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Developing Story: MultiChoice Bids Farewell To Both M-Net Essentials (Me) And 1Magic On DStv By The End Of March

Earlier in the year, MultiChoice sent notifications to selected DStv customers that both 1Magic and Me would be exiting the DStv...

Showing posts with label Openview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Openview. Show all posts

Monday, March 4, 2024

Recap To Last Year: Could SABC Lehae Launch On Openview As A Replacement To e.tv's News And Sport Alongside SABC Variety?

In 2021, SABC and eMedia Investments extended their agreement which led to additions like SABC Sport and SABC's 19 radio stations on the Openview platform. There was also promises for two entertainment channels to accompany the existing SABC 1-3.

These channels were also slated to launch within that year but since then SABC and eMedia Investments had gone rogue that doesn't mean there wasn't any noteworthy material.

During that long arrival of more TV channels, SABC Lehae was born which serves as the second news channel by the public broadcaster following SABC News. It offers news in indigenous languages by that I mean similar to most channels rehash content from SABC 1-3.

This was followed by SABC Variety which serves as a revival/replacement to the defunct SABC Encore brand on DStv. Unlike its previous iteration, SABC Variety also serves as a catch-up channel especially with sporting events.

For a while now, there has been a lot of commotion as to whether these could be the long awaited channels for Openview consumers. As both explore the public broadcaster's archived material aka repeats as they clearly highlighted for these new channels.

SABC Lehae would prove to be somewhat useful following the cancellation of News And Sport. Consumers were left without without a decent local news channel while SABC Sport fills up the sports and the channel would basically be rivalling with eNCA and Newsroom Afrika.

SABC Variety would serve as complimentary offering to Power Up when consumers miss out on shows. Similar to ePlesier and the former Rewind, the channel would invite nostalgia to viewer's screens.

Development Alert: Could France24 Be The Next Channel To Exit The Openview Platform?

France24 is a French based news station operated by the local government. Based in France, it would offer news and current affairs aimed at the French market while as catering to other languages such as Spanish, English and Arabic. 

Since 2017, France24 was currently functional on the Openview platform after eMedia Investments silently axed the British based brand BBC News. It garnered backlash from various consumers with some not viewing it in the same league as the former BBC channel.

This past week, a viewer had browsed the TV Guide for France24 and noticed that the channel's programme guide ends by 3 March while other channels still provide a full week line-up. It led to further speculation that eMedia Investments could be looking to axe France24.

In eMedia Investments last financial records, they promised to launch a few more channels before 31 March 2024. None of which materialized in 2023 with the company down to a few weeks before the start of a new cycle.

With the possible closure of France24, consumers would be expecting a replacement as it was the only liable source of news following the demise of e.tv News And Sport. Those wishing to view the channel would have to get Starsat and pay R150 monthly. 

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Investigations Currently Underway For Glow TV's Mishaps With eMedia Investments

Last year, Glow TV had exited both Openview and Starsat by the end of February. Therefore concluding its run from linear television as the channel was no longer viewable anywhere in Africa but still retained their presence on Facebook. 

Since then, Glow TV had filed a complaint to the Competition Tribunal against eMedia Investments. Viewing their termination from free-to-air households as anticompetitive following eMedia's early attempt at removing Glow TV in 2022.

As some readers are aware, Zee One was introduced on the Openview platform as a replacement to Glow TV at the time. Followed by eMedia Investments pay-tv venture Ultraview which offers two Bollywood channels, Zee Family and Star Select.

With Glow TV off the air for a year now, several consumers had already fled to these networks with The Get Real Talk Show With Denver Naicker revived on People's Weather. Should the channel return it would have to start from scratch and try to win back viewers.

Similar to MultiChoice, that currently offers the 4 Openview channels until August 2024. Nismedia sites their current disagreement as a prime example to their investigation so as to whether the channel will return that has yet to be seen.

To all loyal GlowTV followers. Just to let you know that GlowTV has lodged a complaint with the Competition Commission some time back against Etv (Openview) & they are still busy investigating the case. As you know when DSTV removed 4 of Etv’s channels, the same Etv complained to the Competition Commission, who ruled that DSTV should reinstate the 4 channels, as an interim measure, until the outcome of the investigation. For the latest developments keep in touch with us on this official page of GlowTV. Regards, Management.

But if Glow TV were to return it would be on a limited basis meaning it would need to operate as a pop-up channel. Timeframe of every show would need to be monitored and content minimized something Glow TV lacked since its inception. 

Star Life and Zee One mainly focused on Anupama, Imlie and Radha Mohan basically dramas edging out Glow TV. Other traits like reality, lifestyle and kids were very much lacking for which Glow TV assisted with Little Bheem and Glow On The Go.

Although a time frame for the channel's appearance has yet to be announced. We presume more will likely follow once the affected party eMedia Investments settles their current matter with MultiChoice which has been ongoing for 2 years.

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Channel X: Could eMedia Investments Also Ramp Up A Streaming Based Channel(s) Through Ultraview?

During the week, it was reported that MultiChoice would be looking to rebrand one of their current TV channels (1Magic) with Showmax filtered content. This comes with an additional R40-R50 for the affected consumers with others below paying an extra R20.

As some readers are already aware, eMedia Investments launched a rival offering to DStv, Ultraview. It consists of two packages one catered to youth audiences while the other is Bollywood both of which are filtered to the likes of M-Net's AddMovies offering.

Early reception wasn't pleased with this offering with some feeling DStv is superior as there's no sports or wide variety of channels. Then there's others that felt blackballed after being devoted Ovee fans had to miss out on shows like May I Come In Madam or Finding Prince Charming.

