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Sunday, December 31, 2023

2024 On Everyday Novelas | New Series Alert: Game Of Lies And Come Back To Me On Telemundo Across Africa | New Seasons Of Die Put And Chrysalis On eExtra | Freemium Debut Of Silver Lining On Zee One | More

e.tv/eVOD/eExtra's Kuiertyd

Net 20 Minute (20 Dakika): An innocent pastrycook Melek gets accused of injuring an important politician's son. Her loving husband Ali wants to help his wife to escape from prison.
Blink Kant Bo (Yalı Çapkını): Halis Ağa is the owner of a large jewellery empire and the head of the Korhan family. Even though his son Orhan and oldest grandson Fuat run most of the business, he still makes the most important decisions in the company.
uBettina Wethu S4: In Season 4 we will see Betty, her comrades, and kin in a whole new light as they realise new goals and fix old wounds. Betty has lost direction, so she sets off to realign and march forward determined to win - without the distraction of personal relationships - her downfall in the past.
• Annekan Die Swa Kry S3 (Kardeşlerim): While the Eren brothers are enjoying the rich life they have, Akif, who is left without a penny, is looking for ways to regain his former power with all kinds of cunning. 
• Ballade Vir'n Enkeling: When well-known writer Jacques Rynhardt disappears, it is up to a journalist to unravel the mystery. To do that, she needs to go back to his childhood and get to know Jacques for who he was.
Die Agentskap: Four managers of talent agency Ego, namely Kıraç, Feris, Çınar and Peride, deal with difficult situations every day and defend their business visions. They skillfully combine art and business, but their private and professional lives sometimes come into conflict.

Other attractions include final seasons of Doodsondes, Elif, Die Put and Chrysalis.

Telemundo

Game Of Lies (Juego De Mentiras): It follows Cesar Ferrer whose wife disappears. As he becomes the prime suspect of her possible murder, he takes the investigation in his own hands and fights to keep custody of his daughter. 
• Come Back To Me (Vuelve A Mí): The drama follows Nuria, a woman who begins a relationship with Braulio without knowing he is one of the owners of the company where she works to support her son and sister. The lives of the main characters begin to intertwine after the tragic kidnapping of Nuria's son Andrés. 

Other attractions include the third and final season of Queen Of The South alongside the ninth season of Lord Of The Skies. The channel was also rumoured to be airing content from Colombia's Caracol Televisión and RCN.

TLNovelas (Rumour)

• Overcoming Loss (Vencer La Ausencia): The sisterhood of four women of different origins is shattered when an accident causes them all to lose a loved one. After discovering the causes of the accident, they will share a painful mystery. Rumoured to debut by early 2024.
• Divided Love (Amor Dividado): Abril and Max are two people who have nothing in common. For Abril, family is her priority, while for Max, being successful in the corporate world is the most important thing. 
• Embrace Me Tightly (Abrázame Muy Fuerte): The daughter of a rich man is banished to another city after she is impregnated by one of the servants. She gives birth to a daughter and returns to fight for everything that was taken from her.
• Legacy (La Herencia): The telenovela takes place in an avocado farm called "Santa Catalina", where Severiano del Monte and Catalina Arango, Severiano's wife, and their five adopted sons live. Catalina was never able to get pregnant, but Severiano always wanted to have male descendants and opted for adoption.
•  My Love, My Sin (Amarte Es Mi Pecado): Nora is a poor young woman filled with dreams who lives in the beautiful city of Patzcuaro. Her father and evil stepmother Isaura decide to marry her off to a rich man so that she can have a better life.
• My Secret (Mi Secreto): Valeria is forced to take the identity of her best friend Natalia whom she believes to be dead, in order to avoid going to jail for a crime she did not commit. As she assumes her new reality, Valeria suffers constantly from the fear of being discovered.
• Deceptions (A Usurpadora): Twins Paula and Paulina were separated at birth and they live different lives when they get reunited. Paula is an evil rich woman who is married to a loving husband, while Paulina lives a humble life.
• Crown Of Tears 2 (Corona De Lágrimas): When Refugio and her three kids, Patricio, Edmundo and Ignacio are thrown out of their home, they arrive by chance in Mexico City where they start a new life.

The channel had gone through a major schedule adjustment with primetime reduced from 7 to 5 days a week. Various content has since then not aired as yet: part 1part 2 and part 3.

