Developments in South Africa’s television landscape are the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight. Host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Pierre Cloete, vice-president for Africa at BBC Studios. The discussion centres on the current landscape of the television and media industry in South Africa and on the broader African continent. Unlike the public-service, license-fee model that funds the BBC in the UK, Cloete explains that BBC Studios operates strictly as a commercial entity in Africa, focusing on a profit-based mandate.The unit produces a number of BBC productions, as well as being in charge of the broadcaster’s six channels in the region — BBC UKTV, BBC Brit, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Earth, CBeebies and BBC News.These channels are available locally, primarily through DStv.Cloete noted that despite the broader market being heavily focused on digital streaming, BBC’s linear channels on DStv and other local platforms have experienced considerable growth.He says South Africa remains BBC Studios’ largest, highest-priority market on the continent, hosting the highest density of their localised channels.Outside South Africa, the BBC expands its footprint via news and kids’ programming — BBC News and CBeebies — and has recently broken historical language barriers by launching a French-speaking version of BBC Earth across 22 countries.Despite heavy pressures on the media industry, Cloete is optimistic, stating that the sheer density of creative and resilient people in the TV industry will pave the way for survival through innovative business models and unique corporate partnerships.The discussion explores how BBC Studios operates in Africa; viewership growth in South Africa; development of programming; and the economic pressures facing the television industry.Producer: Bulelani Nonyukela• Business Day Spotlight is an Arena Podcasts Production.