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eMedia's 4 Channels Recieve Another Extension On MultiChoice's DStv, Might Go Dark By August 2024

Since 2022, eMedia Investments and MultiChoice had been undergoing a carriage dispute with the Competition Tribunal. After the p...

Friday, December 20, 2019

February 2020 On Disney Channel, Disney Junior And Disney XD Africa

Disney Channel:
Raven’s Home (S3 New Eps)
Weekdays @17:00 from 10 – 28 February
Synopsis: Raven Baxter and her twins Booker and Nia—along with Raven’s long time best friend Chelsea and son Levi, and Nia’s best friend and neighbour Tess—are focused on pursuing their creative dreams. Booker, Nia and Tess form a music group, The Chi-Lective, with Levi as their music video director, while Raven is determined to launch her fashion line and Chelsea has found her niche as a life coach. Meanwhile, Raven and Booker’s glimpses of the future continue to lead to hilarious predicaments and mishaps at every corner!
101 Dalmatian Street (S1 New Eps)
2nd February – 1st March (Sunday Double Bills Only) @22:00 + 22:25
Synopsis: Follow the adventures of eldest siblings Dolly and Dylan, their Mum Delilah and Dad Doug, and their 97 younger brothers and sisters as they embark on urban adventures and extreme sibling rivalry. Together, the pups explore growing up and finding their own spot inside the biggest, messiest, furriest blended family ever.

Disney Junior:
Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures
Weekdays @17:30 from 3rd – 21st February
Synopsis: Hot Dog! Get mixed-up with Mickey and all of his pals in his new house in Hot Dog Hills! Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, Daisy, Pluto and Chip 'n Dale have new surprises in store!
Bluey
Weekdays @08:30 and 17:00 from 10th February
Synopsis: Bluey is an inexhaustible six-year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures, developing her imagination as well as her mental, physical and emotional resilience.
Vampirina
Weekdays @18:30 from 24 February
Synopsis: The newest monster on the block is back with more batty adventures and surprises! She may be blue with pointy teeth, but she’s not that different underneath!

Disney XD:
Big Hero 6 (S2 New Eps)
Weekdays @17:00 from 10 – 14 February
Synopsis: Having defeated Obake, Big Hero 6 have arrived as real superheroes! But when San Fransokyo becomes overrun by monsters, the future of Big Hero 6 and the city hang in the balance.
Star vs the Forces of Evil S4 + Finale
Weekdays @17:30 from 17 – 28 February
Synopsis: Season 3 will show us how Gabo and his teammates dispute a School World Championship, where they will pursue their objective of being champions, but also fight to achieve their most cherished desire; to become professional football players.

To Celebrate The New Year Boomerang Africa Will Give You A Week Full Of Movies From Everyone's Favourite Cat & Mouse Along With A Sneak Peek Of Yabba Dabba Dinosaur

ORIGINAL TITLE
ZIG AND SHARKO
CATEGORY
New episodes
SYNOPSIS
On the high seas, the beach or an ocean liner, Zig, a hungry hyena has one thing in mind: dining on Marina, the carefree mermaid. With help from Bernie, a genius hermit-crab, he comes up with the zaniest plans to capture her…but that’s forgetting Sharko, the shark with rippling muscles who will do anything to protect his mermaid honey!
PREMIERE DATE
Monday 13/01/2020
TUNE-IN
Monday to Friday @ 17:10 CAT

ORIGINAL TITLE
Movie Stars Special Holidays
CATEGORY
Block
SYNOPSIS
To animate the last week of summer holidays with funny Tom and Jerry movies:
06/01: Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon
07/01: Tom and Jerry: Spy Quest
08/01: Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure
09/01: Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers
10/01: Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes
13/01: Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory + Tom and Jerry Back to Oz
PREMIERE DATE
Monday 06/01/2020
TUNE-IN
Monday to Friday @ 09:20 CAT

ORIGINAL TITLE
Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs Sneak Peek
CATEGORY
Stunt – new show sneak peek
SYNOPSIS
A marathon of Zig & Sharko S3 launched earlier this month (4x22') followed by a sneak peek of 2 exclusive episodes of Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs!
PREMIERE DATE
Saturday 01/02/2020 @ 07:55 CAT

Mao Mao A Cute And Explosive Feline Makes Their Debut In January 2020 On Cartoon Network Africa Along With An African Animation Marathon From CN Creative Lab


ORIGINAL TITLE
MAO MAO : HEROES OF PURE HEART
CATEGORY
New Cartoon Network Original Show
SYNOPSIS
Mao Mao, the explosive loner, Badgerclops, the cyborg slacker, and Adorabat, the adorable sidekick overcome their differences and work together to protect the people of Pure Heart Valley from monsters, villains and everything inbetween. Together, they learn that working side by side and truly understanding others is how you really make a difference and cement your place in legend.
PREMIERE DATE
Monday 27/01/2020
TUNE-IN
Monday-Friday @16:20 CAT

ORIGINAL TITLE
INAZUMA ELEVEN ARES
CATEGORY
New Episodes
SYNOPSIS
Inzuma Elen Ares takes place after the events of the first game, some time after Raimon won the Football Frontier, in a parallel world where the aliens never attacked. Because of this, many things have changed, such as Fubuki Atsuya and Kira Hiroto still being alive (they change age and relation from their former counterparts). In addition, all of the original Raimon team members are sent throughout teams in Japan as a "reinforcement comittee" and will act as players in other teams since they're too young to be coaches.
PREMIERE DATE
Monday 20/01/2020
TUNE-IN
Monday-Friday @17:15 CAT

