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Channel Closure: WildEarth Will Stop Airing On DStv By The End Of April, Freeview And ROKU Might Follow Soon

WildEarth is an interactive wildlife channel which brings viewers closer to nature with live safaris within the hotspot of Africa. Founded i...

Monday, August 27, 2018

The Era Of Anime On DStv

As some of you already know there has been a no sign of anime on DStv. Everyday viewers from South Africa have to tune into SABC 2 at 5pm for one anime alongside repeats weekends at 10am. Its just 1 slot that runs for 30 minutes a day on one channel that isn't viewable across other parts of Africa with some of those citizens viewing SABC and e.tv as well as their additional channels illegally.

Back in 2000s DStv had an low rated anime channel called Animax that was only viewable on the premium package. Of course some of the anime wasn't as good as the ones SABC distributed and the channel committed the same sin that is currently seen on Sony Channel and Sony Max - repeat.

Its natural for a channel to air repeats so that those who missed out or those who saw it and want to see the program again can watch it but the channel as well as its sister channels did the diabolical sin of over repeating series as you can see My Wife & Kids, Ugly Betty even The Amazing Race were over repeated on Sony Channel that they later moved it to Animax's successor Sony Max and came back to the main channel. That's what currently happened on Animax besides some of programming being taunted Animax did have good anime like Bleach which Animax couldn't complete due to its discontinuation, Bleach is currently on SABC 2.

Later in 2010, Animax received its finally calling on DStv when the channel got scrapped for a male skewed channel (Sony Max). This change didn't only happen in South Africa and the rest of Africa but across several other territories like Europe, Australia, U.K. & Ireland just to name a few where they had placeholder channels come in its place that is skewed on live-action. The same thing that Animax had transitioned into before its departure.

Several DStv subscribers asked and pleaded with Multichoice to get another channel which carried these type of programs which has been fruitful for the past 8 years since Animax departure. Viewers (including me) recommended Toonami and Adult Swim to DStv on which you'll always get this reply we'll foward you suggestion to the relevant team.

Toonami, the home to superheroes operated by TBS the same company that supplies Cartoon Network and Boomerang to Multichoice's DStv, and Kwesé has programs for action lovers such as Batman, Superman and Green Lantern alongside repeats from Cartoon Network such as Ben 10 Alien Force, ThunderCats & Symbionic Titans with Anime such as Dragonball, Naruto and One Piece. This channel launched in Africa later in 2016 exclusively on Kwesé meaning that no operator could access the channel e.g. Multichoice's DStv.

Adult Swim (the adult version of the former Cartoon Network) is probably the only channel that viewers can rely on even though the cartoons there are similar to the ones that found on FOX (DStv/Starsat/Kwesé) and majority of the channel focuses around that. You'll find series like Rick & Morty, Bob's Burger, Close Enough (Made by J.G. Quintel, Creator of Regular Show) and Robot Chicken - all of which are my favourite. There's anime through a Toonami block which fills a quarter of the schedule its better than nothing.

My reason for why DStv doesn't have these type of shows and why channels like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney has been seen as a channel for 7-10 is 'Parents'. Sorry for being judgemental but parents want safe and fun programs for their children back which wasn't a big thing as it is now thanks to Cyma (used to run Nickelodeon in the U.S.). Back in the olden days there was 'Tom and Jerry' classic where you had the main characters smoking cigarettes, Courage The Cowardly Dog which used to terrify me as a child and The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy where ordinary citizens as well as creatures of the underworld lived as one. Sorry for reliving the my childhood memories but you can't hide these things from kids sooner or later their gonna see it happen or go crazy having to watch Teen Titans GO! on repeat.

People stop having this persona that cartoons are for kids its not if it was you wouldn't have series like Family Guy even South Park or a channel like Adult Swim which has cartoons for 18+ illustrating strong language  and sex. If a series focuses on a particular gender don't criticize you'll find women watching soccer because they love it.

Another thing to those who still watch cartoons. Let me use Cartoon Network for example the channel has ups and downs, its boring to have 2 to 3 shows air everyday especially if one (Teen Titans GO!) takes most of the timeslot. It just forces viewers to distance themselves from the channel and get a different perspective of the channel. When you come to a channel you hope to see something different don't go behind viewers back and give one show attention only to treat the others like dirt. Even though CN has been shitty to some because of the programs I hope you aren't judging the shows based on the reboots but also on other CN original series. Cartoon Network has good shows like OK K.O.! Lets Be Heroes, The Amazing World Of Gumball and We Bare Bears. If you're those people looking at the perspective of a channel based on reboots you have no idea of how clueless you are. Watch these original shows not only the reboots and get back to me if its still shitty as you say it is.

