More entertainment on Viasat

Saturday, December 27, 2008 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
It’s the perfect Christmas gift for television viewers as they would have the opportunity to enjoy exciting programmes during the Yuletide and after with the introduction of Viasat 1, a new free TV channel in the country.
Viasat 1 is the TV branch of Modern Times Group (MTG), a Swedish media group listed on the Stockholm stock exchange. Viasat 1 is the company’s first TV channel in Africa.
At the launch in Accra, the CEO of Viasat Broadcasting Limited, Rune Skogeng said Viasat 1 will predominantly broadcast entertainment programmes.
"As part of a bigger media group we have strong and long-standing relations with all the major Hollywood studios, enabling us to bring the very best blockbuster content to Ghana," he said.
Additionally, he said the company had entered into agreement with some of the biggest African content owners and secured the best African movies, series and current affairs programmes.
He said the station will continuously seek to improve its programme line-up to ensure best services for viewers and advertisers.
Viasat 1 started airing in the country on December 12, this year and according to Mr Skogeng the company had set up transmitter sites in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central and Western Regions to enable them to cover the commercial and densely populated areas of Ghana.
In early 2009, the company will set up a transmitter site in the Northern region to cover that part of the country.
Mr Skogeng said the company had conducted extensive research studies to provide a clear picture of what viewers actually want and "we believe our schedule will bring something new to the television market in Ghana, and it will be appreciated by both viewers and advertisers."