ORIGINAL TITLE
SHESHA FEST
CATEGORY
Stunt
SYNOPSIS
A special stunt to discover a couple of  international great shorts : Les frères Cerise,   Sketchy Show, and especially  the  winners of the African Creative Lab Competition  :"Garbage Boy", "Intergalactic Ice Cream", and "Majitu".
TUNE-IN
11/01/2020 @17:15 CAT
Repeat: 12/01/2020 @ 18:10 CAT

Cartoon Network's Animated African Shorts Will Shine For The New Year On Shesha Fest

Finally, here on your screens, Cartoon Network will unveil the three Cartoon Network Africa shorts produced in Africa as part of their Shesha Fest, an on-air stunt in January 2020 as a special gift for its viewers.
From Saturday, 11 January, at 17:15 CAT, and repeating on 12 January at 18:10 CAT, on DStv channel 301, it’s Africa’s time to shine as viewers get to see, for the first time, a melting pot of highly innovative shorts, produced around the globe as well as in Africa!
You can immerse yourself in a wonderful blend of unlikely characters, facing unexpected, hilarious situations in typical Cartoon Network style! All this energy and adrenaline is just what the doctor ordered for the New Year! Shesha, and don’t miss out on some remarkable, and funny, African storytelling as part of the first Shesha Fest with Ridwaan Moshood’s Garbage Boy and Trash Can (Nigeria), Andrew Phillips’ Intergalactic Ice-cream (South Africa), and Mark Kinuthia’s Majitu (Kenya)!
“Our Shesha Fest block is a fun-filled, special window showcasing Cartoon Network’s creativity, tone and humour through innovative and content from Cartoon Network’s local and international productions,” says Ariane Suveg, Programming Director and Head of Kids Content. “Cartoon Network is all about being unique and surprising, and we are super excited to share these innovative, unexpected and imaginative animated comedies specially curated for our Cartoon Network African viewers!”
Along with the Cartoon Network Africa Creative Lab winning shorts, Cartoon Network will bring viewers The Cherry Brothers, produced by the Cartoon Network French team in collaboration with the school Les Gobelins, and the Sketchy Show, produced by Daley Pearson and Charlie Aspinwall for Cartoon Network Asia-Pacific.
Tune-in:
Cartoon Network, DStv channel 301
Saturday, 11 January 2020 from 17:15 (CAT)
Sunday, 12 January 2020 from 18:10 (CAT)
Shorts synopsis in order of airing:
Intergalactic Ice cream (Andrew John Phillips/South Africa): Follow 13-year-old former cool kid, Mak, and his friends, Sally, Milton and Chicken Leg, whose after-school job delivering for an ice cream parlor launches them into the craziest, danger-filled, and dairy-fueled adventures this side of the Milky Way! Their customer? A hungry pie hole. However, Lactavia, the dairy queen of the galaxy, is still on the hunt for Mak, Sally and their wacky crew's ice cream recipe! Will she finally get the recipe?
Sketchy Show (Daley Pearson and Charlie Aspinwall/Australia): The Sketchy Show is an animated comedy series that takes real kids’ drawings and turns them into hilarious animated shorts featuring a cast of coloured-in characters surrounded by insanity.
Majitu (Mark Kinuthia/Kenya): A spell has been cast on Bokari, triggering him to lose his taste - just what lengths will he go to get his taste back? Follow the adventures of phantom hunting heroes Jasiri and Bokari, as they travel a great distance through an Afro-fantasy world with mystical creatures, fighting their way through challenges to defeat Matembo, one of the most absurd phantoms out there. Nearing the horizon however, a bigger battle is lurking! Will they be ready?
The Cherry Brothers (Myriam Obyn/Cartoon Network France): The Cherry Brothers follows the adventures of two attached cherry brothers who have completely different personalities, one is a heroic adventurer who wields a sword and the other one has more of a "geeky" attitude. Facing an ant-eating creature who holds desperate helpless tiny ants under his captivity, also taking away the book from the “geek-brother”, they will have to join forces and go beyond their differences to become true heroes
Garbage Boy and Trash Can (Ridwan Moshood/Nigeria): Meet Garbage Boy, a self-proclaimed superhero who believes he has real superpowers, along with his alien-tech friend, Trash Can, on their mission to protect the City of Dippledome. Happy-go-lucky comic book enthusiast, Garbage Boy, has managed to get himself into a sticky situation with Dr. Sore Eyes once again. Will he be able to use his imaginary powers to save the day?

Predictions For Pay-TV And Free-To-Air In South Africa

Just to let you know some of these are just opinions
DStv:
-FOX Life gets canned early 2020
-National Geographic & Wild, Telemundo, eNCA, Soweto TV and Disney Channel switch to HD
-MultiChoice cuts back on the monopoly in sports and keeps matches worth investing
-Da Vinci Kids, Fiesta TV, AfricaNews and Trybe TV make their way to DStv
-ESPN returns after many years
-MultiChoice cutbacks on channels to save costs and minimise the monthly fees like the rest of Africa
-Timeless Drama Channel, Adult Swim, Universal Kids or DreamWorks, African Animation Network, another e.tv channel and Paramount launch
-A decline in Compact & Compact Plus and an increase in Family and Access
-SA Youth TV makes its way to DStv in 2020
-Disney XD shuts down or repositions itself as future programming makes its way to Disney Channel, Junior and Plus
-Ginx eSports moves to another channel number or shuts down
-More local channels are added
-Travel Channel shuts down and further programming moves to TLC, Discovery Family and Real Time
-OUTtv and a revamped Sony Channel returns
-PBS Kids becomes a permanent channel

OpenView/e.tv:
-e.tv grows the number of their ebranded channels from 8 to 15
-OpenView reaches 3 million homes
-A music channel similar to Mzansi Music, Channel O and Dumisa launches
-A gospel channel is added
-Glow TV is scrapped
-A new educational channel makes its way
-e.tv distributes content from Netflix, Disney Plus and M-Net

