Could Canal+ Look To Discontinue GOtv As They Restructure DStv Packages?

As readers already heard, Canal+ is looking to restructure it's DStv packages because MultiChoice offered about 17 of that in SA. To top it off in other MultiChoice territories, they distribute GOtv which adds another layer of complexity in those plans.

Since 2023, MultiChoice had lost over 3 million subscribers and that the new owners have taken upon themselves to stop further price increases. They're trying to cut down on expenses and make MultiChoice's services affordable.

In Canal+ Afrique territories, their packages are a lot cheaper and it was revealed by the French giant that MultiChoice charges way too much.

Getting back to the packages, MultiChoice offers both DStv and GOtv, and now under French hands there's a strong possibility that one of the two likely GOtv will be put out of its misery.

If the plan here is to make DStv affordable to a point where inflation is very minimal as seen with Canal+ Afrique. There really wouldn't be much need for a GOtv as it was structured by MultiChoice as lightweight or lower budget version of DStv.

If you're folding this structure on DStv possible case scenario here is that Canal+ opts to consolidate the two under one brand if not also opt to keep either DTT or DTH onboard.

Like I mentioned, there is a lot of overlapping between these two.

Take for instance, DStv Compact Plus and GOtv's most expensive offering Supa Plus both carry the same sporting events. Then there's DStv Compact and GOtv Supa/Max that offers a mix of local and international content. 

Followed by DStv Access and Family alongside GOtv Jolli and Jinja which are all aimed at families and kids with a couple of local channels and kids stuff.

All these packages are priced similarly and in the event this restructure takes place it's less likely that Canal+ will try to make these packages rival each other. They've already decapitated Showmax after criticising MultiChoice for making it rival with DStv.

If I had to guess how this could as well pan out maybe Canal+ will merge DStv Compact+ and GOtv Supa Plus with DStv Premium. They've made a majority of channels on these packages accessible to DStv Compact and GOtv Supa customers.

Then there's DStv Family and GOtv Max maybe Canal+ will look to merge that with DStv Compact and GOtv Supa. Just like DStv Premium, MultiChoice has made a couple of channels viewable on there and I mean the entire kids and music lineup.

This would leave DStv Access and GOtv Jinja/Jolli I'm expecting for this to go unscatched considering the pricing and the fact there's minimal overlaps with other DStv and GOtv packages.

Canal+ Dumps DStv Delicious Festival Due To Aggressive Cost Cutting At MultiChoice

The Sunday World newspaper, citing sources, reports that Canal+ has decided to dump the DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival as part of Canal+'s drastic and aggressive ongoing cost-cutting at MultiChoice.

The DStv Delicious Festival, that's been often-criticised in past editions, started in 2013 and held its 12th one in September at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.

DStv Delicious as a subscriber retention, potential upsell and marketing event, focused on the DStv mass-market and combined music acts, including international artists, with a food marketplace as a culinary showcase, combined with a fashion display component that involved local South African fashion designers.

Canal+ is now removing DStv as naming-rights sponsor with multiple sources who said that MultiChoice is done with its sponsorship of DStv Delicious.

Canal+ said that "Since tak­ing own­er­ship of Mul­tiChoice last year, Canal+ has put in place a stra­tegic plan to ensure a sus­tain­able future for the com­pany, put­ting it back on a path­way towards growth. This is essen­tial to ensure that con­sumers are able to con­tinue to enjoy com­pel­ling local and inter­na­tional con­tent on lead­ing plat­forms and that we can con­tinue to sup­port South Africa’s cre­at­ive indus­tries."

"We are proud to work with a broad eco­sys­tem of part­ners, includ­ing SMES and local pro­duc­tion houses, which are crit­ical to our busi­ness and to the growth of the cre­at­ive sec­tor across Africa."

"We remain com­mit­ted to the under­tak­ings we made dur­ing the acquis­i­tion pro­cess and are focused on build­ing a strong, sus­tain­able busi­ness to the bene­fit of South African con­sumers and cre­at­ives alike.

CBS Boss Alec Botnick Has Been Named President Of Nickelodeon Animation Studios

A longtime CBS exec, Botnick will lead the studio into its next chapter while continuing to serve in his current role as Executive Vice President (EVP) of CBS Studios Comedy Development, Head of Animation and Alternative.

Additionally, after BET Studios in December became a label of CBS Studios, the same is now being done with Nickelodeon Animation Studios, which also will function as a label within the David Stapf-run TV studio going forward.

With that, all production units in Cheeks’ expanded portfolio after the Skydance merger are now being consolidated into one, CBS Studios.

As the head of Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Botnick will help the studio reinvent its approach to reaching preschoolers and evolve into a multi-platform brand. He’ll also take charge of Nickelodeon’s unscripted arm, which includes the Kids’ Choice Awards. Of course, he will also guide the development of new TV series while overseeing Nickelodeon’s most important franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol.

A former WME agent, Botnick joined CBS Studios in 2015 as Vice President (VP), Comedy Development and was upped to executive vp in 2021. 

While at CBS, Botnick has helped develop scripted series including for animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, Everybody Still Hates Chris and Digman!, along with live-action comedies Ghosts, The Neighborhood, and the upcoming vampire comedy Eternally Yours, as well as Paramount+’s Australian comedy Colin From Accounts. He also developed Dead to Me, and American Vandal at Netflix. He will continue to develop scripted comedies and alternative titles for CBS Studios while maintaining oversight of animated development across the CBS, Comedy Central and MTV brands.

In more executive news, Ashley Kaplan, who previously served as Nickelodeon’s EVP of Unscripted and Digital Franchise Studios, will shift into a consulting role on Monday, April 13, supporting the TV Media division on special projects through the end of the year.

