Interesting industry move that appears, on its face, that there may be a conflict of interest. It’s unclear.
Screen Africa reports PANA TV (COO) Mandy Roger recently quit, only to emerge with her own film distribution company. What’s particularly interesting is that it appears she is distributing films under her new company in the same marketing channel. It is unclear.
Even more interesting is that SANI Films, her new film company, has acquired over 600 feature films and 60 television series in diverse languages and serves as a distributor to sub-distributors/media retailers including owners of VOD platforms. Where are the 600 films and 60 television series coming from?
Where they amassed during her time at PANA? If so, in what scope and capacity? PANA TV has not even really officially launched, just yet. They had the major exclusive licensing deal that saw them acquiring Half of a Yellow Sun. It’s unclear what became of the execution of that deal and whether in fact it was worth the licensing dollars spent on it.
What happened?
The PANA TV site is inaccessible (as of the time of this post) to see what the latest news is on the brand, but I find this news rather peculiar. Check it out for yourselves and tell me what you think.
“Mandy Roger recently left her position as (COO) of PANA TV, an African online streaming service, to launch an African content aggregating and distribution company, saniFilms.
“We acquire non-exclusive distribution rights and pitch the content to all broadcasters, VOD platforms, mobile operators and telcos worldwide,” says Roger.
saniFilms currently has approximately 600 feature films from all African countries in various languages, as well as 60 television series. Roger is focused on building the factual catalogue and is interested in acquiring more content and negotiating deals on the contributor’s behalf. All African content is considered, whether from Africa or abroad, so saniFilms also accepts Afro-Brazilian, African American and Caribbean material. . .” – Screen Africa
Sani Films description:
“About
We aggregate & distribute the finest and most compelling African inspired films and TV content across all genres and languages to the world.
Mission
saniFilms acquires & distributes the finest and most compelling African inspired films and TV content across all genres and languages to the world. Our mission is to uplift public appreciation of African film, taking it to new global audiences accessible on multiple platforms.”- Sani Films Facebook page descriptionPANA TV description
“Company OverviewPana Television is an Internet television service that legally streams African inspired video content worldwide. Our catalogue of videos include; movies, documentaries, music videos, fashion, animation, sports, sitcoms, news, reality, business and lifestyle videos in various languages such as English, French, Portuguese, and Arabic. Pana Television also provides one of the largest databases of African actors, actresses, producers and artists.
The mission for panatelevision is simple: to entertain, educate and spur positive discussions about Africa.” PANA TV Facebook page.
-Uduak
There is a strong misunderstand on your part of the 2 businesses. PanaTV streams content to view and SaniFilms aggregates and sells the content to clients such as PanaTV. SaniFilms does not broadcast, stream, download or make available to view any content, rather, it sells content to these platforms for this purpose. Your article is badly inaccurate
@Mandy, first I note the obvious bias i.e. you are the CEO referred to in the article, which it appears is making you miss the point of the article.
Second, the article primarily raised the issue of the ethics of you leaving PANA TV and forming what appeared on its face, prior to your explanation, a competing company in the same marketing channel. My inquiry made it VERY clear I was focused on your acquisition of “600 feature films and 60 television series in diverse languages” all needless to say while you were presumably still at PANA TV since you just recently left, according to the reported article. I asked, “Where are the 600 films and 60 television series coming from?”
Were they amassed during her time at PANA? If so, in what scope and capacity? PANA TV has not even really officially launched, just yet. They had the major exclusive licensing deal that saw them acquiring Half of a Yellow Sun. It’s unclear what became of the execution of that deal and whether in fact it was worth the licensing dollars spent on it.”
Third, by your own definition SaniFilms is defined to include the role of a distributor “We aggregate & distribute the finest and most compelling African inspired films and TV content across all genres and languages to the world.”
PANA TV is also a distributor of African films in the same marketing channel and from its inception, had a similar focus and modus operandi. So, posing the question whether there is no conflict of interest when an ex CEO of PANA TV leaves, right on the heels of arguably one of the largest digital license acquisition (streaming of half of a yellow sun) in Africa, to form her own distribution company in the same marketing channel with a mass catalogue focuses on that specific ethics issue raised. Let’s not try to cloud my inquiries here.
You have now clarified what exactly your role was and is. It is also good that you have PANA as a client.