Starsat:
-Euronews makes its way to Starsat
-A new reality and general entertainment channel makes its way
-A new sports channel makes its way
-Dove Television, God TV, and Trace Mziki get added
-A portion of the channel's are removed

SABC:
-Get into more debt
-SABC 3 shuts down and most of the content is transmitted on SABC 1 and 2
-Cancels more shows
-Gets more money and wastes it on more irrelevant programming and overpriced sports
-Loses more international programs like The Amazing Race and Survivor
-Becomes 60% local and 40% international

Add your predictions and I might include it

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Two New And One Returning Telenovelas Premiere In January 2020 On eExtra

In a rich and beautiful wine-growing area, the producers of one are busy to achieve the best of wines, despite the adversities and competition. In those vineyards, cruelty and disloyalty have first and last name: Melchor Coronel. The Coronel are the wealthy owners of the Coronel wineries. Years ago, Melchor and his friend Alonso Rivero, boosted the production of wines in the region. But Melchor did not comply and wanted that bonanza for him only. And did deceive and depriving Alonso to leave it almost in ruin. The bodegas y vinedos Alonso survived thanks to its efforts, but the friendship was dead and buried.
I Forgot I Loved You Premieres 31 December At 22:55

Kemal (Burak Özçivit) is a young man who lives in a working-class neighborhood in Istanbul. His father Hüseyin (Orhan Güner) is a barber, and his mother Fehime is a housewife. He has two siblings, an older brother, Tarik (Rüzgar Aksoy), who is jealous of Kemal, and a younger sister called Zeynep (Hazal Filiz Küçükköse).
Nihan (Neslihan Atagül Doğulu) is a rich young woman, has a twin brother Ozan and lives with her parents Vildan and Önder. Emir Kozcuoglu (Kaan Urgancloğlu)is an arrogant businessman who holds a great love for Nihan.
Önder's business is slowly coming to an end. Vildan, unable to give up her rich life, wants Nihan to marry Emir to save the family business, but Nihan refuses as she dislikes Emir's arrogance and protectiveness of her. The first meeting between Nihan and Kemal occurs on the bus, and a month later, Kemal saves Nihan's life and from then on their friendship starts and slowly turns in to love.
Bittersoet (Endless Love/Kara Sevda) Season 2 Premieres 6 January At 17:30 On e.tv And 20:00 On eExtra

Yıldız and Zeynep are two sisters, who are very close but have very different characters and life goals. Zeynep is a girl who strictly adheres to her ethical values,aims to have a successful career and strives for it; while Yıldız believes that she deserves more and considers happiness to be a marriage with a rich man, who would save her from her low-income life.
Yıldız's life is about to take a new turn when she meets Ender Argun. Yıldız recognizes Ender Argun from the weekly tabloids,envies her and the life she leads and dreams of becoming the queen of Istanbul just like her. Ender's aim is to divorce her husband Halit,without losing her position within Istanbul's high society circle as well as her financial status. She knows she cannot receive a fortune during their divorce,so she comes up with a plan to set him up with a girl and consequently blame him for infidelity,which would get her a high compensation in court. The girl she's looking for is no one else but Yıldız. On the other hand, Zeynep starts working at Halit's partner's firm. While Yıldız is about to take the most important decision of her life,Zeynep will get caught up in a life altering chain of events that she had never even dreamt of.
#Doodsondes (Forbidden Fruit/Yasak Elma) Starts Monday January 6 at 7PM

Now That WWE Channel (SuperSlam) Becames A Permanent, Could A Permanent PBS Kids Follow In South Africa And A Few Other African Markets?

A few days ago SuperSport and WWE signed an extensive deal for more live events as well as a permanent 24/7 WWE channel since it is performing well with viewers. Now the question arises of whether the PBS Kids will suffer the same fate.

PBS KIDS is the number one educational media brand for kids from PBS, offering children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds. The channel was available exclusively on DStv Now service back in 2018 with a channel number 318 label on it at the time before 313 and MultiChoice said if all went all they would give it a dedicated channel depending on the market demand.

A year after it was available through DStv Now several African markets began to advertise the channel back in March only to reel it's way to the platform 2 months later as a pop-up channel in South Africa and a few other markets (some labelling it as a permanent addition). The channel was set to go off on Thursday, 22 August but recieved a silent 6 month extension with no info from MultiChoice except that a discontinuation date will be announced early in the new year presumably late January to mid February.
MultiChoice in some African territories like Kenya label it as a permanent addition while South Africa and a few other markets label it as a pop-up so why extend the channel for another 6 months why not close it in August like you agreed upon. Could it be that PBS is working on a 24/7 version of the channel to take upon the outdated pop-up channel's position kind of like what's happening with the WWE Channel that might explain the extension to 2020 opposed to MultiChoice giving viewers more time for the channel.

Here's my hunch PBS Kids launched as a promotional channel in South Africa and Lesotho with it being permanent in selected African markets while PBS was working on a permanent 24/7 channel feed for Africa which was set for a August 22nd release but couldn't release it at the time so MultiChoice delayed the permanent 24/7 channel feed to 2020. In other markets like India where a permanent PBS Kids channel exists they update it's lineup on a monthly basis like any other kids channel opposed to Africa's where they were only able to update the lineup at the same time MultiChoice extended the channel in South Africa and haven't bothered updating its lineup even further. So if the channel closed in August would PBS or MultiChoice have any intention of updating the lineup or would viewers have to wait a whole year for new content.