Kaplan had been co-running the animated studio with Botnick for the past four months. Back in November, three months after former CBS President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cheeks added oversight of Paramount cable brands such as MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET in his new role as Paramount’s Chair of TV Media, he unveiled leadership for most divisions.

Kaplan and Botnick were tapped at the time to oversee Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Over her seven-year tenure at Nickelodeon, Kaplan has shepherded the company’s large YouTube output in form of short-form content, including Kid Cowboy.

Jules Borkent, EVP of Global Commercial Partnerships and Operations, will continue to oversee the business and strategy of Nickelodeon Kids & Family.

Read Cheeks' memo in its entirety below:

Team,  

I’m excited to announce that Alec Botnick has been appointed President of Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Alec will lead Nickelodeon Animation Studios into its next chapter, while also continuing his current role as EVP of CBS Studios comedy development, alternative & animation. Similar to BET Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios will now operate as its own label for television within CBS Studios.

For Nickelodeon, Alec will oversee the animation studio and its evolution across digital, TV and streaming as we reimagine how we meet today’s kids and families. Alec’s leadership will be essential in shaping our next phase as Nickelodeon reinvents how we reach preschoolers, starting where discovery happens first and evolving into a true multi-platform brand. He also will lead Nickelodeon’s unscripted programming for television, including the Kids’ Choice Awards, while also guiding the development of new series and overseeing our long-running hits, ensuring Nickelodeon remains home to the world’s most iconic kids’ franchises like SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, PAW PATROL and more.  

Alec will continue to develop scripted comedies and alternative projects for CBS Studios, as well as maintain oversight of animated development across the CBS, Comedy Central and MTV brands for owned and third-party platforms. Series and projects Alec has helped develop include GHOSTS and ETERNALLY YOURS for CBS, the critically acclaimed Australian comedy COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS for Paramount+ and the animated series “Odd Jobs” for Prime Video.  

I also want to share that Ashley Kaplan will transition to a consulting role beginning Monday. In this capacity, she will support the TV Media division on special projects through the end of the year. We are grateful to Ashley for her years of leadership and appreciate her continued partnership.  

Jules Borkent, executive vice president of global commercial partnerships and operations, will continue to oversee Nickelodeon Kids & Family’s business and strategy, working in partnership with Alec and other key stakeholders to maximize the Nick brand.  

Please join me in congratulating Alec on this well-deserved role. I’m excited for what’s ahead as we continue building the next chapter of Nickelodeon.  

All the best,  

George

Development Alert: Electric Bloom Cancelled On Disney Channel After One Season

Electric Bloom is an American musical comedy television series created by Alex Fox, Eric Friedman, and Rachel Lewis that premiered on July 10, 2025 on Disney Channel. The series stars Lumi Pollack, Carmen Sanchez, Ruby Marino, and Nathaniel Buescher.

Synopsis for Electric Bloom

It follows a famous pop music group called "Electric Bloom" consists of Posey Parker, Jade Castillo, and Tulip Aoki where they named their group over the fact that they have flower-based names. Electric Bloom reflects on their story on how they became the biggest band in the world on their "Ask Us Anything" livestream, starting from the day they met in 9th grade at Edison County High School and became a school band.

According to Production Weekly, Disney Channel had renewed Vampirina: Teenage Vampire and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for further seasons. In these strings of shows, Electric Bloom was apparently left out leading to speculation it got the axe.

In recent years, Disney Channel hasn't been upfront about the status of most of their shows as the focus has shifted to streaming. The company now relies on Disney+ to determine whether any of these shows sink or swim.

Historically, Disney had often adhered to a "65-episode rule," where many shows were ended regardless of popularity to keep the brand fresh and manage costs. Today, this has evolved into a "soft cancellation" strategy where underperforming shows are simply left without updates.

With the cancellation of Electric Bloom and the final season renewal of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. This would leave Vampirina: Teenage Vampire and the upcoming series Coven Academy as the only live-action to broadcast on Disney Channel.

Development Alert: Lente Na Die Storm Will Be Making It's Linear Debut On eExtra, Maanligsprokie And Uzozisola - Regrets To Follow On e.tv

After being allocated on eVOD last year, Lente Na Die Storm will now be allocated on eExtra from Sunday 24 May. The company recently published it's ratings card where details of potential new shows was revealed.

Also joining the lineup will be the newly added Maanligsprokie from eVOD alongside Uzozisola - Regrets both of which are slated for e.tv. With Uzozisola - Regrets that will be returning on eExtra in the coming weeks.

A rebroadcast of Chrysalis S3 will also be allocated on e.tv weekdays at 09:30.

It should be noted that eMedia Investments hadn't provided dates to any of the broadcasts on e.tv but these shows appear on their ratings card each with a timeslot inserted on them. We can only assume it will come into effect between April and May.

Synopsis for Lente Na Die Storm 

It follows the dramatic journey of a devoted housewife who rediscovers her self-worth after a medical emergency forces her to reevaluate her life. Bahar graduated from medical school 20 years ago but sacrificed her career to be a devoted wife and mother.

She is married to Timur Yavuzoglu, a successful and well-respected surgeon. From the outside, they appear to have a happy and comfortable life. Bahar's world is shattered when she suddenly collapses and is diagnosed with a severe liver illness.

As she faces a life-or-death situation, Bahar discovers that her husband, Timur, and his mother have been hiding a terrible secret from her. Bahar also learns that Timur has been having an affair with his colleague, Rengin, for many years.

A liver transplant is her only hope for survival, and tests show that Timur is a compatible donor. However, he is unwilling to donate his liver and tries to convince Bahar's doctor to let her die. 

After surviving, Bahar decides she will no longer be a victim. She returns to the hospital to complete her medical residency. She must navigate the difficulties of working with her estranged husband their resident son, and Timur's affair partner, Rengin.