DStv has been evolving for the better and worse with monopoly hanging over their heads, the persona over streaming taking over the future of entertainment they are growing. They've been losing over 100 000 premium subscribers in the past year and experiencing a growth in lower bouquets like Compact. Anime is possible on DStv but its gonna be a very long time before that happens. If you noticed they've been recent successful attempts on DStv like Telemundo & Zee World before they had 'The Soapie Channel' which was scrapped due to its low performance but look now soapies are back even if their starting to cloud DStv. Then there was the game channel which carried actual games on DStv I use to play a cooking game, some monkey game where they had to catch something etc. which DStv discontinued to create more services only for 2016 to arise where DStv launched Ginx Esports as a pop up channel on DStv Now App now to return again permanently on the DStv Now App later in 2017 with a dedicated channel launching a few months later. Then there was unsuccessful attempts like Voov and TV Mall. There's no telling what the future holds with entertainment but anime will rise up on DStv sooner or later even if its not as a 24/7 channel but a channel that offers it with a bunch of other junk.

I hope after reading this your whole perspective of DStv or basically any other operator you can relate on has changed I'm not forcing anyone to remove the negativity of these operators but to help expand the perspective over programming.

Entertainment is then, now and forever even after life theres a world new world of entertainment to explore.

Discovery To Launch 'Real Time' In South Africa

The New Channel is Set to Hit South African Screens from September Featuring the Best in Real-Life Entertainment for Women
 
Discovery, Inc. today announced the expansion of its African portfolio with the launch of Real Time, the brand-new general entertainment channel for female audiences.
 
Bringing the best of Discovery’s lifestyle and factual storytelling to a whole new fan base, Real Time will launch in South Africa on Monday, 3 September on DStv channel 155, tailored specifically for customers on DStv’s EasyView package.*
 
“We are incredibly excited to present Real Time to the market, and further expand and diversify our local portfolio offering,” said Amanda Turnbull, Vice President & General Manager for Discovery in Africa and the Middle East. “With an already successful suite of pay-TV brands, Real Time affords us the chance to bring our world-class content to even more audiences across South Africa, in the form of a channel designed to provide much-needed ‘me time’ to the modern African woman and her wider family.”
 
 
Real Time: Africa’s Newest Entertainment Channel for Women
From Real Lives and Real Nature, to Real Crime and Real Medical; Real Time’s cleverly curated schedule and dynamic mixture of lifestyle and factual content will ensure audiences get their daily fix of real reality and must-see entertainment, all in one channel.
 
Real Time’s impressive launch programming line-up includes:
 
Real Lives
OUR LITTLE FAMILY: Meet the Hamills! Parents Dan and Michelle are not raising the typical American family: the entire family of five has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Dan and Michelle use their own life experiences to help guide their kids to overcome physical obstacles and learn to adapt to the world around them.(Wednesday, 5 September at 21:00)
 
Real Weddings
MARRIED BY MOM & DAD: In this new social experiment, men and women who have been unlucky in love have agreed to put their love lives and their future in the hands of the people who know them best: their parents. (Tuesday, 4 September at 20:00)
 
Real Medical
MY EXTREME EXCESS SKIN: In each episode of My Extreme Excess Skin we follow two people who have lost massive amounts of weight and are about to undergo a full body transformation through skin removal surgery. The reveal will not only change each subject's self-image but will change their life. (Thursday, 6 September at 21:00)
 
Real Nature
PREDATORS UP CLOSE WITH JOEL LAMBERT: This landmark series reveals nature’s apex predators as you’ve never seen them before. Using a new, unique and bespoke polycarbonate and aluminium ‘pod’, the Predator team come face to face with lions, hyenas, polar bears and sharks – close enough to carry out a range of original scientific experiments, and to feel the true power (and terror) of the natural world’s most effective killing machines. (Sunday, 9 September at 20:00)
 
Real Headlines
IS OJ INNOCENT? THE MISSING EVIDENCE: Is O.J. Simpson innocent in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman? In this six-episode series, investigators delve into one of history's most infamous unsolved cases, exploring an overlooked suspect and never-before-seen evidence. (Saturday, 8 September at 21:00)
 
Real Crime
PEOPLE MAGAZINE INVESTIGATES: America’s most popular weekly magazine, People, seeks to uncover the truth behind some of the country’s most infamous characters and iconic stories of crime. These are extraordinary tales of ordinary people who were thrust into the national spotlight. (Saturday, 8 September at 21:00) 
 
In addition to Real Time’s linear offering, from launch, a selection of the channel’s programming will also be available to stream and download via the DStv Now platform, ensuring all DStv customers can enjoy the best of Real Time, in their own time.
 