PBS Kids has recieved some positive feedback with regards to the programming seen on the channel. The minor issue would have to be the audio and/or the picture quality since its introduction regardless the channel is running smoothly in market. If a 24/7 channel does replace pop-up they'll need to work hard on adjusting those minor issues. Can't really say much about updating programs since it was only a temporary channel so the 24/7 channel could change that and update monthly.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

WWE And SuperSport Expand Partnership In Africa

WWE and SuperSport, Africa’s premier sports broadcaster, today announced a multi-year extension to continue delivering WWE’s weekly flagship programming live in more than 50 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, while expanding the partnership to include a dedicated WWE channel on DStv.

The new WWE channel will air Raw, SmackDown and NXT live each week
and will feature premium WWE programming including 205 Live, Ride Along, WWE Chronicle and Table for 3.
The 24/7 channel launches on DStv channel 128 beginning Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, and builds on the success of the WWE pop-up channel that launched this year. 

SuperSport channels will continue to air Raw, SmackDown and NXT live each week and be home to all of WWE’s monthly pay-per-view events.

“The fans of the WWE universe asked for it, and we are delighted to deliver,” said Gideon Khobane, chief executive of SuperSport. “WWE programming has proven to be compelling content with riveting storylines and insane action, which our viewers absolutely love. This is a big step and a great start to the new year.”

“SuperSport is a valued partner who shares our approach to engaging and entertaining our fans,” said Stefan Kastenmüller, WWE Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, EMEA. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with a new, 24/7 WWE channel which will super-serve our passionate fans in the region.”

Homicide Elite S2 Coming In January 2020 To CBS Justice Africa

Weeknights at 22:00 from 13th until 28th January.
On a hot summer night in early August, two assailants attempted to rob a man’s house - he Rowas rumored to have a hefty amount of cash residing inside. A seemingly harmless robbery turned into a horrible night for a young, engaged couple, Briana Brooks and Jeronta Brown, who were shot dead on a random road in Atlanta. To make matters worse, Briana was pregnant. Quinn and Vince are called in to investigate and soon find out how powerful money really can be, and that time just wasn’t on Briana and Jeronta’s side that night. Available on DStv channel 170.

New In January 2020 On CuriosityStream Africa

Key January Series – Title (# of eps. x length)
Mysteries of Paris (5x30)
Saturdays at 20:00; Series premiere on 1/4/19 with back-to-back episodes
Sacred Spaces (4x60) Saturdays at 21:00
Apocalypse: WWII (6x60) Tuesdays at 21:00
Butterfly Effect (x26) Monday thru Friday at 19:00

