Michel Mutombo-Cartier is the new CEO of A+ Ivoire and A+, the African series channel. He replaces Damiano Malchiodi, who is taking on new responsibilities within the CANAL+ Group in Asia.
Michel Mutombo-Cartier has spent much of his career with the CANAL+ Group as Director of Live Productions for French-speaking Africa. He has worked on shows such as Island Africa Talent, Koiffure Kitoto, Star Chef, and Afrique à un incroyable talent.
You have just taken over as CEO of A+ Ivoire. Two and a half years after its launch, where does the channel stand?
Since its launch in January 2019, A+ Ivoire has entered and taken root in the hearts of Ivorians through 100% Ivorian fiction and entertainment programs.
In terms of series, we have initiated numerous co-productions with producers from across French-speaking Africa (Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gabon, etc.) and increased our acquisitions of Afro-novelas and beautiful sagas from South Africa in particular.
On the entertainment side, we have launched several shows that are now entering their third season:
"ON SE DIT LES GBE,"
our daily debate show hosted by Brice Guigré and broadcast every day at 2 p.m.; "DEFENDS TES 50000 F"
by Adama Dahico, whose nickname Monsieur 50000 clearly shows his popularity. "ESPRIT ZOUGLOU"
hosted every Sunday by Bilé Didier, a veteran of Zouglou, a pioneer as they say here, "RECETTES D'AFRIQUE"
hosted by Necy NDRI, and "LABEL' IVOIRE,"
which returned on September 5 with seven new regions to discover: Worodougou, Béré, Hambol, Iffou, Bélier, Moronou, and N'zi. Yann Bahou takes us on a journey to discover the cultures, lifestyles, and majestic landscapes of our regions in Côte d'Ivoire.
Are you also launching new programs this fall?
Yes, on September 20, we are launching a program that we are very excited about: "TU ME CONNAIS ?" (Do
you know me?), a 26-minute entertainment program broadcast every day at 7:30 p.m.: every weeknight, couples of all ages will have to prove that they know each other perfectly in order to try to walk away with the jackpot. The program is very visual, with numerous role-playing scenarios complemented by more traditional questions. The game will be hosted by comedian BOUKARY, who will make it a fun and relaxing moment for the whole family.
On the series side, "LES COUPS DE LA VIE"
returns on October 4 with an innovative concept: each week, a new story will be told in five episodes broadcast every day of the week. Viewers will also be able to discover season 2 of "LARMES DE L'AMOUR" (TEARS OF LOVE).
Also eagerly awaited is the third season of the Senegalese series co-produced with MARODI TV, "MAITRESSE D'UN HOMME MARIE"
(MISTRESS OF A MARRIED MAN), which returns for its final season under the banner of "the battle."
All your generalist competitors make news and social commentary an important part of their programming. Does A+ Ivoire include this type of program in its schedule, and if so, how?
Since our launch, A+ Ivoire has adopted a mini-generalist Entertainment + Series positioning. We don't have any news programs because that's not in our DNA. However, we do address social issues in our debate show "ON SE DIT LES GBE."
It's an infotainment program in which people can express themselves freely, although we do take care to avoid any excesses. The intervention of an expert at the end of the program allows us to put things into perspective after the intensity of the debates.
How does A+ Ivoire position itself versus other channels in terms of audience?
We get very good ratings. Depending on the sources and periods,
A+ Ivoire and RTI1 alternately occupy first or second place, but we have very different audience structures.
As we mentioned, we do not have a news program, which is an essential element of RTI1's audience, but despite this, we are on an equal footing, proving that our programming schedule works very well. Nevertheless, we remain very vigilant because the battle for audience share is also fought over details: the presenters, the relevance of the programs, adherence to schedules… It's a daily task.
A number of topics were raised during the round table discussion on the economic viability of DTT players organized by the HACA before the summer. In your opinion, what is the most urgent issue to be addressed?
It is essential to have a single audience measurement system that is recognized by all, as we are in a market financed by advertising. All players—channels, producers, advertisers, and agencies—need a single audience measurement system that is recognized by all in order for the market to develop. We are continuing to work toward this goal.