“With so much in store for our viewers and commercial partners, we look forward to establishing Real Time as Africa’s newest go-to destination for quality female-skewed programming,” continued Amanda.
 
Experience why fact is better than fiction, when Real Time launches on Monday, 3 September on DStv channel 155.
 
**Real Time will also be available to DStv customers on the Access, Family, Compact, Compact Plus and Premium packages. The channel will also launch later this year on the StarSat platform.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Nickelodeon Africa Welcomes Back Your Favourite Shows This Month Of September With A Sneek Peak Of Nickelodeon's Brand New Show Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I Am Frankie Season 2
*NEW SEASON
Frankie is finally fitting in and exploring what it means to be human with the help of her best friend, Dayton. Things quickly become complicated when a new android arrives at Sepulveda High and the world learns that androids exist. When WARPA comes back with a new threat, Frankie must struggle to keep her true identity a secret and keep her friends and family safe.
Monday 3 September @ 20:00 CAT/19:00 WAT/21:00 EAT

SpongeBob SquarePants
*NEW EPISODES
Here’s a sneak peak of what to expect in the new episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants:
•Plankton hasn’t tried to steal the secret formula in a while…and that’s making Mr.Krabs nervous!
•When a gang of kids steals the Krusty Krab’s grill, SpongeBob and Mr.Krabsgo to extreme lengths to win it back.
•The long-lost episode of Mermaid Man is finally showing on TV, but will SpongeBob make it home in time to watch?
•SpongeBob and Patrick have their peaceful day of jelly fishing disturbed by Sandy’s competitive nature.
Weekdays from 10 September @ 14:10 CAT/13:10 WAT/15:10 EAT

Welcome to the Wayne
*NEW EPISODES
The Wayne is a new York apartment building which is not your typical kind. Friends Ansi Molina, Olly and SaralineTimbers work together to uncover all the secret within their massive, mysterious apartment complex. Their journey & mission to discover the remains of The Wayne, where everything definitely isn’t as it seems, sees the friends going up against the strange creatures dwelling in the Wayne. That’s not all, there is a group of secret agents who are part of the building as well!
Weekdays from 17 September @ 13:20 CAT/12:20 WAT/14:20 EAT

The Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
*SNEAK PEAK
Rise up! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get an all-new look, new weapons, and awesome new powers! Join the legendary heroes, Raph, Leo, Donnie and Mikey as these brothers discover a Hidden City beneath New York, learn amazing mystic ninja skills, battle absurd mutants…and always find time for a slice of their favourite pizza! Cowabunga!
Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 September @ 10:25 CAT/09:25 WAT/11:25 EAT

Henry Danger
*NEW EPISODES
On the new kick butt episodes of Henry Danger:
• When the Vice Mayor cuts Captain Man and Kid Danger’s budget to build a high speed railway in Swellview, Captain Man and Kid Danger must figure out creative ways to save money.
• Charlotte’s birthday road trip to see the Boo Man Group perform gets side-tracked by a Captain Man and Kid Danger emergency.
• Henry and Ray try to help Piper carry out a “meet cute” with a new boy she likes from school.
Weekdays from 24 September @ 18:45 CAT/17:45 WAT/19:45 EAT

Saturday Marathons
Yup, there’s loads more for you every weekend! Fill your Loud House with friends SpongeBob, Marty, Henry, Frankie, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, Dawn and Wayne! at 08:20 CAT/07:20 WAT/09:20 EAT & 12:55 CAT/11:55 WAT/13:55 EAT respectively.
01/09
Toon Marty
The Thundermans
08/09
Welcome to the Wayne
I Am Frankie
15/09
Game Shakers
SpongeBob SquarePants
22/09
The Loud House
The Adventures of Kid Danger
29/09 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn
Henry Danger