Monday, December 16, 2019

Here's A Sneak Peek Of Everything You Can Expect From Your DStv In 2020

A new decade is dawning and DStv customers are in for the best entertainment from Africa and the world. Here is sneak peek of everything you can expect from your DStv in 2020.
You no doubt remember Back to the Future II, the popular sequel to the classic flick that catapulted Michael J. Fox to superstardom. Released in 1989 and set in 2015, the film introduced audiences to a future where humans operate remote-controlled litterbins and dog walkers, TV screens replace waiters and Marty McFly rocks size-adjustable, self-drying jackets.
We know now the real 2015 didn’t resemble the one depicted in that movie. What is clear, though, is that the future is now. We are living in days that entertainers of the past pictured for decades. Movies like The Blade Runner (1982), The Running Man (1987) and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) were set in 2019 and depicted a world created by the out-of-this-world imaginations of their scriptwriters and film producers.
Just as these iconic movies were all birthed from the minds of creatives, it’s undeniable that the ringing in of the new decade brings with it limitless possibilities that will stretch our imaginations with more entertainment, more technology, more magical moments and more power to our screens than we ever thought possible.
They say hindsight is 20/20 but at DStv, our foresight for the 2020s is crystal clear - as Africa’s leading storyteller, DStv is committed to maintaining the highest-quality content offering our customers expect. From new channels and brand new shows, to increased local entertainment and even more trending conversation starters, we’ve set up a gigantic year of the most explosive content.
Here is everything you can look forward to in 2020 on DStv:
1. Brand new telenovela for Mzansi Magic
The start of the 2010s brought with it the launch of Mzansi Magic (161). Launched with the intention to boost the production of local content, the channel has grown to become the home of some of the most popular content on South African television.
Mzansi telenovelas like The Queen, Isithembiso and Isibaya, have captivated audiences everywhere, and are regular constantly trending topics on Twitter. Fans love these shows so much, in fact, that they started a petition to bring back SK Khoza’s character Shaka on The Queen.
As part of our ongoing commitment to invest in the local television industry, Mzansi Magic (161) will introduce a new telenovela in April 2020. This new show will complement Mzansi’s existing local entertainment offering, bolstering the riveting nightly Mzansi telenovela slot that our customers have come to love. More details on this new show will follow so keep checking back for more news, hot off the press.
2. Even more local entertainment
In our journey to contribute to the growth of the local entertainment industry, we have watched with pride as South Africans became increasingly gravitated to local content. Series such as The Real Housewives of Johannesburg, Survivor South Africa and many of the shows on the 1Magic channel have pushed numerous boundaries, resulting in tremendous growth in both local viewership and production.
Going forward, we will continue to bolster our local offering across all of our channels. The Bachelor South Africa, for example, returns to M-Net (101) on 13 February at 21:00 with a second season and there will be a surprising spin-off of the runaway hit show Real Housewives of Johannesburg, Madame, that will be all the rage when it launches along with the new show; The Single Wives South Africa, that tracks the lives of newly divorced women looking for the next (and maybe final) husband.
In addition, KykNet (144), South Africa’s leading Afrikaans entertainment channel, will introduce three dramas from January 2020; a new season of Sara se Geheim, the second season of Die Byl and, brand new, Projek Dina. This is particularly exciting because KykNet has never launched multiple tent-pole dramas simultaneously.
If that’s not enough, we’ve got even more local content ready to entertain the whole family. We’ll have more of the out-of-this-world entertainment that makes Moja Love (157) a consistent fan favourite and the second half of the hilarious Celebrity Game Night on E! (124) in January, while BET (129) welcomes brand new shows early next year; Black Tax and Boity – Own Your Throne.
3. Taking African stories to the world
Trackers Season 1, produced by M-Net (101) in collaboration with Cinemax and ZDF, was the biggest original drama co-production in African history and quickly became one of the most talked-about weekly events on African television. By the time season 1 finale aired on Sunday 24 November 2019, it was already the most-watched television series on M-Net – surpassing the likes of Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies and the much-loved Sunday 20:00 movie.
Following the magnificent success of Trackers, M-Net 101 will boost its broadcast schedule with a host of exhilarating local series in 202 and beyond. First among them, is a 13-part family drama, Still Breathing. Starting Thursday 27 February at 20:00, Still Breathing tells the tale of a group of old friends who have drifted apart as they have grown older, but are then brought together when tragedy strikes. The drama unfolds as old wounds burst open, old flames of passion rekindle and secrets that have lay buried, are finally uncovered. This powerful series is directed by SAFTA award winner Johnny Barbuzano (The River, The Gift, Isozo Connection), with his wife Tiffany serving as Scriptwriter and Co-Producer. The impressive cast also includes formidable leading ladies Kate Liquorish (Catching Feelings, Eye in the Sky), Lorcia Khumalo (Lockdown, Zulu Wedding, The Queen) and Shannon Esra (The Throne, The Queen).
4. International content you won’t find anywhere else
DStv has been the home of the world’s best entertainment for decades, and this trend will continue in the 2020s. From pop-up channels that bring together the best of the best, to shows like Prodigal Son (premiering Wednesday, 19 February on M-Net 101 at 21:00) that are produced by one of the world’s leading television studios, the content on DStv has been specially selected to feed the interests of our diverse customer base. Prodigal Son, in fact, is set to become one of the most talked-about shows on SA television in 2020 and beyond. The series centers on Malcolm Bright (The Walking Dead’s Tom Payne), a profiler for the NYPD who also happens to be the son of infamous serial killer Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen). As Malcolm helps the NYPD investigate bizarre and gruesome murders, he must also deal with the psychological impact of reuniting with his father.
Is there any more iconic movie franchise that Rocky, spanning decades and delivering quote upon quote, fans will have the opportunity to binge all eight Rocky movies, in chronological order, all on one channel in January. And speaking of legends, in February, movies led by the baddest leading men of all time; Denzel Washington, Samuel L Jackson, Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Idris Elba, Michael B Jordan and more, in M-Net Movies’ second Blackout pop-up channel (109). Tom Cruise fans will be excited to hear that there will be an entire festival dedicated to this action superstar in March.
If you’re into factual entertainment, we’ve got everything you need on DStv. Feed your guilty pleasure with Dr. Pimple Popper on TLC (135), enjoy the hilarious antics of Gordon Ramsay in 24 Hours to Hell and Back on BBC Lifestyle (174) and learn about the historic Watergate scandal on HISTORY (186) all in January. Then in February, it’s all about Big Cat Month on Nat Geo (181) before March becomes Snake Month. David Attenborough has always been the voice of the nature documentary but now, as he is looking to pass the baton of planetary responsibility to all of humanity, he has also become a Social Media phenomenon. In March we will experience his most spectacular show yet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, tracking the birth of the world as Pangea ripped apart to create the continents of the modern world to the reality of the challenges faced by animals today as they face the challenges created by humankind.
5. Your kids’ favourite stop: This is the School of Laughter
Kids love DStv, and with non-stop kids entertainment across multiple channels, it’s easy to see why. At the same time, DStv loves kids so much that we’re going to school with them! On the first day of the 2020 academic year, the DStv School of Laughter in partnership with 947 will visit one lucky Grade 1’s school for an epic #1stDayTakeover. We’re taking goodie bags for all the kids plus R10 000 in cash for one lucky parents.
Throughout 2020, we’ll continue to lead the kids entertainment offering in Africa with brand new shows like Young Dylan and Wonderpark coming to Nickelodeon (305) in February, Spongebob The Musical Special, Jojo D.R.E.A.M Concert Special air on Nicktoons (308) in February and the Kids Choice Awards returns with all of the slime in March, also on Nicktoons (308).
It may be the start of a new decade - but at DStv, the promise remains the same. We will remain the trusted source of entertainment for content lovers in South Africa and the rest of the continent, celebrating and investing in homegrown talent while bringing the best of the world to your screens.
With more entertainment than ever before and unmatchable selections for our customers to choose from, we’re ensuring our audience never misses an opportunity to feel every moment with DStv

DStv Family Customers To Get Three New Channels

WWE fans can enjoy even more family-friendly action and entertainment from their favourite WWE Superstars like Roman Reigns™, Seth Rollins™ and Becky Lynch™ when DStv OFFICIALLY launches SuperSlam from Tuesday 17 December permanently. Yes, you read correctly Superslam will not close 31st December as advertised and will now be available on DStv Family for now Access customers have an open window for the channel.

SuperSport 7 is the home of La Liga matches live and repeats of previously played matches, highlights, Liga news and La Liga match analysis. It's available permanently on DStv Family permanently a year after Compact.