Zee World (Rumour)

• Family Is Everything (Tujhya Majhya Sansarala Aani Kay Hava): The show revolves around Siddharth and Aditi, a couple who falls deeply in love and embarks on the journey of marriage, which joins their respective families.
• Love Conquers (Neem Phuler Modhu): This emotionally charged drama delves into the profound transformation a young woman undergoes after marriage and the formidable challenges she must conquer.
• Between You And Me (Meri Hanikarak Biwi): revolves around the life of two completely different individuals, Akilesh Pandey and Iravati aka Ira Desai. Akhilesh is a village simpleton and an ardent follower of Bajrang Bali. He is illiterate, but a great wrestler, while Ira is an aspiring medical student.

Other attractions include Dholi Beats, Undercover Love and The Rules Of Love. Rumoured content for the channel include His Second Wife, Embrace Me and Mother By Chance.

Zee One (Rumour)

• Age Is Just A Number (Aapke Aa Jane Se): Sahil, a rich young man, falls in love with Vedika, an older woman who has a 15-year-old child. She initially rebukes his advances but feels conflicted after she gets to know him better.
My New Mother In Law: It follows Jhilmil's carefree life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes a young mother-in-law and the head of the family after getting married to Abir.
• Silver Lining (Choti Si Zindagi): Two girls, look after each other and struggle to survive in an orphanage, after their mother dies and their father abandons them, to marry another woman.
• Married Again (Punar Vivaah): A widower and a divorcee get together to provide the love of both parents to their children and eventually form a bond. However, their life takes an ugly turn when an obsessed lover interferes.
• Once There Was A King (Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani): In 1945, a King named Ranaji returns to his home in Ameerkot after six years fighting against the British. Ranaji ends up meeting a woman named Gayatri, the daughter of a rich zamindar.
• Krishi (Afsar Bitiya): Krishna wants to get a good education to become a block development officer and improve her family's life. However, she faces many hardships along the way.

Star Life (Rumour)

• Love You So Much (Bohot Pyaar Karte Hai): The show is about a girl named Indu who lives with her younger sister and parents. Indu loves a guy named Mahesh and wants to go meet him and propose to him for marriage. She goes to meet him with her dad but finds that he has already married someone else. 
Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali: Pallavi, a young widow, is a family-oriented woman. However, when she crosses paths with a money-minded businessman, their personalities clash and sparks fly.
Pandya Store: Gautam and Dhara Pandya, a middle class married couple, manage the Pandya Store. Apart from their business, Dhara also looks after Gautam's three younger siblings.
Stand By Me, My Beloved (Saath Nibhaana Saathiya
2): Gehna, a young girl, works as a domestic help for the Desai family. Despite being ill-treated by them, she continues to show kindness. Soon, she finds Anant coming to her defence.
• The Accidental Mayor (Nimki Mukhiya): The story, set in a small village in Bihar, deals with the life of Nimki, a carefree, materialistic girl who accidentally becomes the Mukhiya (chief) of the village. Nimki is mad about cinema, a dreamer and unaware of the darkness of the world. 

2024 On Regular Nick (Upcoming Kids And Family/Animated Series) | Cartoon Network | Disney Channel | Nickelodeon | More Brands Including DreamWorks, Netflix, eToonz And Play Room

Cartoon Network/Max/Cartoonito
• Ijanu: Child Of Wonder: A teenage orphan girl with no recollection of her past who suddenly discovers that she has hidden powers that rival the Divine Ones themselves. 
• Hero Inside: The adventure begins after Scott, a cartoonist and free spirit, mysteriously vanishes after drawing 100 superheroes across 100 comic books, without ever publishing. His proofread books scattered across San Francisco, triggering odd occurrences.
• Totally Spies!: The anime-inspired toon about three female teens balancing spy missions and high school drama
• Invincible Fight Girl: The series follows Andy, a young girl who dreams of becoming the greatest pro wrestler of all time.
• Tiny Toons Looniversity: Babs, Buster and friends enroll at Acme Looniversity, the premier institution of higher hijinx learning.
• Jessica's Big Little World: Jessica navigates her way through a world where everything seems much bigger than she is; inspired by the grown-ups around her, she persists in conquering monumental children's tasks.
Barney's World: Set in a local playground, Barney is joined by dinos Billy and Baby Bop and their three kid best friends. Throughout silly and imaginative adventures together, Barney helps kids explore big preschool emotions and shows them how to love themselves and other.
• Silly Sundays: A feel-good comedy series, full of heart and deeply rooted in familial themes, everything centers around Sonia, Hugo, Mel, Mom, Dad and Granny as they create unforgettable memories together during their weekend gatherings. • Spookies: Set in Castle Ravenrock, Spookies stars three wee ghosts who discover something new behind every cobwebbed corner and dusty stairwell.
• Lana Longbeard: Lana is a super-feisty, forward thinking and passionate 11-year-old girl, who is also the heir to her father's adventuring ship, the Mighty Windbreaker.
• New Tom And Jerry Shorts: the first ever Asian produced Tom And Jerry series, featuring the famous cat and mouse duo as they take their rivalry to Singapore.
• Karters: Set in a fantastical island world, the game lets players collect and tame mystical creatures called Temtem, which can be used for battling, trading with friends and breeding to create offspring with new powers.
• Kite Man: Hell-Yeah!: Kite Man and Golden Glider take their relationship to the next level by opening a bar in the shadow of Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom. 

