VOA标准英语2013--African Music, Interactive Media At Texas Festival

 

African Music, Interactive¹ Media At Texas Festival

At this booth sponsored by the independent music exporters of South Africa, or IMEXSA, South by Southwest participants were able to learn about what that country has to offer.

Organizer Renneth Tschiikule says her country is bursting with musical talent.

"We have many artists, that if they come here, I don't know, but they are going to make a huge impact," said Tschiikule.

She says they do not target any particular race in the United States because much of the music, from traditional to Rah Gah, Reggae and modern urban music, appeals to a broad spectrum³ of the market.

The production values in South African motion pictures and music videos are also on a par² with those in the United States or Europe.

Nations in other parts of Africa may not be as developed, but they are emerging as sources of, and markets for, music, movies and interactive media.

Fadzai Makanda is the New York-based business development manager for Iroko Partners, the largest online distributor of African content.

"We think there really is a resurgence⁴ in interest in Africa, stories by Africans for Africans, and we think it is really exciting," said Makanda.

She says her company has tapped into the demand for “Nollywood” movies - movies made in Nigeria, the world's second-largest film producing country - and is streaming them online in many parts of the world.

"By putting it online, we are able to fulfill⁵ the massive global demand that there is, and we are hoping to expand this and where I think the growth will come from is in Africa since, right now, only 15 percent of our traffic is coming from there," she said.

Expanding online access is a major goal for African nations that see an opportunity to leapfrog into new technologies.

Nadeem Juma works with the AIM Group digital media agency in Tanzania.

“We have four major mobile operators who have all laid out 3G networks countrywide. They are now laying their fiber⁶ networks, so there is huge investment going into access for data," said Juma.

Right now, some 140 million people in Africa have Internet access, but that represents only 13 percent of the population. By the end of this decade Internet penetration⁷ in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to reach nearly 25 percent. 

1 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

2 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

3 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

4 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

5 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

6 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

7 penetration   

n.穿透，穿人，渗透

参考例句：

• He is a man of penetration.他是一个富有洞察力的人。
• Our aim is to achieve greater market penetration.我们的目标是进一步打入市场。