You're reading it here first.
I can exclusively break the news right here that ASTV will become the Afrikaans TV channel, and will be one of the new TV channels that TopTV will be adding to its bouquet in October.
ASTV, or Afrikaanse Satelliettelevisie, an Afrikaans TV channel that started test broadcasts towards the middle of last year and started its haphazard broadcast plagued by problems from its headquarters in Rustenburg at the beginning of the year, will be added to On Digital Media's (ODM) from 1 October 2010.
ASTV - which up until now has struggled with a limited reach because of a lack of a big broadcast platform - will give TopTV its own, much needed, Afrikaans TV channel to compete with DStv's kykNET. TopTV also don't have to do the initial channel start-up investment, although ASTV is currently far from a stable, full service TV channel that will have to strongly beef up its content, offering and schedule when it gets added to TopTV in October. In turn ASTV immediately widens its footprint, exposure, availability, get access to much needed TV expertise to help the channel with its infrastructure and programming challenges, and ASTV is also ensured of a more steady income to help sustain the fledgling satellite TV broadcaster that has a strong community driven focus.
Besides ASTV, TopTV is set to add several additional new TV channels from October.
