Canal+ Might Look To Rollout Viu In K+ Territories

K+ was a defunct pay-TV service in Vietnam, known primarily for holding exclusive broadcast rights to the English Premier League and other major sports properties. It formed part of a joint venture between VTV (Vietnam Television) and Canal+.

Its shutdown marked the end of a 16-year era where K+ was the "undisputed king" of sports broadcasting in the country. But due to various economic factors like piracy, cord cutting and streaming K+ ceased operations in Vietnam.

Canal+ had since been banking on Viu in which they operate alongside PCCW Media Limited. Its a streaming service based in Hong Kong that accumulated 66.4 million subscribers of which 12.2 million serve as paying subscribers.

Canal+ has been using Viu to distribute K+ content across 16 markets in Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Middle East including Australia, Bahrain, Egypt, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Philippines, and Saudi Arabia.

Prior to K+ closure in Vietnam, Canal+ had also shuttered its pay-tv operations in Ethiopia and the buyout of MultiChoice gave them re-entry in the region. The closure of K+ in Vietnam is likely telling a similar tale to its failed Ethiopian business.

Canal+ has a 36.8% stake in Viu with the option of increasing it to 51% giving them majority control. It could be that they're awaiting to buy up the the number of shares before expanding as there's not much they can do with the current stake.

Iqhawekazi uAppi, Brand New Cop Drama Launches On Zee Zonke

Zee Zonke, a Zulu dubbed Bollywood channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises has announced the addition of a new series, Iqhawekazi uAppi. Known in India as Appi Aamchi Collector, the series airs daily at 19:00 from 25 May.

It was originally broadcast in India on the Zee Marathi television channel from 22 August 2022 and concluded on 15 March 2025 after 845 episodes. L

The series ensembled the following actors:

• Shivani Naik as Collector Aparna Suresh Mane

• Rohit Parshuram as Arjun Vinayak Kadam

• Sairaj Kendre as Amol Arjun Kadam 

• Pradeep Kothmire as Hambir Bhaurao Kadam.

Synopsis for Iqhawekazi uAppi 

Aparna "Appi" Mane is an ordinary girl from a humble, rural background. Despite facing deep financial limitations and immense social odds, she remains determined to clear the highly competitive civil service exams to become a District Collector (a high-ranking government administrator).

Her life takes a dramatic and complicated turn when she falls in love with and marries Arjun Kadam, a charismatic but corrupt police officer.

Once Appi achieves her dream and assumes her powerful position as a civil servant, her strict duty to uphold justice directly clashes with her husband's illegal activities, putting her morals, her family, and her marriage to the ultimate test. 

Paramount May Look To Merge CNN With CBS News

Paramount is looking to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in the coming months as they await regulatory approval. This deal would bring CNN and it's global operations under the mercy of CBS News with it's minimised presence.

CBS News operates a 24 hour channel in the US and has existing deals with some international broadcasters for various programming. Now that it would join forces with CNN, viewers may start to see CBS News bulletins on CNN.

CBS News will not be expanding abroad. Instead, CNN will become the international pipeline that fuels both networks.

Figuring out how to brand a CNN-produced package on a CBS evening broadcast without confusing viewers is a problem executives have actively debated since the deal was approved.

CNN has over 3000 employees while CBS News has less than half and with the Paramount transaction plans are underway to reduce the number of buildings. This would most definitely lead to layoffs particularly for the staff at CNN.

Interesting to note was that Paramount had entered talks with Warner Bros. Discovery back in 2019 over using CNN's global footprint to replace the current ones by CBS News. Now these plans abandoned plans are now set to be in motion.

Paramount had stated if it is able to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery that they would make changes at CNN. One of the reasons some people don't even like this buyout is the amount of political involvement this transaction has.

Donald Trump initially wanted to be involved in the approval process of this deal before stepping aside and Paramount's investors are well acquainted with the US president.

CNN isn't how I would put it an anti-trump channel but they divulge on realism and public opinions some of it toward Donald Trump. With it under Paramount whatever strategy and ideology was given to CBS News will be brushed onto CNN.

Canal+ Strengthens MultiChoice's Partnership With PSL

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) and CANAL+ Group have held talks aimed at strengthening their long-standing partnership following the French broadcaster’s recent acquisition of the MultiChoice Group.

Executives from CANAL+ met with PSL chairman Irvin Khoza as part of the company’s broader strategy to expand its investment in local content, particularly sport.

The PSL and MultiChoice partnership dates back to 2007, with SuperSport playing a major role in improving the production quality and reach of domestic football broadcasts across South Africa and the continent.

Khoza described the PSL as more than just a football competition, saying the league had become a “cultural infrastructure” that connects communities across generations and regions.

“Every PSL match carries consequences and has an impact on the others,” said Khoza. “This cascading effect sustains an ongoing national conversation that reaches across communities and generations.”

He added that CANAL+’s broadcasting capabilities had helped the league reach millions of supporters, despite concerns around declining stadium attendances at some matches.

“Every PSL match carries value, irrespective of the number of spectators in the stadium,” Khoza said. “Each match’s true significance lies in its consequence within the league.”

CANAL+ director for sports content in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa, Rendani Ramovha, reaffirmed the broadcaster’s commitment to South African football.

“The PSL is a key partner to the group, and it is important to ensure that we maintain a good relationship with our key stakeholders,” said Ramovha.

He said local football remained one of the most in-demand offerings on DStv and SuperSport, adding that CANAL+ viewed the PSL as an important platform to continue innovating its sports broadcast product.

The Betway Premiership is currently locked in a tightly contested title race between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.

Paramount Aims To Finalize Warner Bros. Discovery Acquisition By July

Paramount Skydance is reportedly aiming to finalize its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery as soon as July.

Paramount, home to CBS, Paramount Pictures and Paramount+, is internally eyeing July 15 as its target date to finalize the deal, the Status newsletter reported late Tuesday.

In public statements, David Ellison-led Paramount has said it expects the $110 billion deal to close by the third quarter, or Sept. 30.

Shareholders have already approved the merger between Paramount and WBD, which owns CNN, Warner Bros Pictures and HBO, though it remains subject to regulatory approval.

UK regulators are getting ready to begin their review of the deal, with their deadline for public comments closing last month.

Paramount has also asked the Federal Communications Commission to approve foreign investment in the deal. Investors outside the US will account for 49.5% of the equity of the combined company.

Another potential hurdle could come at the state level, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta launching a probe of the deal in March.

“There are red flags everywhere for us,” the Dem said earlier this month. “We’re looking at things like higher prices, lower wages, fewer jobs, less quality, less choice, less competition — the things that you look at when you’re looking at an antitrust case and a proposed merger.”

Paramount’s chief legal officer Makan Delrahim has argued that the mega-deal will bring “new competitive” energy to the entertainment business.

In the event that the merger does not close by Sept. 30, WBD shareholders will receive a 25 cent-per-share “ticking fee” for each quarter until closing.

On the chance the deal falls through all due to regulatory woes, Paramount will pay WBD a $7 billion termination fee.