Tag: entertainment

The first time I opened the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, I realised it was more than a phone; it was a statement. The hinge unfolded with such precision that it felt engineered for a new era of smartphones. Samsung has clearly fine-tuned every element, and the Galaxy Z Fold7 now feels like a complete product, not a prototype of the future, but the future itself.

Conventional wisdom has it that the story of Africa’s digital economy is one of catch-up. But that narrative is giving way to a more dynamic truth: in Sub-Saharan Africa, mobile phones have become the front door to digital life, shaped by mobile content, mobile payments and local innovation.

Foot traffic in traditional malls has declined significantly in recent years. According to the South African Council of Shopping Centres, centres that rely solely on retail have seen slower recovery post-COVID, while mixed-use destinations have rebounded faster.

The past two financial years brought significant financial disruption across sub-Saharan Africa. Economies, corporates, and consumers faced sustained pressure due to challenging macro-economic factors. Structural changes in the video entertainment industry further compounded this disruption.

The TV licence system is on life support. Less than 20% of South Africans with a licence actually pay. The costs of chasing payments often outweigh the revenue collected. People simply don’t see value in funding a public broadcaster anymore. They have an endless stream of content available elsewhere. That said, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) still matters.

Growing up as Kgositsile, meaning ‘king’, Tshiamo Modisane always knew that she was a girl despite her assigned birth gender. This talented child of a pastor from KwaThema and Daveyton townships near Johannesburg was expected to conform to conservative black culture’s expectations for a male, and would endure censure and even abuse from family, friends, peers and strangers into adulthood.

The Africa’s entertainment and media industry is expected to outpace global growth in the next five years, driven by internet advertising and streaming services.

Time Magazine recently released its annual "Best Inventions" list. As usual, it presents a peculiar blend. Some inventions are awe-inspiring, others make you think, “Wait, didn’t we already have that?” And then there’s the “What were they thinking?” category.

According to the Facts and Figures 2023 report, just 37% of Africa’s population uses the internet, representing a digital divide for hundreds of millions of people. Only a tiny fraction of the continent’s people have access to a high-speed broadband connection at their homes.

E-sports, once dismissed as a frivolous pastime, has evolved into a dynamic intersection of entertainment, technology, and education. This transformation is not only reshaping perceptions but also providing significant benefits across educational levels.