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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...
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?
Development Alert: Could France24 Be The Next Channel To Exit The Openview Platform?
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Investigations Currently Underway For Glow TV's Mishaps With eMedia Investments
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Channel X: Could eMedia Investments Also Ramp Up A Streaming Based Channel(s) Through Ultraview?
Monday, February 12, 2024
Could SABC Look Into Merging Their DTT Platform With eMedia Investments' Openview?
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?
Saturday, December 30, 2023
20+ TV Predictions Set To Shake Up South Africa And Global By 2024
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
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Why eXposed Was Silently Rebranded To eSeries On Openview?
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Could SABC eKhaya Be The Next Channel By The Public Broadcaster To Launch On Openview?
Monday, September 18, 2023
eLocal: Could eMedia Investments Revive The eKasi Concept Onto A New Channel?
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
Saturday, September 9, 2023
Recap To The Month: SABC Delays The Expansion Of Further New Channels On DTT
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
What Has Glow TV Been Up To Following Their Departure From Linear Television?
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
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
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Analysis: Could eMedia Investments Or StarTimes Revive ITV Choice And tvN?
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
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
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.