NickToons Africa Welcomes New Episodes Of Your Favourite Shows In September 2018 Plus A Sneak Peak Of Nickelodeon's New Series Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Rocket Power
*NEW EPISODES
Play hard…move fast…aim high…Forever! Having a blast with your friends is what Rocket Power is all about. Four adventurous, intensely loyal friends are after the big thrill amidst the wind, waves, and half-pipes of their hometown, Ocean Shores (a.k.a. Rocket Beach). They’re all on a mission to feed their need for action and total fun. And best of all: they’ll always be there for each other.
In the upcoming episodes of Rocket Power:
When the Rocket Gang visits Hawaii, Otto and Reggie are excited because they hope to surf in Oahu. When a strange series of events happen to Twister and Sam, they think it’s because of an old Hawaiian curse of the Menehune.
Weekdays from Monday 3 September @ 04:55 CAT/03:55 WAT/05:55 EAT

Totally Spies
*NEW EPISODES
Totally Spies is a fast-paced, fun show that depicts 3 girlfriends ‘with an attitude’ who cope with their daily lives at high school as well as the unpredictable pressure of international espionage. Whether laying low on a secret island off the coast of Japan, on hands and knees deep within the sewers of Paris or crouched in the baggage hold of a private jet over the Bermudas, they confront the most intimidating –and demented –of villains! The three friends each use their specific talents to help save the world.
What to look forward to in the new episodes of Totally Spies: The girls meet a teenage paranormal investigator; Clover and Alex are captured by an evil sushi chef and his giant octopus; and then they get trapped by what appears to be an invisible force field!
Monday to Friday from 10 September @ 19:15 CAT/18:15 WAT/20:15 EAT

My Little Pony
*NEW EPISODES
In the new adventures of My Little Pony:
• Fearing that they may not get along, Spike does everything he can to prevent Ember and Thorax from meeting each other after he accidentally invites them both to Ponyville.
• Starlight is looking forward to a visit from Sunburst but finds out he has more in common with her friends than her.
• Twilight Sparkle may be the smartest unicorn in Equestria, but there’s more to life than learning magic. So Celestia sends her to Ponyvilleon a mission to make friends.
• When Sunburst discovers the long-lost journal of Star Swirl, Twilight makes it her mission to save her magical idol from a limbo-like prison.
Monday to Friday from 17 September @ 17:40 CAT/16:40 WAT/18:40 EAT

The Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
*SNEAK PEAK
Rise up! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get an all-new look, new weapons, and awesome new powers! Join the legendary heroes, Raph, Leo, Donnie and Mikey as these brothers discover a Hidden City beneath New York, learn amazing mystic ninja skills, battle absurd mutants…and always find time for a slice of their favourite pizza! Cowabunga!
Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 September @ 10:25 CAT/09:25 WAT/11:25 EAT

Breadwinners
*NEW EPISODES
Breadwinners charts the adventures of best friends, SwaySway and Buhdeuce, as they deliver bread to hungry beaks everywhere these best buds live together, laugh together, and get into all sorts of riduckulous adventures together.
In the upcoming episodes of Breadwinners:
• Once SwaySway suffers a major butt injury, Kettatakes over as a substitute Breadwinner.
• After SwaySway and Buhdeuce accidentally cause Lil Loafie to get smashed, Kettarebuilds him into a law enforcement machine!
• When Jelly gets mistaken for a princess, the guys have to rescue her from Oonski The Great!
• SwaySway and Buhdeuce take to the Great Pond when an old sea captain’s order turns into an epic quest.
Monday to Friday from 24 September @ 15:35 CAT/14:35 WAT/16:35 EAT

The Wild Thornberrys
*NEW EPISODES
Traveling the world with her family and making nature documentaries, 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry has a secret; she can talk to animals. While her parents are busy filming, Eliza learns the mysteries of the animal kingdom with her wild-child brother Donnie and her best friend Darwin, a charming chimpanzee. With every new step in their exotic adventures, they never know what to expect –after all, it’s a jungle out there.
On the new tourneys of The Wild Thornberrys:
• Eliza’s in big trouble when she accidentally drops Debbie’s boombox into the ocean –Debbie’s going to be mad, but the Whales won’t be so happy either.
• Nigel and Eliza go off in search of the Philippine angler fish. When Nigel is bitten by a poisonous animal, it could be all over unless Eliza can find the antidote!
Monday to Friday from 24 September @ 05:00 CAT/04:00 WAT/06:00 EAT

