Mindset Network, a multimedia satellite TV network was launched in Johannesburg on Wednesday, with corporate support valued at R225-million. Mindset Network is a non-profit organisation which will address the education challenges which face South Africa including schooling, health and entrepreneurship.
Ann Lamont, chief executive of Mindset Network, said: “The key partners committed to Mindset Network have put aside their different commercial objectives for the greater good of the country and all its people. The government departments of education, communications and health are also involved.”
The impetus was the Learning Channel which was begun by William Smith and
funded by Hylton Appelbaum, executive director of the Liberty Foundation
thirteen years ago. Appelbaum has long held the vision that South Africa needed
to create a dedicated, multimedia, educational service that all South Africans
could access.
The Liberty and Standard Bank Foundations which conceptualised the network have provided R74-million to start the project. In addition, they have been instrumental in securing additional partner support.
Founding partners include the Nelson Mandela Foundation, PanAmSat, Multichoice Africa, Sentech and the Sunday Times. SABC is a key supporter of the project.
John Samuel chief executive of The Nelson Mandela Foundation explained that the foundation has provided additional seed funding to the Mindset Network to assist with the health and education channels. “We are committed to raising substantial funds for Mindset Network and will be integrating the project into our 120 rural schools and clinic initiatives.”
PanAmSat, one of the world’s largest satellite services company which is based in the United States has provided access to a transponder which allows Mindset Network the bandwidth for up to ten channels.
Steve Rich, vice-president of PanAmSat for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explained that the PanAmSat bandwidth enables content distribution and has the ability to reach every school, home and clinic in Southern Africa.
According to Nolo Letele, chief executive of Multichoice Africa, “Multichoice Africa has provided free bandwidth and uplink facilities to Channel Activate and has included the channel in its DStv residential bouquet, which reaches approximately 700 000 homes in South Africa. It has also agreed to provide Channel Activate to schools free of any subscription charges.
“The Multichoice Africa Foundation is providing the educator content component of Channel Activate and contributes locally developed programming in the critical learning areas of Maths and Science. The value of this contribution is significant.”
“Sentech is providing wireless connectivity to the project to allow the delivery of a broadcast signal from Mindset to its various transmission partners. Sentech will also incorporate Mindset content in its roll out to 500 schools in terms of its multimedia licence,” adds Dr Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane, chief executive officer of the organisation.
The Sunday Times will be carrying print supplements to support the broadcast as well as giving exposure to the founding partners. South Africa’s largest weekly newspaper is running a campaign to call South Africans to action to support the Mindset Network initiative.
Support partner SABC will provide ongoing support and media coverage for
Mindset Network. – I-Net Bridge