Despite some minor setbacks, Ultraview serves as a popular addition to fans of Bollywood drama on Spice TV alongside the music offering on EDGE. As mentioned, Ultraview doesn't have much to offer aside from 4 channels which are halved between two packages.

eMedia Investments had promised to add more channels to the mix and with the impact of load shedding. It's likely that the consumption for this offering is weak and will not meet up to their expectations.

Something that came to mind would the addition of streaming based channels. As mentioned, MultiChoice is looking to launch a linear version of Showmax under one of their existing channels and questions amount to whether eMedia will do the same on Ultraview.

These channels unlike Spice TV and Edge could fold under both packages and serve as an add-on if may be. For those serving as active subscribers on eVOD could get these channels at no additional cost similar to what MultiChoice offers with Showmax and DStv Premium.

The first channel being ePremium would be home to various local content like uMbali and Splitting Pieces. It would offer new episodes to shows like House Of Zwide, Isitha: The Enemy and Scandal before they are allocated on e.tv with an overflow of other content.

The second channel probably Kuiertyd Premium would be spun off from eExtra's Kuiertyd and offer new episodes of Elif, Roekeloos Dade and Wie Laaste Lag before eExtra. It would also include exclusives like Pad Na Die Hart, Net 20 Minute and Blink Kant Bo.

Monday, February 12, 2024

Could SABC Look Into Merging Their DTT Platform With eMedia Investments' Openview?

SABC and eMedia were arch rivals for a more than a decade and 3 years ago they put their differences aside and formed a new partnership. This led to the additions of SABC Sport and through a separate agreement on MultiChoice's DStv, SABC's 19 radio stations on Openview.

Since then, SABC Sport had become a trailblazer ranking as one of the top 10 most watched channels on the platform joining elites like eExtra, eReality and eMovies. The channel offers a variety of sport including Premier League, NBA, La Liga, Racing Today and TKO Boxing.

Ukhozi FM, Radio 2000, Channel Africa and Phalaphala FM, some of the many radio stations operated by SABC to consumers expands eMedia's local line-up.

During the week, it was reported that Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are looking to launch a joint streaming service for sports. Similar to SABC and eMedia Investments these two had been rivalling for several decades and with the current economic climate are trying to sustain themselves.

It does lead one to wonder if SABC and eMedia Investments could look into doing something similar aside from channel additions. French company Canal+ is looking to acquire MultiChoice and should it exceed could help the pay-tv company compete on a more wider scale.

SABC and eMedia Investments services cover mainly South Africa for which most of MultiChoice's consumers resides. Another partnership could better position themselves against the likes of DStv as seen with SABC Sport it's making content more accessible.

One of the ideas that came to mind would be a merger of both their DTT platforms. SABC's current bouquet doesn't reach that many households and money is being wasted on manufacturing while eMedia's current offering doesn't offer much local content.

SABC's DTT platforms offers community stations like 1KZN and Tshwane TV a section that had been abandoned by Openview on top of local news, SABC Lehae. eMedia's offering such as eReality and eSeries are on the opposing side for M-Net as opposed to Mzansi Magic.

eMedia Investments is currently embroiled in a carriage dispute with MultiChoice for their 4 Openview channels. SABC on the other has been trying to seek revenue from the pay-tv company for SABC 1-3 and alongside eMedia better carriage fees.

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Recap To Last Year: Could The Crunchyroll Streaming Service Expand Its 24 Hour Service To DStv And StarSat Or Fold Under Openview's Ultraview?

Crunchyroll is an anime based streaming platform operated as part of a joint venture between Sony Pictures Television and Aniplex. Founded in 1994 as FUNimation, it is known for anime, films and TV series including Dragonball, My Hero Academia and Attack On Titan. 

Last year, Crunchyroll through one of their partners Sony Pictures Television expanded the streamer outside of its comfort zone with a 24 hour channel in Latin America. As some readers are aware, Crunchyroll is looking to duplicate this in key markets.

Although, they haven't specified which region would get access to the 24 hour service. It's likely that they're going to look into regions where they have no local presence whatsoever and others that do have some streaming presence but still recieve plenty of linear consumption.

The introduction of Crunchyroll Channel would come 13 years after Animax had exited Africa for also defunct brand Sony Max on DStv and other parts of the world. Since then, it has only been SABC 2, Toonami and Cartoon Network to ramp up a similar offering in Africa but not full-time.

The only problem pertaining to them is that the latter doesn't offer the full line-up of content. Take for instance Cartoon Network, it's current demographic only caters to shows like Pokémon followed by Toonami and SABC 2 whose slate has been repetitive in the last year.

As for Crunchyroll, I believe they're just looking to expand out of streaming and reach new audiences. It would prove to be very beneficial especially in regions which the brand lacks any type of local presence.

Similar to Disney+ and Britbox, even Crunchyroll has no presence in some of Europe and Africa. In some of these areas, there was an alternative offering Animax which too was managed by Sony battled a tough economic climate and struggled to sustain themselves in the regions.

If Crunchyroll were to debut in Africa it would help free up the responsibility from Cartoon Network and SABC 2 as they can prioritise on their other content. It would also serve as a replacement to the defunct Animax brand in Africa that is if DStv opts to carry the channel.

Other platforms in the market that could as well acquire Crunchyroll Channel include Openview Ultra, StarTimes, Azam TV, Canal+ and Zuku TV.

Saturday, December 30, 2023

20+ TV Predictions Set To Shake Up South Africa And Global By 2024

PLEASE NOTE WHATEVER YOU READ BELOW ISN'T FACTS BUT ARE BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS

2023 has been a very hectic year for South African households following the ongoing blackouts which had jeopardized various businesses in the market. Despite this cable providers had progressed with in terms of content and linear channels and made these past months productive for journalists, bloggers and various other media outlets.