Weekend Marathons
If you happen to miss any of the new weekday premieres, don’t worry, NickToons has you covered. Watch marathons of the new episodes every Sunday at 16:00 CAT/15:00 WAT/17:00 EAT
2 September Aaahh! Real Monsters
9 September Rocket Power
16 September Totally Spies
23 September My Little Pony
30 September Breadwinners

Nick Jr Africa Brings You New Episodes Of Your Favourite Shows This Month Of September

Rusty Rivets
*NEW EPISODES
When there’s a job to do and stakes are high, ten-year-old Rusty Rivets - along with best bud Ruby invents his way out of every jam by repurposing parts and objects into the wildest, coolest most awesome contraptions ever!
Weekdays from 3 September @ 08:35 CAT/07:35 WAT/09:35 EAT

Shimmer and Shine
*NEW EPISODES
A pair of fraternal twin genies-in-training unintentionally cause chaos in their attempts to grant wishes for their best friend, Leah.
Weekdays from 3 September @ 15:30 CAT/14:30 WAT/16:30 EAT

Nella The Princess Knight
*NEW EPISODES
Nella is a princess who transforms into a knight! She goes on fantastical adventures with her friends, Sir Garret, Trinket, and Clod, to fight for what's right.
Weekdays from 10 September @ 15:05 CAT/14:05 WAT/16:05 EAT

Paw Patrol
*NEW EPISODES
No job is too big and no pup is too small — so goes the mantra for Ryder and his group of rescue dogs, aptly named Paw Patrol. Each of these pups has special skills that collectively make them the best group to keep the community safe, be it a kitten stuck on a high tree branch or saving a train headed for a wreckage.
Weekdays from 17 September @ 17:15 CAT/16:15 WAT/18:15 EAT

Blaze and the Monster Machines
*NEW EPISODES
Blaze and the Monster Machines is a CG interactive preschool series about Blaze, the world’s greatest monster truck, and his best buddy and driver, a boy named AJ.
Sundays @ 16:40 CAT/15:40 WAT/17:40 EAT

NickJr. Weekend Specials
NickJr. on Saturday nights will keep the kids entertained in September with specials of their favourite shows taking them on adventures from the comfort of their living room. Kids can also catch a repeat on Sunday mornings.
Blaze and the Monster Machines – Blaze of Glory Premieres Saturday 1 September @ 19:05 CAT/18:05 WAT/20:05 EAT and repeats Sunday 2 September @ 07:05 CAT/06:05 WAT/08:05 EAT
Dora’s Fairytale Adventure Premieres Saturday 8 September @ 19:05 CAT/18:05 WAT/20:05 EAT and repeats Sunday 9 September @ 07:05 CAT/06:05 WAT/08:05 EAT
Bubble Guppies – Guppy Style! Premieres Saturday 15 September @ 19:05 CAT/18:05 WAT/20:05 EAT and repeats Sunday 16 September @ 07:05 CAT/06:05 WAT/08:05 EAT
Umi Space Heroes! Premieres Saturday 22 September @ 19:05 CAT/18:05 WAT/20:05 EAT and repeats Sunday 23 September @ 07:05 CAT/06:05 WAT/08:05 EAT
Blaze to the Top of the World Premieres Saturday 29 September @ 19:05 CAT/18:05 WAT/20:05 EAT and repeats Sunday 30 September @ 07:05 CAT/06:05 WAT/08:05 EAT

Openview Customers Take Note Of The Following Changes Happening On Monday 20 August 2018

From Monday 20 August, The following channels will be available on their new channel numbers.
Kwesé Free Sports - Channel 115
Trace Sports Stars - Channel 116
BBC World News - Channel 121

New Channels (Confirmed):
Star Life Channel 110 From Monday 27 August
OpenNews (TBA)

Experience A Beautiful World With Star Life This August On DStv, GOtv And Openview

Star Life, launching on DStv on 27 August, is an English language channel specially created with an African audience in mind.

With over two decades of award-winning and No 1 rated shows in its repertoire, Star Life will showcase only the very best family dramas (daily soaps, both short and long form), celebrity dance shows and blockbuster movies from its famed library of A-List Bollywood movies.