Trace Gospel is the 24-hour channel will showcase both local and international gospel, which includes contemporary gospel, urban gospel, worship gospel and traditional gospel. Programmes will include Sounds of South Africa, Urban Vibes, Hits 30, US Hit 10 and Praise Vibes. The channel launches 18 December.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

VIMN Africa And MultiChoice Renew Distribution Partnership

Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) and MultiChoice Group have announced that the renewal of their distribution partnership which highlights the investment in local content, bringing audiences programming that showcases the best of Africa’s creativity and talent. VIMN Africa’s channel brands BET, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV Base, MTV Music 24, Nickelodeon, NickToons and Nick Jr. collectively offer a broad range of original entertainment content across every age demographic.
“This continued partnership demonstrates the shared commitment between VIMN Africa and MultiChoice to invest in local and international content that resonates with our audiences across the continent. We truly value our collaboration with MultiChoice as it also enables us to consistently deliver great African productions,” said Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director for VIMN Africa and BET International.
“As Africa’s most-loved storyteller, we are pleased to share this market announcement of VIMN Africa. Our content offering ensures that we provide our partners platforms to tell their own stories in an authentic way. We invest over R2,5 billion in local content to keep bringing exciting and engaging African content to market and the industry.” said Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO for General Entertainment.
VIMN Africa’s channel brands collectively deliver exciting drama, comedy, music, animation, biopic and reality shows. On BET, the brand continues to celebrate black excellence with a locally produced biopic that portrays one of South Africa’s most legendary stars in Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story featuring a joint lead cast of KB Motsilanyane and Bahumi Madisakwane. In the new year, BET will also welcome its first locally produced sitcom, Black Tax, which will bring laughter to their audiences. The Behind the Story series with Pearl Thusi also returns for an additional season. Tyler Perry’s studio productions, Sistas and The Oval,  have made their debut on the channel. 
Comedy Central continues to make life funnier and keep audiences laughing with a deep history of local productions from The Roast franchise to Most Ridiculous featuring the hilarious internet sensation, SuzelleDIY. Comedy Central is the exclusive home to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah giving audiences the best in satire and comedy. Other entertaining shows on the channel include Impractical Jokers, Key and Peele, Alternatino, Crank Yankers, The Other Two and South Park to name a few. The channel also caters for viewer favourites Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Two and A Half Men.
On MTV, the channel builds on its successful local reality series Lasizwe, with the introduction of Have Faith, showcasing socialite and businesswoman Faith Nketsi’s flamboyant lifestyle. The Guy Code and Girl Code comedy series on the channel feature popular comics, athletes and entertainers who bring viewers jaw dropping how-to manuals about the wonders and woes of brotherhood and sisterhood.
MTV Base, the best music and youth-lifestyle brand on the continent, is now available on DStv Access in South Africa and Nigeria and continues to entertain audiences with trendsetting music from genres such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, Hip Hop and Gqom. The channel’s investment in local content includes Celeb Living, Musicology, Slayed or Shade and the recently launched cutting-edge series, Behind The Label, which unearths never before told stories and casts a lens on the turbulent relations between record labels and musicians.
This year, Nickelodeon celebrated the 20th anniversary of its most iconic and recognizable character in history, SpongeBob SquarePants. The channel together with the LEGO group also launches the new series, LEGO City Adventures, which is aimed at children aged 8 to 12 years and is loaded with hysterical, action-packed and often absurd slices of urban life. Nickelodeon additionally welcomes the brand-new animated pre-school series of the adventurous Paddington Bear who makes a return to TV. The channel line-up will also include The Casagrandes and the series format adaptation of Wonder Park. NickToons will deliver an exclusive format of SpongeBob the Musical Live! for audiences and a behind-the-scenes special of JoJo's D.R.E.A.M. concert. Rounding off the kids’ entertainment brands, Nick Jr. will launch a new series, Becca’s Bunch, while continuing to deliver popular favourites with all new episodes of Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machine, Nella the Princess Knight and Sunny Day.  
In addition to its powerful slate of content, VIMN Africa brands also showcase the widest array of hit international tentpoles such as MTV EMAs, MTV VMAs, BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, Black Girls Rock!, Comedy Central Roast and Nickelodeon’s KCAs.

January 2020 On Disney Channel, Junior & XD Africa

DISNEY CHANNEL:
Amphibia (S1 New Eps)
Weekdays @16:10 from 20th – 31st January
Synopsis: Amphibia chronicles the comedic adventures of 13-year-old, Anne Boonchuy who, after stealing a mysterious music box, is magically transported to the world of Amphibia, a wild marshland full of talking frog-people. With the help of an excitable young frog named Sprig, Anne will transform from monster to hero and discover the first true friendship of her life.

Bunk’d (S4 Launch)
Weekdays @18:15 from 20th January – 7th February
Synopsis: Lou adjusts to her new job as camp director and reunites with Destiny, Finn and Matteo and also welcomes new counsellors Noah and Ava as well as an eccentric new camper, Gwen.

DISNEY JUNIOR:
Muppet Babies (S2 Launch)
Weekdays from 6 – 17 January @16:30
Synopsis: The Muppet Babies are back and dreams come true! Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, Gonzo and Summer are at the heart of thrilling adventures straight out of their imagination.

Puppy Dog Pals (S2 New Eps)
Weekdays from 6 – 24 January @17:00
Synopsis: Bingo and Rolly's neighbor, Keia, joins the team as they embark on even more missions to help their owners while having fun along the way!

PJ Mask (S3 New Eps)
Weekdays from 20 – 31 January @18:00
Synopsis: The PJ Masks always face their foes at night in order to save the day! Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko, along with their super friends, are becoming more unstoppable than ever!