Disney Channel/Disney Junior/Disney+
• Pretty Freakin Scary: After her sudden demise, Frankie Ripp, a 14-year-old girl, agrees to a deal with the Grim Reaper that she would go back home but accompanied by her underground parents.
• Ariel: It follows eight-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond.
• Marvel Zombies: Re-imagines the marvel universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever spreading zombie scourge.
• StuGo: an original animated series about six overambitious middle schoolers who are tricked into attending a fake academic summer camp by a mad scientist. 
• Dragon Strikers: When the world’s most popular sport combines with magic, awesomeness escalates quicker than a dragon-powered strike! 
• Doomies: When best friends Bobby and Romy mistakenly open a gateway to another world, they turn their sleepy coastal town into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom. 
Cars On The Road: Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater head east from Radiator Springs on a cross-country road trip to meet up with Mater's sister.
• Princess Sam: this CG-animated show stars a girl who travels to a magical planet to learn how to control her powers and defeat evil villains.
• X-Men' 97:  It serves as a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–97), and the plot will continue where the original series left off. 
• Tiana: Tiana continues to explore New Orleans in a musical series.
• Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man: will be a unique take on one of Marvel’s most famous superheroes, with surprising connections to the MCU. 
• Princess Sam: this CG-animated show stars a girl who travels to a magical planet to learn how to control her powers and defeat evil villains.
• Moana: The Series: Moana and her friends continue to explore the South Pacific in this musical animated series.
• Playdate with Winnie the Pooh follows a young Pooh Bear as he enjoys playdates with his friends. Set in the exciting outdoors of the Hundred Acre Wood, these musical shorts emphasize collaborative play and the joy of spending time with others. 

Nickelodeon/Nick Jr/Paramount+
• Erin & Aaron: Teenage stepsiblings navigate their new lives after their parents' marriage, and find strength in their shared passion for music.
• Hamsters of Hamsterdale: This series, produced by Nelvana, follows a motley crew of hamsters, the heroic protectors of their 8-year-old owner Harry, who they mistake as their King and beloved ruler of their elaborate colorful-tubed kingdom.
• HexVet And Magic Pets: follows unlikely best friends Nan and Clarion as they navigate life's weird and wacky challenges, while apprenticing to be magical veterinarians for fantastical creatures.
• Super Duper Bunny League: centers on a diverse group of bunny friends who must battle danger as they defend their city and the world from their archnemesis. 
• Avatar: The Last Airbender: The series will be an authentic adaptation of the award-winning and beloved Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender reimagined as a live-action adventure.
• Rock, Paper & Scissors: Follows 3 roommates on their hijinks, ridiculous adventures and shared love of wacky nonsense.
• Dora: The series, tentatively titled ¡Dora!, is described as a reimagining of the classic animated show which “promises to strike the perfect balance between the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of the fresh.” 
• Live-Action Dora Series: Nickelodeon's beloved Latina heroine is returning with a brand new live-action series! Not much is currently known about the show, however, it'll be aimed at kids 6-11, and will be in the vein of the 2019 live-action feature film Dora and the Lost City of Gold, which follows an older Dora!.
• Zokie of Planet Ruby: This buddy comedy, produced by Nelvana, follows quirky 10-year-old vlogger Ruby and her space alien best friend ZJ Sparkleton.
• Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles, as teenagers, deal with their new life as heroes while also dealing with the pressures of going to high school in New York City.