“Delighting our customers with exceptional content is key to our business. What makes Star Life a good addition is that the content is relatable, with shows that tell stories about human weaknesses, strengths, miracles and victories,” says Yolisa Phahle, General Entertainment CEO, MultiChoice.

A fully owned subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, Star is the undisputed global powerhouse in Indian programming and a market leader in most of the 100+ countries it operates in worldwide. Star Life brings to Africa extraordinary journeys of ordinary people, progressive storylines, inspirational characters and compelling dramas – produced to the highest international production standards.

Gaurav Jandwani, Senior Vice President & Business Head UK/Europe & South Africa, Star Network says “At Star, we believe in creating stories for the world, stimulating imagination and showcasing the limitless power of ordinary people. With Star Life, we are proud to bring to Africa, engaging programming, in English, which will leave our viewers inspired, rejuvenated, and moved. We are delighted to offer Star Life to DStv customers.”

Star Life will be to DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact and Family customers on DStv channel 167. It will also be available on GOtv channel 23 and Openview 110. The channel will be available in HD for viewers in south africa with the DStv and GOtv from the rest of Africa in SD.

Come celebrate a beautiful world with Star Life on DStv.

Fine Music Radio Available On DStv Audio

Fine Music Radio is delighted to announce that they will be available on DStv on channel 838 from 28 August 2018.
 
At the touch of a button, listeners from around Africa will be able to enjoy cool classics and smooth jazz. As the only classical and jazz music station in the Western Cape, Fine Music Radio is peerless. 
 
Station Manager at Fine Music Radio, Mark Jennings said: “We’re thrilled to be on DStv. It really opens up the airways for more people to experience the magic of music that brings calm in chaos and restores the human spirit.”
 
Fine Music Radio is committed to delivering the very best listening experience from outside broadcasts, compelling content and social initiatives. The classical music selection is melodic and non-raucous appealing to a wide audience without compromising on integrity. Fine Music Radio’s jazz is a mix between mainstream smooth and classic soul.
 
As a community radio station, Fine Music Radio is mindful that their mandate is to serve the community not only with music, but also upliftment. FMR listeners are motivated to make a difference. So far this year, Fine Music Radio has been involved in a number of community initiatives: 
MusicWorks: This is a non-profit organisation that offers music therapy to children in dire need. In celebration of Fine Music Radio’s 23rd birthday, 
listeners were asked to donate R200 for one music therapy session per child. In a month over R77 000 was raised.
Strictly Water: Fine Music Radio appealed to their listeners to help raise 
R30 000 for an alternative water system for Zama Dance school in Gugulethu. Although they reached target in just three days, listeners still insisted on giving donations which totalled R52 300.
Mandela Day 2018: In celebration of Nelson Mandela’s centenary, Artscape foyer was electrified with energy and passion as volunteers packed snack boxes for Peninsula School Feeding’s after school programme. It was a creative collective, organized by Fine Music Radio with employees from Artscape, musicians, ballet dancers, opera singers and Fine Music Radio listeners.
 
Fine Music Radio will be available to DStv Family, Compact, Compact Plus and Premium customers from 28 August.

SABC And Multichoice Enter Into New Contract

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and MultiChoice are pleased to announce that they have signed a new commercial channel supply agreement allowing the SABC News and SABC Encore channels to continue to be broadcast on DStv.
 
The agreement follows extensive discussions between the parties as the previous contract is set to expire.  SABC and MultiChoice believe that this agreement will give their relationship a new start.
 
DStv customers will continue to enjoy around the clock news coverage from SABC News on channel 404, while SABC Encore on channel 156 will allow viewers to indulge in nostalgia, airing old favourites and classics.  The SABC archives, which the SABC uses to produce SABC Encore, remains the wholly-owned property of the SABC.
 
SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe said: “The SABC welcomes the new agreement with MultiChoice which will bring certainty to our viewers and our staff.  The board and management of the SABC are satisfied that the agreement meets both the commercial and governance needs of the SABC.  The SABC looks forward to delivering high quality channels into the future.”
 
MultiChoice South Africa CEO Calvo Mawela said: “We are pleased to be able to continue to carry these channels on DStv.  We have a long standing relationship with SABC and are happy that we have reached a mutually beneficial agreement.  We look forward to continue working with SABC to deliver great entertainment to our customers.”

