AYV Programs Are Now Viewed on DStv Channel 399

By Amin Kef Sesay

Currently, the African Young Voices (AYV) Television is now linked to DStv, an achievement which came to fruition on the 17^th September, 2021 when the launch took place during a well attended and auspicious programme held within the media empire’s  amphitheatre.

It must be noted that AYV’s coming onboard DStv materialized as a result of the collaboration between the Management of the Media Empire and MultiChoice Africa.  Viewers could now watch AYV programs via DStv Africa Channel 399.

For now, besides Nigeria and Ghana, Sierra Leone has now become the third country in the West African sub-region to attain such a prestigious opportunity to showcase the country’s rich culture and creative talents on the DStv platform with close to 20 million subscribers across the continent.

The Africa Young Voices (AYV) media empire has indeed made history in this country by being the first media outlet in this country that is now linked to DStv Africa. AYV is now live in thirty (30) countries across Africa and there are twenty four countries to be brought abroad. All the West African countries are now connected to view AYV programs apart from Ghana and Nigeria of which plans are underway for them to come on later but categorically it must be stated that other African countries are now on.

In a snap exclusive interview with the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AYV Media Empire, Anthony Navo Jr, he intimated that, in the immediate past, in his ambition to link Sierra Leone to the rest of the world he approached the representative of MultiChoiceAfrica in Sierra Leone, Dr. Adonis Abboud, telling him that he is interested for his entity to come onboard the DStv platform.

He said that it took three years before AYV was endorsed by DStv further informing that the latter has their set criteria to approve any content for airing before giving the sending entity the okay to air it for public viewing. “It must be underscored that we cannot just air for viewing any content sent to us as there is a procedure of sending it to the parent company, MultichoiceAfrica for approval and that takes up to two months,” he explained.

He commended the Chief Executive Officer of Trans National Sierra Leone, Dr Adonis Aboud, who is also the representative of Multi-Choice Africa, for the guidance he provided during the nurturing days of his intension to create the media empire.

It must be underscored that this new development is a big boost for the country as there is now another platform through which the world can see and assess Sierra Leone. Foreigners now have the opportunity to learn about the country through the contents that AYV will be airing via DStv. Such will definitely generate immense benefits especially in the area of boosting tourism. Through watching Sierra Leonean contents there is the possibility that such will whet the appetite of foreigners to visit the country in order to experience what they have been seeing on screen first-hand. With a boom in tourism there will be a flow of foreign currency, more jobs will materialize within the hotel and hospitality industry, local artists will gain as their carvings and other products will sell among other benefits to be gained. The benefits are many.

Based on what was understood the linkage of AYV to DStv means that the Media Empire will now employ more personnel as more programmes will now have to be produced. Besides, it will offer those who have the ability to produce good contents the opportunity to have where those could be watched provided they are approved.

Besides, AYV presence on DSTV will serve as the gateway for the outside world to know the critical issues that emanate from the country. Such will somehow be an aid to international policy makers to discuss pertinent related issues in order to make informed decisions geared towards addressing certain concerns.

They say behind any major achievement there is a personality. The personality behind such a huge achievement in Sierra Leone’s broadcasting history is Ambassador Anthony Navo Jr who happens to be the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the African Young Voices Media Empire. Many have described him as the embodiment of inspiration.

His ambition to establish the AYV Media Empire started as a dream. He started with a newspaper and later used his private house as collateral to secure a loan of $1.2 million United States dollars from the Bank loan which provided the necessary funds for the purchasing of global standard equipment for setting up the television and radio stations and covering initial operations.

Over the years, Amb Navo Jr. invested single-handedly over $10 million United States dollars in AYV Media Empire with the  recent construction of a multi -million dollar complex hosting the Housemates – Salone Season-2.

From a small project, which started with a newspaper and 19 staff, today AYV Media Empire is the largest private media investment in Sierra Leone comprising newspaper, printing press (machines), film production, television stations, radio station and employing over 700 Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad.

It is the only Sierra Leonean owned television station with a broadcasting house in London.

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