Other
• Lyla in the Loop (PBS Kids): is a funny and engaging new animated series for kids ages 4-8 about Lyla Loops and her fantastical blue sidekick, Stu, who use creative and strategic problem-solving and critical thinking skills to help their family, friends, and community!
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (eToonz, Play Room): After getting exposed to a mutant substance, four turtles become giants and start speaking and walking upright. They are trained by a wise rat, Splinter, in order to defeat an evil man, Shredder.
• Power Rangers (Play Room): It revolves around a team of youths recruited and trained by a mentor to morph into the eponymous Power Rangers, able to use special powers and pilot immense assault machines, called Zords, to overcome the periodic antagonists. 
• Pokémon Horizons: The Series (Cartoon Network, eToonz): This series introduces two new protagonists, Liko and Roy, who team up with the Rising Volt Tacklers, a group of adventurers that explore the Pokémon world and visit various regions, including the Paldea region.
Dragon Ball: Daima (Cartoon Network, SABC 2): new canonical mainline anime set around the same time as when Super takes place. Fans also get a look at the apparent upcoming antagonists for the anime, who’ve seemingly been watching the Z Fighters and all their past struggles this entire time.
• Masters of the Universe: Revolution (Netflix): Skeletor's final assault on Castle Grayskull caused his own demise, put an end to He-Man , and damaged the source of all magic in existence. After their battle fractured Eternia, Teela must solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power to prevent the end of the Universe. 
• Carl The Collector (PBS Kids): follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who loves collecting things. His talents – a laser-focus pursuit of his goals, attention to detail, and a distinctive way of looking at and experiencing the world around him.
• Hazbin Hotel (Amazon Prime Video): The series follows Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), the princess of Hell, as she sets about fulfilling her seemingly impossible dream of opening a hotel called the "Happy Hotel," which aims to rehabilitate sinners.
PeekeeBoo (Moonbug): The preschool project, featuring 2D animation with CG-animated backgrounds, will star three tiny creatures (Pea, Kee and Boo) who are enthralled by all of the sights and sounds of nature.
• Moonrise (Netflix): A young man from Earth enlists in the army to attack rebels on the Moon, only to find that his former best friend has become his enemy.
• Noah's Park (Play Room): The little animals have left Noah's Ark and find each other sharing fun and adventure, and a few life lessons in NOAH'S PARK.
• Game Shakers (eToonz): Babe and Kenzie create a popular application named Sky Whale. However, rapper Double G threatens to ruin their business because he finds out they have been using his song without permission.
• Time Patrol Bon (Netflix): The story focuses on Bon Namihira, a teenager who becomes part of a team of time-traveling agents tasked with saving people's lives during major historical events that happen across different eras and locations around the globe.
• Tomb Raider: The Legend Of Lara Croft
Asterix (Netflix): The series will be adapted from one of the classic volumes, Asterix and the Big Fight, where the Romans, after being constantly embarrassed by Asterix and his village cohorts, organize a brawl between rival Gaulish chiefs and try to fix the result by kidnapping a druid along with his much-needed magic potion. I’m not giving anything away when I tell you, it doesn’t go as planned.
• Dee & Friends In Oz: A young girl named Dee discovers a wonderful magical land of Oz, where she meets new friends and is challenged to save the day, and save Oz!.
• Hot Wheels Let's Races (Netflix): Follows the newest generation of racers as they experience mind-blowing races, extreme stunt contests, and thrill-seeking challenges.
• Megamind's Guide To Defending Your City (DreamWorks): The series will chronicle the new hero's quest to become a social media influencer and a true superhero. 
• Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (DreamWorks): Tells the story of dinosaur fanatic Darius Bowman, who visits Camp Cretaceous and, as per all prior Jurassic movies, the dinosaurs manage to get loose and cause untold chaos and destruction.
• Mighty MonsterWheelies (DreamWorks): Which reimagines classic characters as half-monster, half-truck vehicle heroes who team up to use their special powers to serve and protect the all-vehicle city of Motorvania from troublemakers like Phantom Freeze and Invisible Van.
• Exploding Kittens (Netflix): An eternal conflict reaches epic proportions when both, God and the Devil, are sent to Earth in the bodies of chunky house cats.
• Devil May Cry (Netflix): is an upcoming American adult animated dark fantasy action streaming television series based on the video game franchise of the same name by Capcom and part of Adi Shankar's Bootleg Multiverse.
• Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation (Netflix): Monsters follows Ryuma, a samurai from Wano, a country also featured in the One Piece universe. In a world disrupted by a menacing force, Ryuma must navigate the chaos caused by a powerful dragon with the ability to bring catastrophic havoc.

Saturday, December 30, 2023

20+ TV Predictions Set To Shake Up South Africa And Global By 2024

PLEASE NOTE WHATEVER YOU READ BELOW ISN'T FACTS BUT ARE BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS

2023 has been a very hectic year for South African households following the ongoing blackouts which had jeopardized various businesses in the market. Despite this cable providers had progressed with in terms of content and linear channels and made these past months productive for journalists, bloggers and various other media outlets.

Since we've reached the final stage of the year I thought of drawing up some first impression guesses for the coming year based on stories I've been following for a while and others based on assumption.

Presenting some predictions for the coming year

Local


> KykNET NOU! ends its run on the DStv platform with further content folded under KykNET. 

> Universal TV rebrands to Sky Witness while Studio Universal is replaced by Sky Cinema. Not much changes is added to the content following the switch.