Since we've reached the final stage of the year I thought of drawing up some first impression guesses for the coming year based on stories I've been following for a while and others based on assumption.

Presenting some predictions for the coming year

Local


> KykNET NOU! ends its run on the DStv platform with further content folded under KykNET. 

> Universal TV rebrands to Sky Witness while Studio Universal is replaced by Sky Cinema. Not much changes is added to the content following the switch.

> WildEarth ends its run on the DStv platform with further content on People's Weather, Curiosity Channel and BBC Earth.

> Discovery+ launches as a freemium service on DStv Stream alongside Paramount+. It features content from Discovery Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon, HGTV, TLC and Food Network.

> eMedia Investments and OUTtv form a joint venture with the streaming service, eVOD.

> Power Up goes dark on the platform and gets replaced by eLocal featuring programs produced by eMedia Investments with Kuiertyd repeats folded under ePlesier. It also airs content produced exclusively for the eVOD streaming service.

> SABC Variety and SABC Lehae (also known as SABC eKhaya and formerly SABC Parliament) are added onto the Openview platform. They are also made available on StarSat and DStv alongside SABC Education.

> France24 exits the Openview platform and this is due to the popularity of SABC Lehae.

> Play Room expands to regions across Southern Africa on channel 311 and ROA as a replacement to Aliki Kids.

> SuperSport launches a locally dubbed sports channel in Southern Africa. It offers football, wrestling, tennis, swimming, netball and rugby.

> Days Of Our Lives makes a comeback on Showmax and is also made available on DStv.

> Ignition TV extends its reach to the Openview platform through eReality.

> E! Entertainment adds drama series to the lineup with Till Jail Do Us Part and Diary Of Gigolo. The channel rebrands to Bravo and also includes content from Oxygen under the new name.

> eToonz expands its lineup with the launch of a second children's channel, eJunior. It broadcasts from 08:00 to 22:00 with shows like Peppa Pig, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures, Fireman Sam and CoComelon.

> Muvhango is cancelled after 27 seasons with last episode slated within the year.

> SuperSportBET gets a dedicated TV channel, Ginx TV goes dark.

> Zee TV debuts another locally skewed entertainment channel but for West Africa titled Zee Naija. Promises to have reality shows, educational content, movies and drama series all of which will be dubbed in local languages.

> eMedia Investments reduce the prices of their Ultraview packages and rolls out a third bouquet home to various Asian dramas and films from tvN and KBS.

International

> E! Entertainment, Studio Universal and Universal TV ends its run as a linear channel in parts of the world with further content added to Peacock and Sky.

> Sky acquires majority stake in Disney's remaining linear offering in part of Europe. Therefore extending the reach of Sky Kids in parts of Europe under Disney Channel with Disney Junior becoming Sky Junior with National Geographic Wild folded under National Geographic.

> Hulu replaces the Star brand internationally.

> FX replaces the Star channels seen in parts of Latin America and Europe therefore making the Star brand exclusive to India.

> True Crime, a joint venture between AMC Networks International and Paramount Global expands to parts of Europe as a replacement to CBS Reality.

> Ginx TV ends its run as a linear channel to become an online only brand.

> Showtime Group's linear offering is being put up for sale alongside NBCUniversal. As mentioned prior, NBCUniversal's International operations particularly in Europe are managed by Sky which is also owned by Comcast.

> Paramount Network is discontinued this is due to the launch of Paramount+ With Showtime.

> Universal Kids ends its run in the United States.

> Cartoon Network cancels We Baby Bears after 2 seasons, Disney Channel cancels The Ghost And Molly McGee and Pretty Freakin Scary and lastly Nickelodeon cancels Monster High and Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Saturday, October 21, 2023

News Shorts: CBS Reality Gives Up Producing Polish Programs In 2024, eMedia Investments Rebrands The Ultraview Pride Bouquet To EDGE And Desert Radio To Rollout On The DStv Platform

CBS Reality is cutting back on Polish programs

The documentary channel CBS Reality (AMC Networks International) resigned from the production of Polish programs. – With our viewers and partners in mind, we are constantly exploring opportunities to develop our programming strategy. We are currently not planning any new own productions for 2024, the channel's press office told us. 

We broadcast and will continue to broadcast a number of true crime programs from CBS Justice, including British own productions such as: "Crown Evidence", "Living in Crime: Jackie Malton" or "Living in Crime: Donal MacIntyre". 

Moreover, it was recalled that the CBS Reality channel also broadcasts foreign series on other topics, such as "Dirty Houses" or "Maniacal Hoarders". The last Polish productions were shown by the station in 2022. It was a two-part documentary "Always on Duty" and a five-episode series "Crime Without a Body". 

According to Nielsen Media, in the first half of the year, CBS Reality had an average of 0.07 percent. share in the general group 4+ (no changes) and 0.05 percent in the commercial group 16-59 (down from 0.09% in the first half of 2022).

Still proud, with a new Edge

Reflecting the dynamic and inclusive nature of the content and programming on the channels found on the Edge Bouquet symbolizes a forward-thinking approach, pushing boundaries and embracing a variety of perspectives. The Edge Bouquet is our way of broadening our scope while staying true to our commitment to quality entertainment and representation.

The Edge Bouquet features two channels: OUTtv and Fuse.

Accompanying the revamped bouquet will be OUTtv first ever South African programme, The G-List. a captivating reality series that delves into the lives of three dynamic queer individuals navigating the vibrant world of South African entertainment and media – Kyle Clark, a charismatic media mogul and brand influencer; Mthaux, a bold, non-binary fashionista challenging norms; and Lula Odiba, a vivacious YFM DJ blazing a trail for women in broadcast.