DISNEY XD: Marvel’s Spider-Man (S2 New Eps) Weekdays from 20th – 28th January @17:25 Synopsis: Peter Parker has been accepted into Horizon High, a school for brilliant young scientific minds. At the same time, he’s learning the responsibility that comes with being a new, super-powered hero in New York. Disney 11 (S3 New Eps) Weekdays from 13 January @17:00 Synopsis: Season 3 will show us how Gabo and his teammates dispute a School World Championship, where they will pursue their objective of being champions, but also fight to achieve their most cherished desire; to become professional football players. Phineas & Ferb Wednesday 1st January – All day Synopsis: Celebrating the New Year with an all-day line up of Phineas & Ferb!

Monday, December 9, 2019

Sony Pictures Television Revives The Sony Channel In The United Kingdom, Is South Africa And The Rest Of Africa Destined For The Same Fate?

<p dir="ltr">On Tuesday September 10th, 2019 Sony Pictures Network (SPN) relaunched the Sony Channel in the UK the only difference is the channel now carries factual programming besides international drama series.</p>
<p dir="ltr">SPN supplied channels such as Sony Channel and Sony Max to MultiChoice's DStv and Cell C's defunct service Black along with POP (which was also available on Starsat) and True Movies 1. Before their departure, the company stated they were examining other possibilities in the territory and remain excited about future programming opportunities.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Let's face it SPN has hit rock bottom in Africa and it's gonna be a long bridge to build. They launch a channel, nurture it and as it grows they walk out the door. You had Animax which didn't do so well and might have fractu red any possibilities of having anime on DStv anyways its not like the channel is doing well internationally then you had its successor Sony Max a decent reality channel for men which will never be heard from again.
Unlike the SABC, SPN has potential Gogglebox was the reason for its downfall ever since the whole scandal relating to that show. They layed low for the past 2 years along with their channels so viewers got endless repeats (kind of like what's being seen with FOX Life) only for those same repeats to sit on other channels with viewers creating some seperation from those channels giving MultiChoice some reason to pull the plug.
No one knows why MultiChoice decided to remove the Sony Channels long before SPN exit from the market maybe they figured something like this would happen or maybe they know more of Sony's plans within the market either way they have a tough journey ahead of them.


MultiChoice To Add Trace Gospel In South Africa

Gospel music has evolved tremendously and nowadays, it is so much more than choirs. TRACE
Gospel is the only channel that presents today’s face of gospel music

Through the best music videos of Contemporary Gospel, Urban Gospel, Worship Gospel and Traditional Gospel, as well as interviews with upcoming and established artists, features and concerts, TRACE Gospel shows the diversity of gospel music.

Trace Gospel launches Wednesday 18 December for all DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact and Family customers on Channel 332

Friday, December 6, 2019

South Africa Won't Get Timeless Drama Channel Until 2020 Or 2021 And If DStv Adds It The Channel Might Replace FOX Life

SPI International/FilmBox is launched Timeless Drama Channel (TDC), a new worldwide TV network devoted to Turkish drama series and movies. TDC will feature such hit dramas as Kurt Seyit and Sura, 20 Minutes and The End. Based on the European rollout Western Europe got the channel late 2019 while MENA got mid 2019 and Central Europe got it last year.

In 2018, SPI International stated that the channel will grace it's presence in Africa, Asia and Latin America in an unforeseeable future.

Turkish telenovelas have been distributed across several television stations across Africa especially South Africa where e.tv also offers them in English and Afrikaans which have been performing well with its viewers.

MultiChoice on the other hand relies on the dull and waste of space FOX Life for those kind of programs sadly the channel aired almost all of them halfway with no news of a possible return now we might know why.

Throughout 2019, FOX Life has brought nothing but repeats of their old catalogues and never bother trying to source out more programs to keep their viewers interested even the Turkish novelas like Lodestar and Second Chance Season 1 aired continuosly until the channel scrubbed the Turkish novelas from the lineup filling it with more repeats of African reality series. Even their Facebook account seems less inactive.

Remember those adverts about the home of telenovelas DStv used to highlight several other channels including this one with that description now there's no telenovelas to still consider it a home to soapies too it's safe to say FOX Life is a gonner.

VIMN Africa And MultiChoice Renew Distribution Partnership

Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) and MultiChoice Group have announced the renewal of their distribution partnership which highlights the investment in local content, bringing audiences programming that showcases the best of Africa’s creativity and talent. VIMN Africa’s channel brands BET, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV Base, MTV Music 24, Nickelodeon, NickToons and Nick Jr. collectively offer a broad range of original entertainment content across every age demographic.

“This continued partnership demonstrates the shared commitment between VIMN Africa and MultiChoice to invest in local and international content that resonates with our audiences across the continent. We truly value our collaboration with MultiChoice as it also enables us to consistently deliver great African productions,” said Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director for VIMN Africa and BET International.

“As Africa’s most-loved storyteller, we are pleased to share this market announcement of VIMN Africa. Our content offering ensures that we provide our partners platforms to tell their own stories in an authentic way. We invest over R2,5 billion in local content to keep bringing exciting and engaging African content to market and the industry.” said Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO for General Entertainment.

VIMN Africa’s channel brands collectively deliver exciting drama, comedy, music, animation, biopic and reality shows. On BET, the brand continues to celebrate black excellence with a locally produced biopic that portrays one of South Africa’s most legendary stars in Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story featuring a joint lead cast of KB Motsilanyane and Bahumi Madisakwane. In the new year, BET will also welcome its first locally produced sitcom, Black Tax, which will bring laughter to their audiences. The Behind the Story series with Pearl Thusi also returns for an additional season. Tyler Perry’s studio productions, Sistas and The Oval,  have made their debut on the channel. 