> WildEarth ends its run on the DStv platform with further content on People's Weather, Curiosity Channel and BBC Earth.

> Discovery+ launches as a freemium service on DStv Stream alongside Paramount+. It features content from Discovery Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon, HGTV, TLC and Food Network.

> eMedia Investments and OUTtv form a joint venture with the streaming service, eVOD.

> Power Up goes dark on the platform and gets replaced by eLocal featuring programs produced by eMedia Investments with Kuiertyd repeats folded under ePlesier. It also airs content produced exclusively for the eVOD streaming service.

> SABC Variety and SABC Lehae (also known as SABC eKhaya and formerly SABC Parliament) are added onto the Openview platform. They are also made available on StarSat and DStv alongside SABC Education.

> France24 exits the Openview platform and this is due to the popularity of SABC Lehae.

> Play Room expands to regions across Southern Africa on channel 311 and ROA as a replacement to Aliki Kids.

> SuperSport launches a locally dubbed sports channel in Southern Africa. It offers football, wrestling, tennis, swimming, netball and rugby.

> Days Of Our Lives makes a comeback on Showmax and is also made available on DStv.

> Ignition TV extends its reach to the Openview platform through eReality.

> E! Entertainment adds drama series to the lineup with Till Jail Do Us Part and Diary Of Gigolo. The channel rebrands to Bravo and also includes content from Oxygen under the new name.

> eToonz expands its lineup with the launch of a second children's channel, eJunior. It broadcasts from 08:00 to 22:00 with shows like Peppa Pig, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures, Fireman Sam and CoComelon.

> Muvhango is cancelled after 27 seasons with last episode slated within the year.

> SuperSportBET gets a dedicated TV channel, Ginx TV goes dark.

> Zee TV debuts another locally skewed entertainment channel but for West Africa titled Zee Naija. Promises to have reality shows, educational content, movies and drama series all of which will be dubbed in local languages.

> eMedia Investments reduce the prices of their Ultraview packages and rolls out a third bouquet home to various Asian dramas and films from tvN and KBS.

International

> E! Entertainment, Studio Universal and Universal TV ends its run as a linear channel in parts of the world with further content added to Peacock and Sky.

> Sky acquires majority stake in Disney's remaining linear offering in part of Europe. Therefore extending the reach of Sky Kids in parts of Europe under Disney Channel with Disney Junior becoming Sky Junior with National Geographic Wild folded under National Geographic.

> Hulu replaces the Star brand internationally.

> FX replaces the Star channels seen in parts of Latin America and Europe therefore making the Star brand exclusive to India.

> True Crime, a joint venture between AMC Networks International and Paramount Global expands to parts of Europe as a replacement to CBS Reality.

> Ginx TV ends its run as a linear channel to become an online only brand.

> Showtime Group's linear offering is being put up for sale alongside NBCUniversal. As mentioned prior, NBCUniversal's International operations particularly in Europe are managed by Sky which is also owned by Comcast.

> Paramount Network is discontinued this is due to the launch of Paramount+ With Showtime.

> Universal Kids ends its run in the United States.

> Cartoon Network cancels We Baby Bears after 2 seasons, Disney Channel cancels The Ghost And Molly McGee and Pretty Freakin Scary and lastly Nickelodeon cancels Monster High and Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Generator Rex: Pack Fighter: Cartoon Network's Version Of Street Fighter Is On Android Devices

Generator Rex is an American animated science fiction television series created by Man of Action for Cartoon Network, with John Fang of Cartoon Network Studios as supervising director. It was inspired by the comic M. Rex, created by Aaron Sowd, Joe Kelly and Duncan Rouleau, and published by Image Comics in 1999. 

Pack Fighter is a one-on-one versus fighting game. Take on the role of Rex Salazar, an E.V.O. with the ability to control his nanites and fight members of The Pack, a group of E.V.O.s working under the command of Van Kleiss.

News Shorts: Warner Bros. Discovery Acquired Turkish Streaming Service BluTV, Bunk'd To End With A Season 7 On Disney Channel And Disney To Discontinue The FOX Sports Brand In Latin America For ESPN

Max and Discovery+ have a new home in Turkey

For the past three years, Warner Bros. Discovery and BluTV — Turkey’s first local SVOD service — have had a partnership that made WBD a 35% shareholder in BluTV. Since its 2016 launch, BluTV has shown rapid growth both in original content and its content library, leading to the launch of Discovery+ on the platform in 2021. In February, HBO content and kids channels were added to BluTV, giving viewers access to channels like Cartoon Network and Cartoonito, as well as award-winning shows like “The Last of Us,” “Game of Thrones” and “Sex and the City.”