Openview launched a satellite-first in SA with an added Pay TV option earlier this year. Viewers can experience a new world of curated premium entertainment using the same decoder, simply opting in for additional bouquets of content for a monthly subscription, whilst retaining and enjoying the free Openview content on their decoder.

This revolutionary new ‘freemium’ service is giving audiences viewing power by giving them the choice of free or paid content, at their discretion. Unlike other services, Openview allows viewers to find exclusive niche content, conveniently in one place, opting-in for stand-alone bouquets that satisfy their desires.

A Nambian based station is heading to the DStv platform

A cutting edge radio station broadcasting live from Windhoek ,Namibia. Desert radio is part of the Namibian Newspaper.

Desert FM is a popular radio station located in the vibrant and diverse country of Namibia. The station is known for its exceptional programming that caters to a broad range of musical tastes and preferences. With a diverse selection of genres ranging from adult contemporary, jazz, soul, pop, RnB, indie rock, gospel, amapiano, and house, Desert FM has something to offer for everyone.

Desert FM is a true gem of the Namibian radio scene. The station has become a household name, renowned for its exceptional music selection, in-depth interviews, and engaging personalities. Its programming is crafted to cater to both the young and old, with carefully curated playlists that are designed to keep listeners entertained throughout the day.

The station's adult contemporary programming is a perfect fit for the busy urbanites who love to unwind and relax to some mellow and soulful tunes. Desert FM's jazz programming is second to none, with a selection of classic and contemporary jazz that will delight even the most discerning listeners. Soul music fans will also find their groove on the station with an exciting blend of contemporary and classic soul that will leave them wanting more.

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Why eXposed Was Silently Rebranded To eSeries On Openview?

eXposed (now eSeries) is a free-to-air TV channel operated by eMedia Investments that launched in 2022 offering a variety of international content from dramas like Hudson & Rex, The Walking Dead and House Of Cards to reality like Dark Side Of The Ring and F**k That's Delicious.

The channel was launched in place of Rewind and was also used to supplement or package the international lineup formerly viewed on e.tv as the brand looks to boost their local and streaming endeavours.

It is basically a mashup/competitor of several DStv channels particularly premium brands like M-Net, 1Magic, Universal and Comedy Central while as supplying content from tvN, Vice TV and Lifetime.

During the month, eMedia Investments' silently renamed the channel to eSeries after a year on air. In which eMedia had stated would offer a “unmatched, dramatic rollercoaster ride” with international series across multiple genres making top-rated content available on Openview.

Of course, details surrounding the rebrand remains a mystery if one had to guess it probably has to do with the recent change in programming as Bollywood shows formerly seen on eExtra such as Surrender In Love is now on eSeries another is the lack of edgy series.

eXposed was being built up as another M-Net Edge/City which featured a lot of edgier shows like Doom At Your Service, Billions and Why Women Kill. Overtime, that part of the channel probably subsided as there's was not much content to retain that part of the brand.

Henceforth, the switch from eXposed to eSeries.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Could SABC eKhaya Be The Next Channel By The Public Broadcaster To Launch On Openview?

During the year, SABC announced the rollout of a second news channel on their DTT platform, SABC eKhaya. Formerly known as SABC Parliament, the news channel would serve as a spinoff to the current SABC News channel on DStv offering content in local languages.

Similar to SABC Education and SABC Sport, the channel would feature a lot of archived material and telecast content already seen on SABC 1-3. Overtime, the public broadcaster would work on ways to limit the rebroadcasts as the channel garner traction.

Unlike MultiChoice's DStv and SABC's DTT, eMedia Investments doesn't offer a local news channel on the free-to-view Openview platform. The last iteration News And Sport was shut down due to financial constraints and poor feedback from consumers.
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Most other local news stations like the already mentioned SABC News alongside Newzroom Afrika and eNCA are funded by MultiChoice's DStv.

From the looks of things, SABC eKhaya appears to be the only option for eMedia Investments and works under their platform's current budget. As mentioned, there's not much live content on the channel it basically serves as a catch-up service to SABC 1-3.

Similar to SABC Sport, it has longevity and could help fill that void left by News And Sport. The only issue would be funding as consumers would expect a brand like SABC eKhaya to function like SABC News but that is only possible if the SABC were to receive funding.

In other developments, SABC is said to have finalized details for the next TV channel which might be unveiled in the next financial period with rumours suggesting it to be a general entertainment brand similar to the defunct SABC Encore.

Monday, September 18, 2023

eLocal: Could eMedia Investments Revive The eKasi Concept Onto A New Channel?

eKasi+ (now eExtra) was a general entertainment channel operated by eMedia Investments that distributed various archived alongside first run local productions like eKasi: Our Stories, Backstage, I Love South Africa and Tropika Island Of Treasure.

Part of the reason this brand never worked out had to with viability as Openview wasn't profitable at the time for eMedia Investments. Another would be the lack of new content as eKasi+ local offering was very repetitive to a point where eMedia had to build an international portfolio.

Now serving as eExtra, it had seen a lot of success with consumers particularly for their local infused international dramas which was spun off onto a standalone network ePlesier and folded under a tile for the eVOD streaming service.

In the last years, eMedia Investments had been building their original portfolio to better take on brands like SABC and MultiChoice which had seen success with those endeavours for decades. Before all of this content was consolidated on e.tv now the brand serves as a catch-up platform for part of this offering.

Similar to ePlesier and SABC Encore, eMedia Investments has managed to build as much local content for their brands that the idea of them possibly converting this into a standalone service where you can relive some of these moments wouldn't seem far fetched.

Before they had problems sustaining the lineup but as seen in 2021, e.tv has become a large chunk of SABC that they gave brands like eReality and eXposed the chance to expand on what could have been e.tv should they have kept the offering and that included Botched, Catfish, The Walking Dead and House Of Cards.

