One Africa Television
Namibian free-to-air television station and the country's first private television network.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
One Africa Television is a Namibian free-to-air television station established in November 2003. It is associated with the emergence of private television broadcasting in Namibia and was founded by Paul van Schalkwyk. The channel developed from TVAfrica Namibia, a local affiliate of the pan-African TVAfrica network based in Johannesburg. TVAfrica Namibia began broadcasting in September 2002 through a partnership between the South African network and INTV, a Namibian production company. The service followed a period in which a previous TVAfrica-related operation had been absent from Namibian screens while the network dealt with operational and financial difficulties. After TVAfrica entered liquidation approximately a year after the Namibian affiliate began operating, the local operation was reorganized and relaunched as One Africa Television in November 2003. At launch, management and staff held a majority stake of 51 percent, while empowerment companies held the remaining 49 percent; part of the empowerment participation came from Namibia Mineworkers Investment Holding Company, commonly known as Nam-mic. The new channel initially relied substantially on programming sourced from South Africa while developing a distinct local identity. One Africa Television positioned itself as a younger and more entertainment-oriented alternative to the state broadcaster NBC. Its programming mix included music, community news, current affairs, education, crime-related factual programming and football analysis. Known programmes and segments have included TodayOnOne, LearnOnOne, It's A Wrap, The Tribe, Offside and One Against Crime. The station has also carried imported programming, including the South African serial drama 7de Laan and BBC content. LearnOnOne extended the channel's educational role by offering material for school-age and adult audiences, including extra lessons and daytime educational programming. The station's news operation was described as comparatively willing to address subjects that were considered sensitive or taboo on state television. It recruited journalists who had departed NBC and was regarded as more openly critical of government issues than the state broadcaster. One Africa Television also carried national cultural and entertainment events, including the Miss Namibia pageant in 2008, which featured contestants from different ethnic communities. The station broadcast terrestrially from Windhoek on UHF channel 48 until Namibia's transition toward digital terrestrial television. In accordance with the country's Digital Terrestrial Television Policy, it ended analogue antenna transmission on October 20, 2017. In 2020, TribeFire Studios Group acquired One Africa Television. The station's current ownership structure, programming scale and distribution arrangements are not fully detailed in the available reference material.
History
One Africa Television emerged from the changing television market in Namibia during the early 2000s. Before the brand was created, the pan-African TVAfrica network in Johannesburg worked with Namibian production company INTV to establish TVAfrica Namibia. That affiliate began broadcasting in September 2002, after a period in which a related TVAfrica service had been unavailable in Namibia. The local launch gave viewers access to programming connected to a regional commercial television network rather than relying solely on the state broadcaster. The initial arrangement was short-lived. Around a year after TVAfrica Namibia began operating, TVAfrica entered liquidation. The Namibian affiliate consequently lost its former strategic partner and had to develop a new identity and operating model. The result was One Africa Television, formally established in November 2003. Its ownership at the relaunch was structured around employee and management participation, with management and staff holding 51 percent and empowerment companies holding 49 percent. Nam-mic was among the organizations connected with the empowerment shareholding. In its early identity, One Africa Television deliberately sought a younger tone than NBC, Namibia's state broadcaster. The station combined music and entertainment with news, current affairs, educational content and sports analysis. Its schedule included the football programme Offside, the crime-focused programme One Against Crime, and a range of local and imported programmes. One Against Crime was sponsored by Kia; an episode broadcast in 2009 examined sellers accused of dealing in fake Korean cars, including an issue connected to the sponsor's market category. The station also presented TodayOnOne for community news and current affairs, LearnOnOne for school and adult education, It's A Wrap for commentary, and The Tribe for local music. Foreign content included 7de Laan and BBC programmes. The broadcaster's editorial identity was particularly visible in its news operation. Reference material describes it as openly critical of the Namibian government and more willing than state television to cover topics regarded as taboo. Some journalists who had left NBC joined the station, in a context where NBC was viewed as potentially linked to the governing South West Africa People's Organisation. This gave One Africa Television a role in broadening the range of political and public-affairs perspectives available to Namibian viewers. The station also participated in national cultural programming. In 2008 it aired the Miss Namibia pageant, presenting representatives from all ethnic communities. For many years, its terrestrial service was transmitted from Windhoek on UHF channel 48. Namibia's shift to digital terrestrial television changed that distribution model: under the national digital policy, One Africa Television stopped analogue antenna broadcasting on October 20, 2017. Paul van Schalkwyk remained a central figure in the organization as founder and group chairman until his death in a plane crash on March 10, 2014. In 2020, TribeFire Studios Group acquired the station. Available reference material does not specify the purchase price, post-acquisition management, detailed ownership percentages or the station's current technical distribution. One Africa Television is therefore best understood as a privately developed Namibian television brand whose history spans regional-network affiliation, independent relaunch, editorial differentiation from state broadcasting and later group ownership.