“We are very excited for this new chapter,” Jamie Cooke, GM CEE of Middle East and Turkey at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement. “Turkey has been an important investment territory for us for over 20 years and the acquisition of BluTV brings Turkey’s first local SVOD player into our portfolio. The combination of compelling Turkish content and a broad range of the best international series and shows from Warner Bros. Discovery is an unbeatable recipe to be locally relevant and successful. Together we bring Turkish audiences the most compelling viewing experience and expand the reach of Turkish content globally.”
Fan favourite show has been axed by Disney

Bunk’d, Disney Channel‘s longest-running live-action series, will end its run with the conclusion of its current seventh season. The final installment of 10 new episodes will air in 2024.

Production on Season 7 was suspended in early May due to the WGA strike. At that time, filming had been completed on 12 episodes of the 20-episode Season 7, with eight episodes remaining to be shot. The order has now been increased to 22 episodes, and production on the remaining 10 episodes is underway.

Throughout its run, Bunk’d has been a top performer on linear TV and streaming platforms. Part 1 of Season 7 was summer 2023’s second most-watched live-action series and Top 10 series overall for kids 6-11 in combined viewing across streaming and linear platforms, according to Nielsen data (Live+7 for linear, live for streaming).
Disney is adding more ESPN channels

The Walt Disney Company has confirmed that as from February 15, 2024 it will rebrand all its Fox Sports channels in Spanish-speaking Latin America and Brazil in order to discontinue the brand in the region. The new Pay TV sports channels will be ESPN 5, ESPN 6 and ESPN 7. 

According to the information given by Disney, the changes to be introduced are the following:
-Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela: ESPN EXTRA will be renamed as ESPN 4, ESPN 4 AS ESPN 5, FOX SPORTS 2 as ESPN 6 and FOX SPORTS 3 as ESPN 7.
-Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru: ESPN EXTRA will be renamed as ESPN 4, ESPN 4 as ESPN 5, FOX SPORTS 2 as ESPN 6 and FOX SPORTS 3 as ESPN 7.
-Chile: ESPN EXTRA will be renamed as ESPN 4, ESPN 4 as ESPN 5, FOX SPORTS 2 as ESPN 6, FOX SPORTS 3 as ESPN 7 and FOX SPORTS 1 PREMIUM as ESPN PREMIUM.
-Central America: ESPN EXTRA is to be renamed as ESPN 4, ESPN 4 as ESPN 5 and FOX SPORTS 3 as ESPN 6.
-Brazil: ESPN EXTRA will change its name to ESPN 6 and FOX SPORTS 2 to ESPN 5. 

News Shorts: VH1 To Cease Transmission In Italy And Possibly Denmark, A Rebroadcast Of The Scent Of Passions Launches Across Africa On Telemundo And Warner Bros. Discovery To Rollout A Rebranded Max Streaming In Latin America By Early 2024

VH1 is closing down in more countries

VH1 was an international entertainment channel which was basically a mash up of MTV and BET. It is operated by Paramount Global and over the last decade the company had been dismantling the trademark with various channels closed in most parts of the world.

Through an electronic programme guide by a viewer in Denmark, VH1 schedule will run until the end of New Year's Day. Thereafter, the channel will no longer have a 24 hour schedule available for consumption leading some to believe the possible demise of the brand.

Considering that the channel will be shutting down in Italy a few days after Denmark's possible closure. It wouldn't seem far fetched if the same fate awaited these consumers as Paramount Global had been exploring a potential sale of the brand under the BET Group.
Telemundo welcomes its third rebroadcast

During the month, it was reported that Telemundo will be increasing the timeslots for the on/off again series Case Closed and Decisions. Also within the new year will be the launch of a new series Game Of Lies starring Maria Elisa Camargo and Arap Bethke.

Prior to its debut, Telemundo will be adding a rebroadcast of The Scent Of Passions in Law Of The Heart's current timeslot from 8 January.

Sebastián Vallejo, a member of the rich family that owns the Casablanca coffee plantation, falls in love with the nice and honest coffee picker Teresa Suárez, known as La Gaviota; their romance is full of difficulties.
Max expands to Latin America

A statement presented by Costa Rican cable operator Tigo confirmed that HBO Max will be relaunched as Max in the next month of February, at a close yet to be defined. The rebranding plans were originally scheduled for the end of 2023 in our region, since the platform has made the change in the United States during the last month of May. 

The new identity of the streaming platform sets aside the characteristic color painted by a powerful new blue, and will bring with it the content of the Discovery+ platform, which was never launched in Latin America except Brazil, as a product of the merger between Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Latin America will be the first region at an international level in which HBO Max will make the switch to Max, as at the moment it was the first territory outside the United States to launch the service. Also in 2024, Max will reach Europe and Southeast Asia. This last region is especially relevant, as HBO Max never reached it.