On top of eReality running a 2 hour block for local reality shows like Pay Back The Money, Date My Family and Beef with other programming from eExtra such as SterStatus and Die Kontrak could help sustain this brand and not burn it to the ground like eKasi+.

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Development Alert: Nickelodeon Orders Brand-New Animated Preschool Series Super Duper Bunny League, eMedia Investments Replaces eXposed With eSeries On Openview

Nick Jr. will also be saving the world from crime

Nickelodeon has ordered Super Duper Bunny League (working title), a brand-new adventure-comedy preschool series based on the kids' comic book series by cartoonist Jamie Smart. Featuring 2D animation, the series (26 episodes) centers on a diverse group of bunny friends who must battle danger as they defend their city and the world from their archnemesis. Super Duper Bunny League is slated to launch 2024 in the U.S. and continue to roll out on Nick Jr. channels internationally.

"Super Duper Bunny League brings to life the colorful world that Jamie created with quirky imaginative characters and engaging stories filled with zany adventures and loads of fun," said Eryk Casemiro, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation, Global Series Content. "We are excited for the opportunity to take the comic books to the next level with a preschool animated series that combines big superhero action with silly cartoony comedy in a uniquely Nickelodeon way."

The Super Duper Bunny League is here to battle danger in all its forms as they defend Important City and the world from their arch-nemesis (and accidental creator), the inept Dr. Fuzzleglove, and a ridiculous rogues' gallery of cartoony villains. Whether battling sweet-toothed space pirates, sizzling lava monsters, giant metal monkeys or hot dog-hungry dinosaurs, the Bunnies must combine their new superpowers to defend truth, justice, and especially free time to snack and chill.

Super Duper Bunny League is produced by Nickelodeon Animation in Burbank, Calif. Robert Scull and Jonny Belt serve as executive producers and Jamie Smart as Consultant on the series. Production for Nickelodeon is overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation, Global Series Content. Marielle Kaar serves as Nickelodeon's Executive in Charge of Production for the series.

eSeries is an official brand on Openview

The eXposed channel (109 on Openview) has been rebranded to eSERIES and now features a variety of international series across all genres. “From nostalgic and new sitcoms filled with spontaneous laughter bringing families together, drama series with warm, captivatingly relatable themes, to intense, darkly dramatic plot twists, and the thrill of the chase through the gritty arcs of crime. 

Viewers can expect an unmatched, dramatic rollercoaster ride with international shows across genres” The newly branded eSERIES channel has an easy and consistent daily programme flow with international comedy (Practical Jokers, Neighbourhood Wars), nostalgic sitcoms from yesteryear (The Nanny, The Goldbergs), procedural dramas (Blue Bloods, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Suits, House of Cards) dark dramas (Walking Dead), and romance/” Girls Night” (The Bold Type, Why Women Kill).

Also available is some lifestyle shows like MasterChef and Love Island. Korean lovers can see programmes like Watcher and Doom at Your Service on weekends (with some weekday daytime repeats). There is so much to watch, and the channel has something which appeals to everyone, from early evening to late night. The beauty of the channel’s structure is that series episodes run daily, so you don’t have to wait a week to see the next episode of the series you’re following – this is a remarkable change in viewing.

Saturday, September 9, 2023

Recap To The Month: SABC Delays The Expansion Of Further New Channels On DTT

During the year, SABC was gearing up for the rollout of a second news channel only known as SABC eKhaya. After failing to rollout the news channel, the public broadcaster had a soft launch for the brand on their DTT platform featuring content already viewed on their linear platforms and archived material.

Similar to SABC Sport, the plan was to feature a "fresh offering" once the channel managed to garner traction and the public broadcaster was looking to negotiate with other broadcasters in the hopes that they could distribute the channel onto their platforms.

But as seen in recent months, consumers had been affected by load shedding that some went as far as cutting back on their DStv subscription and other expenses as the outcome of these blackouts had left people jobless and led some entrepreneurs to lose their businesses.

The SABC blames Eskom on why their revenue continues to drop in recent months and also the reduction of analogue frequencies and streamers like Netflix for why SABC+ is struggling. It was also stated that the public broadcaster had to delay the rollout of new channels due to the blackouts impact on viewership.

For almost two years, consumers had been awaiting on an update from SABC on the status of two yet-to-be-launched channels on Openview alongside SABC Education's expansion to pay-tv outlets. Since SABC hasn't been able to meet up with any of its deadlines and with these outlets rolling out new channels, consumers will just lose interest.

Unlike SABC, Multichoice and eMedia Investments continue to expand their content and portfolio of linear channels. Despite the decrease in consumption, there's still consumers viewing these brands and rolling out those "new channels" could have helped reduce their financial constraints as opposed to pausing/scrapping shows like The Estate and uBettina Wethu.

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

What Has Glow TV Been Up To Following Their Departure From Linear Television?

Glow TV was a general entertainment channel operated by the Nismedia Group. It promoted Hindi culture with a variety of made for TV content like This Is Love and Little Bheem from India alongside content based in South Africa like The Get Real Talk Show With Denver Naicker.

Earlier in the year, Glow TV ended transmission on the Openview platform after a heated dispute with eMedia Investments for the distribution of the brand. It was also removed from StarSat after negotiation between the two didn't pan out - therefore ending it's run on TV.

As for an OTT platform, Nismedia was looking to continue Glow TV in some capacity and one of those could have been a digital service. Although they didn't want to dive further into specifics, their main concern overall was on their future with linear television.

Openview partly contributed to Glow TV's success that it was sort of hard on Nismedia to imagine a future without their viewers and sort of hard to build something like eVOD and Showmax from scratch.