- 2020
Acquisition by TribeFire Studios Group
[1]TribeFire Studios Group acquires One Africa Television.
- 2017
Analogue transmission ends
[1]The station ceases analogue terrestrial transmission on October 20 as Namibia implements its digital television policy.
- 2014
Founder dies
[1]Founder and group chairman Paul van Schalkwyk dies in a plane crash on March 10.
- 2008
Miss Namibia broadcast
[1]The station broadcasts the Miss Namibia pageant, including representatives from different ethnic communities.
- 2003
One Africa Television is launched
[1]After TVAfrica enters liquidation, the Namibian operation is reorganized and relaunched as One Africa Television in November.
- 2002
TVAfrica Namibia begins broadcasting
[1]The Namibian affiliate of Johannesburg-based TVAfrica begins broadcasting through a partnership with local production company INTV.
Products and positioning
A Namibian free-to-air broadcaster positioned as a younger, privately operated alternative to state television, combining local news, community affairs, education, music, entertainment and selected international programming.
Television broadcasting · 2003
One Africa Television free-to-air service
The core One Africa Television offering is a Namibian free-to-air television service. Its schedule has combined locally relevant news, community affairs, education, music and entertainment with selected sports analysis and imported programmes. The service historically used terrestrial transmission from Windhoek on UHF channel 48, but analogue antenna broadcasting ended in 2017 during Namibia's transition to digital terrestrial television.
News and current affairs
TodayOnOne
TodayOnOne is a daily programming segment focused on community news and current affairs. It represents the station's emphasis on locally relevant coverage rather than an exclusively entertainment-led schedule.
Educational programming
LearnOnOne
LearnOnOne provides educational content for school pupils and adult learners. The offering has included extra classes and daytime television, extending the station's role beyond conventional commercial entertainment and news broadcasting.
Music programming
The Tribe
The Tribe is a local music-oriented programme associated with One Africa Television's effort to present Namibian culture and contemporary entertainment to a younger audience.
Sports programming
Offside
Offside is a football analysis programme that formed part of the station's sports and youth-oriented programming mix.
Factual programming
One Against Crime
One Against Crime is a crime-focused programme featuring a police officer. The show was sponsored by Kia and used factual cases and consumer-related investigations as part of its format.
Brand decisions
2020
Acquisition by TribeFire Studios GroupM&ABackground
One Africa Television underwent an ownership change after operating as a privately developed Namibian broadcaster.
Action taken
TribeFire Studios Group acquired the station.
Aftermath
The station became part of the TribeFire Studios Group portfolio. The available reference does not disclose transaction terms or detailed post-acquisition management.
2017
End of analogue terrestrial transmissionOtherBackground
Namibia's Digital Terrestrial Television Policy required broadcasters to move away from analogue terrestrial distribution.
Action taken
One Africa Television stopped transmitting by analogue antenna on October 20, 2017.
Aftermath
The station's traditional UHF terrestrial distribution model ended; the available material does not specify its subsequent technical distribution.
2003
Relaunch as One Africa TelevisionStrategyBackground
The TVAfrica network entered liquidation, leaving its Namibian affiliate without its former strategic partner and requiring a new operating identity.
Action taken
The Namibian operation was reorganized and relaunched under the One Africa Television name, with management and staff holding a majority stake and empowerment companies holding the balance.
Aftermath
The relaunched station developed a younger, more locally differentiated profile while continuing to draw much of its programming from South African sources.
Recent events
- 2020
TribeFire Studios Group acquires One Africa Television[1]
M&A
TribeFire Studios Group acquired One Africa Television, placing the Namibian station within the group's media portfolio.
- 2017
One Africa Television ends analogue terrestrial transmission[1]
Regulation · Other
The station ceased analogue antenna transmission on October 20, 2017, as Namibia implemented its digital terrestrial television policy.
- 2014
Founder Paul van Schalkwyk dies in plane crash[1]
Leadership change
Paul van Schalkwyk, the founder and group chairman associated with One Africa Television, died in a plane crash on March 10, 2014.
- 2003
One Africa Television is established after the TVAfrica Namibia transition[1]
Other
Following the liquidation of TVAfrica and the loss of its former strategic partner, the Namibian operation was reorganized and relaunched under the One Africa Television name.
Sources1 sources
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