Staff at VIASAT 1 to be retained by new owners

Econet Media, new owners of Labone-based Viasat 1 Television (owned by Modern Times Group) will retain all existing staff, the former has said.

Under the deal, Econet Media has also acquired all of MTG’s assets in Ghana as well as assets at its Modern African Productions operations in Ghana and Nigeria.

The new acquisition will see Viasat 1 rebranded into a 24-hour Sports Station to be known as Kwesé Free Sports. A takeover deal was officially sealed last week.

Kwesé Free Sports is owned by Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyiwa. The channel already has footprints in 19 countries of which five; Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda, have the full 24/7 channel.

Focussed on premium sports programming, channel managers say Kwesé offers impressive international sports content most of which is exclusive to the South African-based media outlet.

With television rights to major sporting leagues including the Free-to-Air for the English Premier League for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding North Africa) in the bag, Kwesé Free Sports represents an industry first in Ghana.

Managers say Kwesé hopes to add a new and exciting dimension to the local Free to Air television industry by giving viewers diverse content.