Netflix continues to remain dominant in the African market alongside YouTube leading MultiChoice to sell part of their stake in Showmax to NBCUniversal. eMedia Investments on the other had to sought through partnerships to build the streamer's local portfolio.

Both platforms are confined to a paywall that select shows would be freely accessible as a means to lure potential consumers particularly those tailored to platforms like e.tv and SABC as a source of entertainment.

As for what Glow TV has been up in the last months, it's hard to tell as there's been a lot of inactivity or at least with the Glow brand indefinitely as Nismedia had been using the channel's social accounts to promote their other properties, Laudium Sun. 

The Laudium Sun is a community newspaper serving it's readers in Laudium & surrounds since 1984. The newspaper is delivered door-to-door in residential areas, whereby mainly people of Indian origin live. The paper is a household name amongst the community.

If one had to guess, it's possible Glow TV had been folded under Laudium Sun and this is probably their only means of survival. Although, it doesn't come with a linear platform or TV series. They do engage directly with consumers through live events and other activities.

Thursday, August 31, 2023

News Shorts: eMedia Investments Allocates Two Radio Stations Jacaranda FM And Smile FM To Openview, Disney Channel To Launch Third Local Production Across Africa Wandi & Kabz And SoundCity Scoops Up Several Nollywood Films From Trybe TV

eMedia Investments is expanding the audio lineup on Openview

Jacaranda FM is a South African radio station, broadcasting in English and Afrikaans, with a footprint that covers Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West Province. The station's format is mainstream with programming constructed around a playlist of hit music from the 1980s, 1990s and now.

It is available on channel 602

Smile 90.4 FM is a bilingual (English and Afrikaans) adult contemporary radio station, broadcasting to the greater Cape Town Metropole and surrounding areas, including Paarl, Stellenbosch and Somerset West. Smile 90.4FM’s listeners are affluent, family orientated, enjoy a healthy lifestyle and care for their community at large.

It is available on channel 609.

Disney Channel to allocate more local content in the coming month

During the month, Disney Channel unveiled two local productions Kiff and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (streaming on Disney+ prior to its debut) with Disney Junior geared up to rollout their first local production Kiya And Kimoja Heroes in the coming month.

Also joining Kiya And Kimoja Heroes in September will be a 5 minute educational segment on the Disney Channel titled Wandi & Kabz.

Neither Disney or MultiChoice were able to provide further details about the segment but from what we've gathered it's likely a historical or biographical segment highlighting selected individuals with the first episode revolved on political activist Charlotte Maxeke.

SoundCity scoops up content from Trybe TV

SoundCity was launched in 2009 by Consolidated Media Associates as a Pan-African urban music and lifestyle channel. Beginning as a TV show promoting local musical acts, the brand was added to MultiChoice's DStv in 55 markets across Africa.

Consolidated Media Associates reaches 100 million households with brands like Spice TV for consumers across Africa alongside West African brands like Trybe TV, Televista, VillageSquare TV, OnTV Nigeria, OnMax, Urban96 Radio Network, Access 24 and Televise TV.

During the week, SoundCity registered several projects from Trybe TV including Top 5 Stars, Director Profile, One On One, Upclose and Personal, Behind The Scene, Morili, Heroes and Long Game. It's currently unknown why some of Trybe TV's titles is being listed under the channel.

Maybe it's CMA's way of trying to make their content accessible in other countries. Another could be that MultiChoice is looking to cut down on more channels in the last months several local channels like Novela Magic, ROK GH and Maisha Magic Movies (SA only) were axed.

Sunday, August 27, 2023

News Shorts: School Is In Session With Woza Matrics Now On Mzansi Wethu, kykNET & Kie To Debut 5 Namibian Based Films And Glow TV Rumoured Relaunch On The Openview Platform Debunked

Mzansi Wethu enters the classroom

WOZA Matrics is a programme designed to help matrics catch up on their studies and to assist Matrics nationwide with learning materials and study tools via classes broadcast on TV channels, online platforms and radio.

Some of the platforms include DBE TV (on Openview) from 08:00 until 10:00 and 13:00 to 15:00 everyday. The programme will also be available on the DStv Catch Up function on DSTV Now.

As seen this past week, MultiChoice extended the reach of the program to Mzansi Wethu. For a while now, consumers on the platform had to sought out free-to-view platforms with a similar offering on Mindset's Liberty Learn.
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Namibia is taking over kykNET next month

NBC and MultiChoice partnered up to source out various short films within the region also known as Project Mukorob giving Nambians a platform to share their unique stories and to contribute to the cultural richness of the country.

All films will air on NBC from December 2023 to May 2025.

Five films will be telecast through KykNET and Kie on Sundays at 20:00, starting with "The Funeral" on September 3rd, followed by "Bokwagter" on September 10th, "The Goal" on September 17th, "Wish for Death" on September 24th, and Instant Love on October 1st.

Prime TV IS NOT COMING TO OPENVIEW

During the week, it was reported that eMedia Investments would be adding/relaunch another Bollywood centred brand to the Openview platform, Prime TV (aka Glow TV). This was after a user had spotted the Wikipedia page for Glow TV now known as Prime TV for some apparent reason.

Neither Glow TV or Nismedia were available to comment on the latest development but eMedia Investments debunked news of another Bollywood channel and proclaiming it #FakeNews. Although the news was proven false, viewers are eagerly awaiting the possible return of the channel.

Earlier in the year, Glow TV was phased out from linear platforms and Nismedia was looking to take legal action against eMedia Investments - still no word on how that's going or if it's still on the cards. Since then selected content like The Get Real Talk Show With Denver Naicker had migrated to People's Weather.

