BBC Africa launches Coronavirus programmes

• New weekly TV show, The Breakdown
• Africa Coronavirus Minute
• Facebook Live specials

The Coronavirus Minute offers audiences short bite sized audio content twice a day with the latest updates on COVID-19. This is in addition to the COVID-19 video bulletins which are available across all 12 language services for Africa.

Through the use of numbers the The Breakdown will explain what governments in Africa and around the world are doing, the true cost of the lockdown and the science and health information audiences need to know. BBC's Africa health, business and fact-finding experts will answer audience questions and concerns, while exposing the myths surrounding the pandemic.

The Breakdown explores acts of kindness within communities and makes sense of our changing world, highlighting extra ordinary efforts people are making to cope and survive during this crisis.

Nisha Kapur, Head of TV Commissioning, Africa, says: “With the amount of information and disinformation around COVID-19 audiences can turn to The Breakdown for factual, accurate and engaging content on what is actually happening and what they can do. The Breakdown brings the best of BBC Africa all in one place.”

Presented by Sharon Machira each week, The Breakdown will feature the following regular segments:

• Health Diary - a personal health diary from someone who is suffering, quarantined or recovered
• What’s In The Numbers? - Showcasing the Coronavirus through the use of numbers from what your government and others around the world are doing, the cost of lockdown, ventilators, impact on your country’s economy and much more
• Myth Buster - Looking at the top three misleading/fake news items of the week associated with the virus
• Quarantine Tips - Showcasing creative ways people across the continent are doing to cope while in quarantine
• Ask The Expert - Your Corona related questions answered by a BBC expert

Mary Lusiba, Head of Africa Business Development, says: “At a critical time such as this, audiences seek out trusted and reliable news and information. BBC Africa is making every effort to offer audiences unrivalled news and information on the impact, implications and solutions around the Corona pandemic in Africa across radio, TV and online through our vast partner network.”

During this pandemic BBC Africa is hosting a number of Facebook Live specials in English, Swahili and Somali. The English sessions with Anne Soy take place three days a week at 10.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays they allow audiences to share their concerns and pose questions to various business and health experts from the continent.

Topics discussed have included:

In addition audiences can follow up to the minute news and features on the Africa live page and view the number of cases via the Africa live tracker.

The Breakdown: partners and transmission times

Ethiopia

• Fana TV - Saturday 6.30am

Ghana

• Citi TV - Friday, midday; Saturday, 9pm (R); Monday, 6pm
• Joy TV - Friday, 2.30pm; Sunday 4.30pm (R)

Kenya

• KTN News - Sunday, 6am

Malawi

• Times TV - Friday, 3.30pm

Nigeria

• Silverbird TV - Saturday, 6am; Sunday, 7.30am (R)
• Silverbird News 24 - Saturday, 6am; Sunday, 9.30am (R)
• Wazobia TV - Thursday, 4pm; Tuesday, 4pm (R)
• TVC News - Wednesday, 11.30am
• ABS Television - Friday, 6pm
• NTA Network - Thursday, 9.05pm; Friday, 8.30am (R)

Uganda

• NBS TV - Saturday, 5.30pm

Sierra Leone

• AYV - Sunday, 2pm

South Africa

• Soweto TV - Saturday, 7pm
• Cape Town TV - Tuesday, 2pm

Seychelles

• SBC TV - Tuesday, 3.10pm

Zambia

• ZNBC TV - Friday, 7.30pm

Zimbabwe

• ZBC TV - Friday, 4.10pm

All times are GMT

MF

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