entertainment
GMTV offers a diverse range of programmes, including variety shows, TV dramas, TV shopping, and independently produced mini shows, enriching entertainment options for audiences in Ghana and other West African countries while showcasing the diversity and modernisation of Chinese culture.
Ghana and its surrounding regions have historically experienced a lack of diverse, high-quality television programming. In contrast, China’s film and television industry is highly developed and recognised for its cutting-edge production capabilities. Chinese-produced variety shows and dramas are celebrated worldwide for their outstanding production quality and creative content, earning widespread acclaim from audiences.
Recognising the needs of African audiences, GMTV has introduced a variety of carefully curated and translated popular Chinese variety shows, films, and documentaries. To ensure broad viewer acceptance and enhance the channel’s influence, 50 percent of the programming consists of English-dubbed shows that highlight Chinese cultural elements and offer insights into the current state of Chinese society. Additionally, 40 percent of the content is English and French programmes from Europe, America, and Africa, aligning with local viewing preferences, while the remaining 10 percent programmes are locally produced.
To establish a close connection with viewers, GMTV has set up a hotline and email address, which are displayed in the credits section, to receive suggestions on programme content and requests for on-demand programming at any time. Popular shows like the TV drama Beyond, and To Be With Youhave garnered numerous viewer requests for rebroadcast. During the channel’s early stage of operations, viewer feedback played a crucial role in programme selection. This proactive, direct communication with the audience not only enhanced the channel’s accessibility but also laid a solid foundation for its presence in the Ghanaian market.
Focus on service
Television remains a primary source of entertainment and information for African audiences, a trend expected to persist over the next five to 10 years. GMTV understands that television media is not just a tool for communication and entertainment but also a platform for service. By establishing a television channel in Africa, it enables a deeper cultural understanding between the two peoples, while also holding the potential to facilitate economic and trade exchanges, thereby building a bridge for information connectivity.
One of the channel’s key practical initiatives is its African television shopping segment. Based on in-depth research into local viewers’ shopping needs, viewing habits, and consumer preferences, the segment combines product demonstrations with practical usage tips. This approach quickly captures consumer attention and earns trust. By collaborating with e-commerce platforms and local factories, the channel enables viewers to make purchases via phone and provides delivery services for their convenience.
As a model project combining cultural exchange and trade promotion under the Belt and Road Initiative, GMTV leverages the power of television media to open up new business models while actively fostering cultural exchanges. It aims to provide tangible and effective services for promoting China-Africa trade relations. Xu Bin, director of GMTV, told ChinAfrica that for African consumers, brands are a very important factor in their purchase decisions, as brands play a critical role in establishing trust. He recounted a touching experience with Ernest Bevin, a 78-year-old Ghanaian, who travelled more than two hours to visit their office in person and purchase a television. Ernest explained to Xu that after careful comparison, he determined that the product was of excellent quality and reasonably priced. He also said that his confidence in GMTV was the main reason for choosing this product.
Xu said GMTV aspires to assist more Chinese companies in successfully entering the African market and establishing a solid presence. He also acknowledged the common challenges faced by Chinese and African enterprises in trade, particularly the information gaps. There is a pressing need for an effective communication channel to facilitate the exchange and access to the latest trade-related information, and to foster a better understanding of the market. This is where GMTV can make a difference. The channel plans to launch a new segment called “China-Africa Trade Time” to provide practical services to Chinese and African businesses, covering topics including China-Africa cooperation, industry information, and shopping information.
After more than a year of satellite broadcasting, GMTV has gradually cultivated its own brand presence, earning initial trust and a positive reputation among viewers in Ghana and surrounding countries. These achievements are the result of the collaborative efforts of both Chinese and local staff. Local employees, represented by chief editor and host Opoku James White, have played a key role in strengthening communication with viewers and the production of programmes. With a deep understanding of the preferences and needs of the audience, they have effectively integrated their feedback into programme design, which has been crucial for localising the channel’s content. Furthermore, the local employees have shown great enthusiasm for learning Chinese culture and media technologies, making the most of their opportunities in a training programme in China to further enhance their skills.
Looking into the future, GMTV aims to grow into a brand that is well-known and trusted by African audiences. By continually optimising programme content, fostering innovation, and exploring the integration of e-commerce and television broadcasting, GMTV seeks to harness the service-oriented potential of media to make a greater contribution to building a China-Africa community of shared future.
African Times has published this article in partnership with Xinhua News Agency