As for the news of Prime TV, the idea was probably conceived after consumers on Openview had learnt that MultiChoice would be allocating a third Bollywood channel Zee Zonke to low tiered bouquets. Similar to eExtra's Kuiertyd, the content is dubbed in local languages.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Analysis: Could eMedia Investments Or StarTimes Revive ITV Choice And tvN?

ITV Choice was a British based entertainment channel operated by ITV Studios that offered a mixture of reality, lifestyle and drama series. Some of the content included on the channel were Coronation Street, Emmerdale, The Jonathan Ross Show and Doc Martin.

The channel was phased out from the DStv platform by June 2020 and with no outlet to continue watching the channel consumers had to rely on BritBox for further content or view the little remains of ITV (Tipping Point and The Chase) on BBC and M-Net.

tvN was added to the pay-tv platform as a pop-up channel featuring various content from South Korea such as The K-2, Tails Of The Nine Tailed, Another Miss Oh, Cheese In The Trap and Tunnel. Despite being a popular addition, MultiChoice went against the idea of a full-time channel.

Since then, the Korean entertainment channel had been looking to continue on another platform and surveyed several fans even got a petition in the hopes to return on DStv but since then there had been no updates with consumers fleeing to Netflix and YouTube to view the offering.

Although, tvN is not viewable on DStv some of its programming such as Ice Adonis and Doom At Your Service had been scooped up by eMedia Investments to build the primetime offering for both their linear and digital platforms. It kind of led some to wonder if the red brand could eventually source out tvN.

With tvN not regarded as a cheapo addition, the channel would likely fall under eMedia Investments' pay tier, Ultraview. Thanks to the existing Asian offering seen on Openview, consumers would be able to familiarise themselves with the channel's programming.

I mean the idea of eMedia Investments pursing tvN or something similar for Openview consumers wouldn't seem far fetched .Prior to Zee One even Star Life's induction, eMedia Investments had broadcast several Bollywood dramas through eExtra with some help from Glow TV.

Unlike tvN, ITV Choice would likely have to come in a form taken over by Zee One or The Home Channel+ - free-to-view. eMedia Investments hasn't added any incentives to this offering and the only option BBC UKTV was ripped away from them by MultiChoice's DStv.

This ITV managed brand would make up for the loss of BBC UKTV and also be it's first official competitor seeing as they both cater to low income households unlike BBC Brit which is mid tier. This channel would have to reintroduce shows some of which aren't on DStv to new consumers.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

News Shorts: Nickelodeon Africa And International Enter The Splat Zone, East Coast Radio Has Been Allocated On The Openview Platform And eMedia Investments Scraps Cryptic Detail About Their 4 Channels On DStv


Nickelodeon braces for another rebrand

Nickelodeon today (Tuesday 1st August 2023) launched Nickelodeon's 2023 rebrand, which brings back the iconic Nickelodeon Splat, in Africa alongside Australia & New Zealand, Asia and the Central Eastern Europe. Still no word on Canada and Latin America but the UK and MENA had migrated earlier.

To create the new identity, Nickelodeon partnered with six U.S. and international agencies. The company asked the agencies to come back with a spot that used the new brand work and represents Nick’s energy and identity through the lens of its most notable IP—SpongeBob, Paw Patrol, Blue’s Clues, Baby Shark, Loud House and Monster High—making sure there is a moment of the iconic Nickelodeon slime.



East Coast Radio reaches more households

During their financial year presentation, eMedia Investments unveiled plans to rollout a few more channels before the end of the current financial year. Prior to that, eMedia Investments disconnected the services of LM Radio and TransAfrica Radio on the Openview platform.

7 months into 2023, eMedia Investments unveiled a new addition to the Openview platform, East Coast Radio.

Serving as one of the largest regional stations in South Africa, East Coast Radio (ECR) is a KwaZulu-Natal commercial radio station with an
audience of approximately 5 million. It is operated by Kalgiso Media who also manage brands like Jacaranda FM and JUTA Publishing.

Presenters featured on East Coast Radio include Daren Maule, Ker Miller, Sky Shabalala, Carol Ofori, Vick Naidoo, Stacey Norman, J Sbu, Tee Xaba, Sam Cele, Mike V, Buhle Hlatshwayo, Andy James and Nick Taithen.



e.tv's 4 channels are set to go dark on DStv...supposedly

After announcing that the channel's would go dark on DStv by the end of July, eMedia Investments has scrubbed further details about the cancellation across their platforms which brings to question the viability on DStv.

From what is known at the moment, these channels are currently on limbo on the pay-tv platform with eMedia Investments that had since then promoted several shows particularly on eExtra's Kuiertyd without any mention of them also residing on the DStv platform.

Could it be possible that eMedia Investments had got the dates wrong or perhaps announced their demise a tad early or could a new agreement might be put in place for some if not all the channels seen within the Openview platform. 

Saturday, June 24, 2023

News Shorts: Shocker (NOT REALLY) Mindset Network Ends It's Run As A Linear Channel After 18 Years For Liberty Learn, Telemundo Africa To Hit A New Low With Another Rebroadcast Of Decisions And TCM Closes Down In The UK By The End Of The Month

Mindset bites the dust

During the year, Mindset Network had been going through a lot of changes/reconstruction with most of their pages and websites either being abandoned or deleted. This was the first place to theorize the demise of the curriculum based channel.

Mindset Network had been doing a lot of downsizing in the last months so much so that the channel didn't offer interactive but prerecorded learning. Then there was the outdated programme guide which labelled everything under channel name and description.

This partnership with Liberty Learn was likely one way to save themselves from scrutiny with them being an NGO. Liberty would aid them financially while Mindset would distribute the resources to consumers.

Liberty Learn is available on DStv, StarSat and Openview.

Teleyawnder is back for more Decisions

During the week, production was paused on new content for the channel following Cameroon and Uganda anti-gay laws which prohibit the distribution of homosexual content resulting consumers to miss out on the rest of fourth season to medical drama, Nurses.