Comedy Central continues to make life funnier and keep audiences laughing with a deep history of local productions from The Roast franchise to Most Ridiculous featuring the hilarious internet sensation, SuzelleDIY. Comedy Central is the exclusive home to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah giving audiences the best in satire and comedy. Other entertaining shows on the channel include Impractical Jokers, Key and Peele, Alternatino, Crank Yankers, The Other Two and South Park to name a few. The channel also caters for viewer favourites Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Two and A Half Men.

On MTV, the channel builds on its successful local reality series Lasizwe, with the introduction of Have Faith, showcasing socialite and businesswoman Faith Nketsi’s flamboyant lifestyle. The Guy Code and Girl Code comedy series on the channel feature popular comics, athletes and entertainers who bring viewers jaw dropping how-to manuals about the wonders and woes of brotherhood and sisterhood.

MTV Base, the best music and youth-lifestyle brand on the continent, is now available on DStv Access in South Africa and Nigeria and continues to entertain audiences with trendsetting music from genres such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, Hip Hop and Gqom. The channel’s investment in local content includes Celeb Living, Musicology, Slayed or Shade and the recently launched cutting-edge series, Behind The Label, which unearths never before told stories and casts a lens on the turbulent relations between record labels and musicians.

This year, Nickelodeon celebrated the 20th anniversary of its most iconic and recognizable character in history, SpongeBob SquarePants. The channel together with the LEGO group also launches the new series, LEGO City Adventures, which is aimed at children aged 8 to 12 years and is loaded with hysterical, action-packed and often absurd slices of urban life. Nickelodeon additionally welcomes the brand-new animated pre-school series of the adventurous Paddington Bear who makes a return to TV. The channel line-up will also include The Casagrandes and the series format adaptation of Wonder Park. NickToons will deliver an exclusive format of SpongeBob the Musical Live! for audiences and a behind-the-scenes special of JoJo's D.R.E.A.M. concert. Rounding off the kids’ entertainment brands, Nick Jr. will launch a new series, Becca’s Bunch, while continuing to deliver popular favourites with all new episodes of Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machine, Nella the Princess Knight and Sunny Day.  

In addition to its powerful slate of content, VIMN Africa brands also showcase the widest array of hit international tentpoles such as MTV EMAs, MTV VMAs, BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, Black Girls Rock!, Comedy Central Roast and Nickelodeon’s KCAs.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Teen Africa TV Is Set For Takeoff

Excitement is in the air amongst the teens in Nigeria, as the date for the launch of Africa’s First Indigenous Teen Channel draws near. On December 1st 2019 at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, the most anticipated teen channel known as Teen Africa TV, a brainchild of Charles Novia who’s the Founder/CEO, launches with a bang.
According to Charles Novia, ‘Teen Africa TV is presently the biggest indigenous visual ecosystem for Teenagers in this part of the world. We speak the language of the Teens and we understand what they want. Our programmes are borne from research by them and all our original programmes have teens and young adults as presenters. We have given them their own world and there is nothing like this.

The TATV presenters and brand ambassadors are some of the best teen talents in the country and we are very proud of them. We have assembled the next breakout youth talents who will take over the entertainment scene in Africa and the world in a few years and TATV is the natural springboard for these talents to ‘blow’.

After the launch, Teen Africa TV will be on DSTV and Gotv as a 24 hour daily channel with the best original content for the teens and family audience.
In what promises to be a revolution in the broadcast and media space in Africa, TATV will be the station to watch.

From The CEO of TATV
We introduce a novel concept in niche television programming and broadcasting to you. TEEN AFRICA TELEVISION is a new and exciting television channel launching in 2019 on PAY TV platforms across Africa, including DSTV.

Founded by Charles Novia, who is acknowledged as an avante garde creative in Nollywood and the media sector, this new channel is poised to be the FIRST platform for Teenagers in the African Broadcast Space, running for 24 hours daily across African countries and targeting first line audiences of pre-teens, teenagers aged 13 to 19 and second base young adults and the family. Our programming has the best of ORIGINAL CONTENT in genres of TALK SHOWS, LIFESTYLE, EDUCATIONAL, ENTERTAINMENT and EVENTS. We are creating the biggest content library and resource for teenagers across Africa and we have been the best of ORIGINAL content on the channel. TATV will also be online and our projections in the next two years is to launch in the United Kingdom on the B SKY B Bouquet, giving the Diaspora African Teens a taste of the pulsating values and creativity of the African Youth Experience.

Starsat/StarTimes Launches Two New Channels To Celebrate The Festive

Starsat/StarTimes has lost several channels throughout the year including the KISS, Star Series1, Trace Africa and FOX channels (ESPN 1 & 2 formerly FOX Sports, National Geographic & Wild, FOX & FOX Life) which now belong to Disney and now they've unveiled the "new" channels which are set to replace National Geographic and National Geographic Wild from 10  December judging from the lineup who knows if they consider the two new additions replacements for FOX and FOX Life or if they're still sourcing out more replacement channels.

The Smithsonian Channel is an American pay television channel that is operated by Smithsonian Networks (SNI/SI Networks L.L.C.), a joint venture between CBS Corporation's Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution. The channel features original non-fiction programming that covers a wide range of historical, scientific and cultural subjects.

Love Nature is a Canadian specialty television channel owned by Blue Ant Media . The channel broadcasts documentaries and television series related to wildlife and nature.

If you ask me the channels seem like another cheap addition in the end it saves them money on the other hand the channels may join the batch of several other wasted channels who knows the channels may do well in this market but those who watched National Geographic even though it could interest them they'll still pick National Geographic over any other channel. Starsat could be going through difficult times kind of like MultiChoice and its recent additions now that Lifetime and History remains it could have increased their expenses so channels are bound to be lost and affordable replacements might take quality channels position.