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Labour Of Love Premieres On eBella

COMING SOON TO EBELLA :-) LABOUR OF LOVE
With TANTO AMOR Coming To A End On AUGUST 17,A new telenovela Will starts on AUGUST 20 at 5PM on ch109 #eBella call LABOUR OF LOVE. :-D
Labour of Love introduces Ignacia (Ana Layevska), a young engineer who works at a leading construction company owned by her boyfriend Tomas (Fabian Rios). Ignacia and Tomas are in love and are looking forward to getting married.
However, a few days before the wedding they have an argument and Ignacia leaves the city where she meets a seemingly wealthy man who makes her forget about her troubles. She spends a wonderful night with him.
The next day, feeling upset about what had happened, she returns home, where Tomas - who is looking for forgiveness - is waiting for her with a promise of a new position at his company.
She accepts it and to her surprise, when she arrives at the construction site as its new manager - she meets the mystery wealthy man again, who turns out to be Pedro (José Luis Resendez), a simple labourer who has neither money nor great aspirations.
Ignacia and Pedro find out that although they have so many reasons not to be together, they will love each other despite these differences,prejudice and rejection.
You Can Watch This For Free On OpenViewHD
Its Also Available On DStv

Disney Made Disney XD A 24-Hour Kids Channel On DStv Starting Wednesday 1 August As The Channel Is Aligned With The Wider Disney XD Channels In The Region.

Disney XD (DStv 304) is switched to a full 24-hour programming schedule from Wednesday 1 August on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform with the kids channel that will be offering through-the-night repeats of programs such as Counterfeit Cat, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, Boyster and many more as the channel adjusts to a new regional feed.

Since its addition, Disney XD, Disney's boy-focused by girl-inclusive channel, used to shutter at 22:45 nightly.

It means that Disney XD joins Disney Channel (DStv 303) and Disney Junior (DStv 309) as a 24-hour feed on DStv.

Disney XD was the only kids channel on MultiChoice that closed down until the addition of eMedia Investment's eToonz (DStv 311) in South Africa that also shutters at 22:00 and 00:00 in the weekends and school holidays.

Instead of starting at 6:00 in the morning, Disney XD will now be a 24-hour kids channel, similar to Viacom International Media Networks Africa's (VIMN Africa) Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Nicktoons, BBC Studios' CBeebies, Turner Broadcasting Africa's Cartoon Network and Boomerang, 'AMC International Africa' JimJam and its sister Disney channels that have all been running non-stop.

Disney Africa said in a response to a media enquiry that "we can confirm that Disney XD (DStv 304) will be extended to a 24 hour feed, this is in line with our feeds across the region. The feed is being aligned with the wider Disney XD channels in the region."

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Our Media Division Continued To Plough On With Its Strategy Of Developing A Satellite Based Multichannel Digital Platform - Openview

While the consequence has been yet another year of poor proftability, we believe the benefts of long term sustainability for our broadcast business in a digital age will be well worth the patience and perseverance. We now have some 1,3m boxes in people’s homes, 9% of all television households. Our revenues, while still small, more than doubled last year and we believe this is likely to happen again this year as our share of advertising revenue grows to refect the market performance of our digital channels.
Likewise, we have improved the quality of the channels offered on the bouquet and no doubt will continue to be able to do so as the platform generates more revenue. We have introduced BBC, Kwezi Sport and intend to produce a new news channel, Open News, as well as introduce a two hour Afrikaans block on e-Extra in the immediate future.
TV channels often hit breakthrough moments where their presence suddenly becomes deeply engraved in the minds of viewers. For CNN it was the Gulf War. For e.tv it was the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament. Breakthrough moments like those, however, are the culmination of painstakingly hard work to build presence and momentum in the public mind. OpenView is unquestionably in that “hard at work” phase and we are hopeful such a breakthrough will come our way sooner rather than later.

