Question: ADAPTING AN AMERICAN CULTURAL ICON TO THE AFRICAN MARKET
By the time Alex Okosi was ready to launch MTV in Africa, the company had already set up 99 other versions of the music and entertainment channel around the world. International experience was not a problem. However, no market could have presented the challenges that Africa presented. From low consumer income to limited availability of television, the hurdles to success would require a unique approach. Plus, Okosi would have to compete with the South Africa-based Channel O, which had been broadcasting music videos across Africa for several years by the time MTV was primed to enter the market. On the positive side, Okosi had the financial backing of a major corporation, the cachet of the MTV brand, and a ready supply of top-quality videos from MTV's global presence. What he didn't have was much in the way of locally produced content. To increase the supply, Okosi nurtured local talent, even visiting some aspiring directors in their homes to help them learn how to create broadcast-quality videos. After several years of work, Okosi and his colleagues were ready to launch, and MTV Base Africa went live with "African Queen" by the popular Nigerian artist 2Face Idibia.
Will Smith and Ludicris were among the American celebrities who helped launch the new channel at dance parties and other events around Africa. In contrast to Channel O's almost exclusive focus on African artists, MTV Base Africa combines videos and shows produced in Africa with content imported from the United States. Locally produced videos account for about half of the channel's musical fare. Okosi describes the channel's goal as showcasing "the creativity and diversity of contemporary music in Africa, giving an international platform to African genres such as Kwaito, Hip-Life, Mbalax, and Zouk and putting African artists in the spotlight alongside their international peers." MTV Base Africa is also active in health and social causes, such as offering educational programming about HIV protection. In spite of the many challenges present in the market, MTV Base Africa looks to be a success. The channel is profitable and attracts a variety of local and international advertisers. And it has already become a content exporter: Videos produced in Africa are now shown in a special program on MTV in the United Kingdom, and rising African stars such as D'Banj have appeared on MTV in the United States. The audience continues to grow, with roughly a hundred million viewers across 48 countries. Okosi calls this a substantial number but adds, "it only scratches the surface of what is possible here on the African continent."47
1. Why would MTV use the MTV brand name for its launch in Africa rather than coming up with a new name more closely identified with the target market, such as African Music Television?
2. What ethical responsibilities does MTV have relative to its expansion into Africa? Why?
3. Do global media such as MTV have the potential to improve international relations? Do they have the potential to harm international relations? Explain your answers.