Development Alert: Disney Star And Reliance Are Merging To Form A Media Powerhouse, Might Lead To The Merger Of JioCinema And Disney+ Hotstar

Disney has taken another big step toward realigning its India strategy. The company has signed a non-binding term sheet with Reliance Industries that would see the two merge their Indian operations, the completion of which would create one of India’s biggest entertainment empires. 

Under the terms, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group would own 51% of the merged entity through a combination of shares and cash. Disney would hold the remaining 49% of shares.

The term sheet was finalized at a meeting last week in London that saw Bob Iger advisor Kevin Mayer representing Disney and Ambani advisor Manoj Modi there for Reliance. According to the Economic Times, the duo has been working for months on terms.

The merger deal is expected to be completed by February, even though Reliance is said to be hoping to wrap it up in late January.

Iger, who has cut thousands of jobs this year and faces pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz, said on last month’s earnings call that Disney would like to stay in India, but try and “strengthen our hand, improve the bottom line.”

Hotstar, the streaming outlet initially launched by Star India, came under Disney’s control as part of the $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets in 2019. Disney has used the Star assets in various ways to help attain its goal of 300 million to 350 million overall streaming subscribers by 2024. 

Recap To The Month: Byron Allen Offers To Buy BET From Paramount Global For $3.5 Billion

Allen, who is founder and CEO of Allen Media Group, emailed Paramount Global senior executives and board, offering $3.5 billion for BET Media Group, which includes the BET cable channel, VH1, BET Studios and streaming service BET+, sources familiar with the situation confirmed to Variety. That’s up from $2.7 billion that Allen had offered earlier in 2023.

Reps for Paramount Global and Allen Media Group declined to comment. Bloomberg first reported on Allen’s renewed offer for BET. Other potential buyers of BET Media Group include BET CEO Scott Mills, a 26-year veteran of the company, and Chinh Chu, a former executive at private-equity firm Blackstone executive who runs CC Capital Partners, who have discussed a price tag of under $2 billion, Bloomberg reported.

In the email to Paramount brass, Allen wrote, “You are pursuing an inside sale at a below-market price with management that will not yield the highest price for the stockholders. We believe it would be an egregious breach of fiduciary duty by the Paramount Global management team and board of directors if BET is sold for anything less than the highest price, particularly, in order to provide a sweetheart deal to an insider at the expense of public shareholders.”

Earlier this year, Paramount Global had been exploring the sale of a majority stake in BET Media Group, with bidders said to include Allen, Tyler Perry and Sean “Diddy” Combs. In August, Paramount called off the bidding process for BET because “a sale wouldn’t result in any meaningful deleveraging of its balance sheet,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

The renewed interest in a deal for BET comes amid talks between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global about a potential merger. Meanwhile, Shari Redstone, whose National Amusements owns a controlling stake in Paramount Global, has been in talks to sell her shares in NAI, according to multiple reports.

A deal for BET Media Group would dramatically expand Allen’s media empire. Allen Media Group, which encompasses Entertainment Studios (founded 30 years ago as CF Entertainment), owns 12 cable networks, including the Weather Channel, JusticeCentral.TV, Cars.TV and Pets.TV, a theatrical movie distribution company and a stable of 28 broadcast stations affiliated with the Big Four broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC). Allen Media Group also produces, distributes, and sells advertising for 73 television shows, making it one of the largest independent producers/distributors of first-run syndicated TV programming for broadcast stations. The company has nearly 2,300 employees.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Recap To The Week: eMedia Investments Acquired Broadcasting Rights To The Supernatural Drama Salt Of Love (Namak Issk Ka), Folded Under Naagin On eExtra

During the week, eMedia Investments welcomed another supernatural drama in place of Naagin without any prior notice to the media. The show in question is actually referred to as Namak Issk Ka (Salt Of Love) but on eExtra's programme guide it's listed as Naagin. 

Namak Issk Ka revolves around an item girl named Kahani Verma who goes by the name of Chamcham Rani and a rich businessman, Yug Pratap Rajput, who are childhood friends who became separated in an accident. Yug and Kahani meet after 15 years. This is when Yug learns that Kahani is an item girl.

Produced by Gul Khan and Deepti Kalwani under 4 Lions Films, it starred Shruti Sharma as Kahani Yug Pratap Rajput, Aditya Ojha as Yug Pratap Rajput and Antara Biswas as Iravati Verma in leading roles.