The group ended the period with a loss for the year from continued operations of R1 599 million compared to a profit in the prior year of R112 million. Included in the loss for the current year is the impairment of goodwill of R1 501 million relating to the goodwill recognised upon the acquisition of eMedia Investments Proprietary Limited. Also included in the loss is the impairment of goodwill of subsidiary Coleske Artists of R31 million and an impairment of the investment in an associate company Da Vinci Media, of R64 million. EBITDA for the group ended on R178 million compared to R405 million in the prior year, a 56% decrease year-on-year. Headline earnings for the group amounted to a loss of R12.5 million compared to a profit of R98 million in the prior year.
The only asset of the group is a 67.69% interest in eMedia Investments, the company that owns e.tv, eNCA and Openview.
Tough trading conditions continued for the free-to-air broadcasting industry with advertising revenue remaining flat. Despite this, the group showed an increase of 5%
in advertising revenue from R1 505 million to R1 573 million. The results were also impacted by the new Multichoice agreement with eMedia Investments. In this regard, license fee revenue was cut substantially in the current year. In addition, the group continued to invest in the Openview platform which remains loss making.
e.tv’s share of broadcast audience remains under pressure, mostly due to the popularity of local dramas commissioned by the SABC. The group has implemented various schedule changes, including the launch of an additional local drama in April 2018. While the SABC commissions a substantial amount of local programming, at much higher cost than equivalent international content, etv’s ability to commission additional local dramas is limited by its schedule budget and profitability. etv’s schedule will remain under pressure while the SABC continues to operate under a subsidised regime, however management is confident that its current schedule should arrest any significant decline.
The reduction in the movie slots, and a detailed analysis of the movie inventory, necessitated a once-off write-down of the movie inventory of R68.8 million. This is included in programming costs and other cost of sales which has shown an 11% increase year-on-year. A new revenue and content acquisition system was implemented to ensure better content acquisition in future.
Openview (inclusive of the e.tv multi-channel business) earned advertising revenue of R60 million and incurred content costs of R173 million. Operating costs, including retail subsidies of R74 million amounted to R255 million. The net operating loss of Openview amounted to R366.6 million (2017: R394.5 million). Openview set- top box activations continue to grow at an average of 35 000 per month. At the end of the period, a total of 1 149 217 (2017: 778 493) boxes have been activated and a total of R74 million (2017: R99 million) has been spent on retail subsidies. The SES-5 satellite contract was terminated in December. The group will increase its content investment in the Openview platform during 2019 and recently announced that it will launch a news channel on Openview during the last quarter of 2018. In addition an Afrikaans block of programming, including news and current affairs, will also be launched in the first half of the new financial year. While these programmes and channels will be loss making in the beginning, they are part of the content that is required to promote set-top box uptake and viewership. Openview currently attracts about 3,5% of the television audience in South Africa and breakeven is estimated to be in the region of 6%.
eNCA continues to be the most watched 24-hour news channel in the country with over 50% of the market share. As mentioned, the amount received from Multichoice has reduced from this year, however costs are being well controlled in this entity.
Certain of the group’s other subsidiaries have performed satisfactorily for the year. These include Sasani Africa and Strika Entertainment, while other assets have underperformed but shown improvement towards the latter part of the financial year. Management continues to review non-core and peripheral business and will exit these businesses when opportunities present themselves.

The television market is facing numerous technology and viewership challenges which will require the group to continually assess its strategic alternatives. eMedia’s investment in Openview provides the group with strategic flexibility and is part of its plan to address the challenges of the impending digital migration transition. Management continues to engage government on their DTT and DTH plans and it is pleased that the new minister of communications has adopted an open mind and pragmatic approach to the conversion to digital broadcasting. Management is optimistic that the department, under her leadership, will manage this transition effectively and choose plans that will enable the transition to happen as expeditiously as possible while limiting the cost thereof to the fiscus and industry participants.
eMedia Holdings is separately listed on the JSE Securities Exchange, and more information can be found on the group at www.emediaholdings.co.za

More About PBS Kids, Might Launch On DStv

PBS Kids is an American digital broadcast and online television network operated by the Public Broadcasting Service. The network features a broad mix of live-action and animated children's programs distributed to PBS by independent companies and select member stations, which are designed for improving the early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills of young children ages 2 to 11.

PBS Kids network was relaunched on January 16, 2017 with a live stream of the channel on the PBS Kids website and video app; no changes were made to the main PBS Kids block. The block is counter programmed from the network, thus the same show would not be shown at the same time on the network and block.

MultiChoice recently added PBS Kids content to the DStv Now App through its Catch Up Service with plans to launch a dedicated channel if there's a demand for it. a channel number 318

The current programs viewed on PBS Kids:
-Splash & Bubbles
-Ready Jet Go
-Wild Kratts
-Nature Cats
-Peg+Cat
-Odd Squad
-Pinkalicious & Peterrific
-The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About
That!
-Daniel Tiger
-Sesame Street
Just to name a few...