So, you’ve got a killer idea to Start Your TV Channel. Great. So does half the planet. But here’s the difference between the dreamers and the doers: action.
Ideas are beautiful, but an idea without legs is just a daydream in a tuxedo impressive, but not going anywhere. If you’re serious about launching a channel, you’re going to need more than a good name and some cool concept slides. You need the grit to execute daily.
And to help you get moving (and break the inertia that kills most channel dreams before they even leave the napkin), we’ve outlined 10 key areas you need locked in.
But before we get to those, let’s talk about the two absolutely non-negotiable ones.
1. Funding Secured
Without this, nothing moves. You can’t rent a satellite slot, hire staff, produce shows, or even buy coffee for your pre-launch meeting.
You don’t need millions (surprise!), but you do need clarity and control over your budget. And that includes not just launch costs but sustainability for at least the first 6–12 months.
This is exactly where Purple Turtle Media steps in we’ve helped dozens of channels figure out lean, debt-free models to launch and stay on air. Every single channel we’ve helped launch on IS20 is still on air. 100% success rate. That’s not marketing fluff it’s math.
2. Video Content Creation in Progress
Let’s be blunt: If you’re not making content, you’re not serious.
You can’t launch a TV channel and start figuring out content later. It’s like opening a restaurant and asking, “What should we cook?” after the doors are open. You should already be filming, editing, testing, and refining.
The sooner you’re producing, the sooner you’re building identity, audience, and momentum. Start small, but start now even if it’s with your phone and a tripod.
At Purple Turtle Media, we often start with clients months before launch, helping them curate, create, and format content that’s actually ready to broadcast on satellite across Africa and beyond. Our teams know the standards and how to make you shine.
Now, for the other 8 key areas you need in place to Start Your TV Channel:
3. Defined Target Audience
If you’re making “content for everyone,” you’re making content for no one.
Pick a niche. Serve them relentlessly. Build loyalty from the ground up. Give people what no one else is giving TV wise.
4. Clear Content Strategy
Live? Pre-recorded? News? Faith-based? Youth-focused? Edutainment? Define your programming structure and mix. Your schedule is your signature. Don’t make skitso content.
5. Broadcast Platform Decided
Streaming-only? Satellite? Both?
Hot tip: Free-To-Air satellite TV, especially on IS20, gives you massive, reliable reach across Africa regardless of internet access or buffering complaints.
Purple Turtle Media has led this space since 1998 with tehcnology innovation with unmatched experience on IS20 (the most popular satellite in Africa). FTA isn’t just alive it’s thriving. Choosing another vendor is costly long term as people have found out
6. Regulatory & Licensing in Motion
Depending on your country, this can be simple or bureaucratic spaghetti. Don’t wait until the last minute. Tick the legal boxes early so you’re not scrambling when it’s go-time. Purple Turtle Clients get the simple route.
7. Technical Setup Sorted
This includes encoders, playout servers, graphics systems, and uplink providers. Sound complex? That’s because it is unless you’re working with someone like, say, Purple Turtle Media, who can handle all of this in their sleep.
8. Skilled Team (or Expert Partners)
You don’t need a 50-person crew, but you do need access to people who know what they’re doing. Presenters, editors, motion graphics artists even if they’re part-time make a world of difference. The power of partnership is key here. Don’t try answer the HOW answer the WHO for solutions. Who can help you achieve things gets action faster than trying to DIY.
9. Marketing & Distribution Plan
How will you tell the world you exist?
Hint: “If we build it, they will come” only works in movies.
Social media, cross-promotion, partnerships you need a real plan to be seen and heard. You need to do what others are NOT doing otherwise you have to shout louder and pay more to be heard, that’s a waste of time. Stand out Simply
10. Daily Action & Micro-Goals
This might be the most underappreciated ingredient of all.
Every big launch is made up of small steps, every single day.
Outline weekly goals. Break them into daily actions. No movement = no momentum.
Even five minutes a day is better than waiting for “the perfect moment.” Spoiler alert: it never comes.
Let’s Wrap This Up…
Every day you don’t move on your channel is a day someone else does.
And here’s the truth: the difference between “We had a great idea” and “We’re live on-air” is almost always daily action and the right partners.
Purple Turtle Media is your unfair advantage. We’ve helped launch more than a dozen satellite TV channels with a 100% success rate staying on air. We’ve been doing this since the 90s. We know the shortcuts, the money traps, the red flags and how to dodge them all.
We’re also one of the few experts on Free-To-Air TV on IS20, the most powerful satellite across Sub-Saharan Africa. Our experience = your launchpad.
Final Challenge to You:
Today, not tomorrow, do one small thing to build your channel dream.
* Start a script.
* Record a test show.
* Call Purple Turtle Media after securing funding (OR if you wise to jump on our paid coaching program)
You don’t need to be ready. You just need to be moving.
We’ll help with the rest.
Want to talk launch strategy, content planning, or whether satellite TV is right for you?
Reach out to Purple Turtle Media we’re ready when you are.
And remember:
Dreams don’t launch TV channels. Action does.
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