By Desire Tshuma
Dar es Salaam / Dallas — A new pan-African pay-TV channel, Black Creator Network (BCN), launched this month on Azam TV, pitching itself as the long-term home for premium Black content after BET Africa’s 2024 shutdown.
Backed by Zimbabwe-born founder Michael Maponga and his Maponga Studios, BCN is rolling out in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda with more than 5,000 hours of movies, series and originals.
The slate leans heavily on Black American titles—_King of the Castle_ with Tony Rock, Akon’s _American King_, Vivica A. Fox in _Twisted Vines_ and Coco Jones in _Grandma’s House_—but pairs them with African hits like South Africa’s _Angeliena_ and _Santana_ and Nigeria’s _A Romantic Comedy Featuring Lara & Tobi_. Maponga says the mix is deliberate: “When access to Black culture is limited, it creates a disconnect. BCN is here to restore that connection… and centre our stories, not filter them.”
Industry observers note BET Africa’s exit left a vacuum in premium U.S. Black entertainment. Azam’s footprint—millions of households across East and Southern Africa—gives BCN immediate scale, though analysts say sustainability will hinge on local commissions and rights flexibility.
Maponga calls the launch personal as much as commercial. “Zimbabwe is home. To bring BCN back to Zimbabwe and across Africa is purpose,” he said. For viewers, it means a single channel promising Hollywood, Nollywood and independent Black voices without the licensing gaps that followed BET’s departure.
info@mapongastudios.com