Since then the channel had featured reruns to numerous shows including For Love And Justice, On The Other Side Of The Wall, Queen Of The South and Almost Yours with Lord Of The Skies serving as the longer formats.

Diving further to reruns, Telemundo has offering the anthology series Decisions numerous timeslots over the years and with the series slated to end next month for Operation Pacific. We finally recieved word about the future of the series.

Initially, the series was slated to replace Lord Of The Skies but that was when Nurses was on but now nothing is known in regards to the replacement.

TCM is getting dismantled

It’s the end of an era for the British television landscape: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) UK, widely known as TCM Movies and a cornerstone for film enthusiasts, is preparing for its final act.

This dedicated channel, which has showcased the rich filmographies of Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros., is set to close its curtains on July 6, 2023, marking a poignant farewell for UK’s classic movie lovers.

This sombre news comes amidst a backdrop of global uncertainty for TCM. Across the Atlantic, the future of the American TCM channel hangs in the balance following recent layoffs announced by Warner Bros. Discovery.

As the UK prepares to say goodbye to its beloved classic film channel, the struggle to preserve its American counterpart underscores the ongoing challenges and importance of maintaining the legacy of classic cinema worldwide.

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Recap To The Decade: 10 TV Channels You Probably Forgot Existed On Openview

Openview is a free-to-air platform operated by eMedia Investments that also manage brands such as e.tv, eReality and eExtra part of which are ranked the top 10 channels. For several years, they've been to be a worthy foe to pay-tv serving affordable entertainment.

It wasn't always like this initially the platform was more of an Easyview type platform and if we remember the DStv bouquet it was one of MultiChoice's crappiest products to exist and Openview at the time was basically that with the exception of eMovies and eToonz.

Now we look at 10 forgotten channels once seen on Openview.

1. English Club TV

English Club TV sets out to be one of the most least crappiest products on this list. If anything the channel was very promising as it featured documentaries, films, cartoons and music video all of which are illustrated for those who study English.

At the time this channel was around, eMedia Investments didn't have that much consumers. In some way, English Club TV was a victim of unfortunate circumstance which contributed to the cancellation.

2. Inspiration TV

Inspiration TV is a Christian themed channel operated by Inspiration Ministries that is home to the likes of Charles Stanley, TD Jakes and Joel Osteen. It was meant to form the initial offering of Openview when it launched in October 2013 but didn't unfortunately.

eMedia Investments had tried numerous times to get the channel onboard but due to some technologies those plans were halted.

3. BiCars

Bi-Cars TV was a reality street motorsport
lifestyle channel similar to Ignition TV on DStv. It showcased motorsport news, fashion, celebrity riders and real-life stories of street Moto-sport lifestyle, entertainment and music.

Some of the content featured on Bi-Cars TV included Mzansi Celebrities Bikers, Bi-Car Make Over, Battle Of Crews , BC League, Championships Of Speed and Sound, and Torque Talk.

Similar to most of the channels on the list, a vast majority weren't tuning in to the Ignition duplicate.

4. United Christian Broadcasting Network (UCBN)

United Christian Broadcasting Network (UCB Network TV) is a Christian based channel providing religious content. UCBN programming include shows such as Men of Honour, Women In Me, Pastor's Corner, Africa Talent Show, Nuggets of Wealth and Leadership, U Kids.

The channel was terminated due to low viewership.

5. Ekurhuleni TV

Ekurhuleni TV is a community TV station carrying local news, music, educational, health and religious programming.

The channel was terminated due to low viewership.

6. Relevant TV

Founded and run by Joshua McCauley, Relevant TV was intended to be a non-denominational Christian lifestyle TV channel that will look at the spiritual needs of Christians from all walks of life. The main target market of the channel is young adults, although it will cater for other groups as well.

The channel was removed due to unforeseen circumstances and without prior notice by eMedia Investments.

7. Alex TV (LXTV)

Alex TV, stylised as lx tv, was a community based channel with Lucky Siwela as chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder, revolves around covering and mirroring the life and issues of the vibrant, yet impoverished South African township and "suburb" of Alexandra.

The channel was yanked off Openview after its broadcasting licence had expired. Since then, rival company MultiChoice was able to fill the void with GauTV which caters to Sandton all the way to the Bekkersdal township.

8. ASTV (now MYtv)

ASTV was a lifestyle channel in which eMedia Investments had minority ownership broadcast a mix of actuality, outdoor, youth and teen content as well as Afrikaans music videos. Some of the content available on the channel included Vaskap, Eksieperfeksie, Kos Is Oppie Tafel, Ons Gesels Met... and Klankbaan.

Similar to OnseTV on StarSat, the channel wasn't watched by majority of the viewers and hasn't gained much traction as seen with kykNET's offering on DStv. Forming part of Openview's initial offering it went dark after 3 years of service (and 12 on StarSat).

9. Wild TV Africa

Wild TV Africa, developed by Dewald Visser, brought viewers outdoor and adventure programming focusing on camping, mountain-biking, fishing, 4X4 trails, scuba diving, conservation, mountain climbing, hunting, sport shooting, skydiving and big wave surfing.

Similar to most brands on the list, the channel was axed due to low viewership. Of course, similar content can be found on People's Weather and on DStv, WildEarth.

10. Shembe TV

Shembe Unyazi TV will show viewers programming around the African religion founded by Prophet Isaiah Mloyiswa Shembe, known as Bombela, in 1910 and which has 8 million followers in Southern Africa.

Basically a rival to the Nigerian based Emmanuel TV on DStv, it's currently unknown as to why the channel was removed but it was believed to be low viewership with the low rated channel currently seen on StarSat.