Similar to Naagin, this show was also broadcast on Colors TV and consists of 187 episodes each with a duration of 22 minutes. But questions amount to the sudden removal of Naagin could it be possible that eExtra is missing episodes or there was some error with their distributors.

Namak Issk Ka was broadcast on Christmas Day on eExtra or at least from a viewer's word. This isn't the first time a channel pulled a switcheroo during the year another instance was with Crown Of Tears and If They Let Us on TLNovelas and eVOD with Wie Laaste Lag and Annekan Die Swa Kry.

News Shorts: WaterBear Extends Its To Da Vinci With A Slate Of New Content, Danger Force To End With 3 Seasons On Nickelodeon And OUTtv Greenlights New Reality Series Looking For A Third

Waterbear Network on Da Vinci

WaterBear Network, the eco-streamer. has announced a partnership with Da Vinci, the home of inspiring and educational TV for families and children. Effective immediately, WaterBear Original content will take the spotlight on Da Vinci’s FAST Channel, reaching audiences in the US, UK and Ireland.

This 12-month collaboration revolves around the theme of ‘Positive Solutions for our Changing World’, delving into narratives of sustainability, community action, conservation, and wildlife preservation. The programme lineup features WaterBear’s original documentaries and films, including Extract Destroy Repeat, an animation that delves into the depths of deep-sea mining, The Whale Who Saved Me, a story recounting whale biologist Nan Hauser’s extraordinary encounter, and Wildlife Warriors, an exploration of the lives of female conservationists.

The launch on this flagship channel, home to the popular Becoming Xtraordinary series with Bear Grylls, further cements WaterBear Network’s commitment to offering unlimited access to purpose-driven content to a growing ecosystem of consumers.
Danger Force cancelled on Nickelodeon

During the NFL NickMas Game, it was revealed by one of the commentators that Danger Force would end with after 3 seasons. With the remaining episodes to the current slated for January 2024 in the USA thus bringing the end of Schneiderverse on Nickelodeon.

Although, Danger Force had been scrapped on Nickelodeon the Dangerverse is currently in production of a Henry Danger film for Paramount+ with Jace Norman set to reprise his role. It is being developed under Nickelodeon and Norman's production company, Starlight.

In other developments, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the upcoming film for The Casagrandes. With the animated series ending on a cliffhanger, it had been confirmed that film would serve as the season finale of course Nickelodeon is depriving linear audiences from seeing it.
Tiffany ‘New York’ Pollard to host a new series

The LGBTQ+ network has ordered has the eight-part dating competition series, which is from Daddy TV, the producing team behind Stormy Daniels series For The Love of DILFs. Production will begin next summer and is slated for release in late 2024 on OUTtv.

Set in a modern villa, Looking For a Third will feature one gay couple and one lesbian couple, each searching for a third partner to add to their relationship among a group of singles.

Pollard, a seminal figure in Black reality TV, will host and is an executive producer. She was first seen in Flavor of Love back in 2006 on VH1 before landing her own spin-off, I Love New York. She also made a popular appearance on Big Brother in the UK, where she was at the center of an iconic moment in which she mistakenly told fellow housemates David Gest had died.

Monday, December 25, 2023

News Shorts: People's Weather Extends The Reach Of WildEarth To DStv Easyview And Openview Consumers With Dr. Mark And Siyaya Come Wild With Us Added To The Line-up And More Rebroadcasts Of Court Program Case Closed Surfaces On Telemundo Across Africa

WildEarth makes a landing on Openview

A few months ago, MultiChoice extended the reach of WildEarth to DStv Access after being made exclusive to Family consumers going up when it launched in 2020. It broadcasts live and interactive virtual safaris from some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations.

SafariLIVE serves as one of their flagship shows (or blocks) after being broadcast on National Geographic and SABC 3. It had reported earlier in the month that People's Weather will air a live broadcast from 5AM to 8AM daily thus extending its reach to the Openview platform.

People's Weather adds two kids shows to the line-up

Siyaya - Come Wild With Us follows fast-paced adventures to fascinating places in and around South Africa's national parks with a zany professor who always takes a group of children exploring through each destination. Currently viewed on Mindset Learn and SABC 2, It airs daily at 16:00.

Dr. Mark is Africa's first wildlife show for kids which follows a qualified wildlife vet, spend each episode educating kids about a different animal relevant to the African continent. It airs daily at 16:30 right after the above-mentioned program.
Telemundo hits a new low

During the week, it was learnt that the anthology series Decisions would make a comeback to Telemundo in the new year to viewer's dismay. Now, the channel is set to allocate more airtime to Case Closed which will come in place of 100 Days To Fall In Love.

Basically, Cennet: The Power Of Destiny will be the only primetime show for 15 days into the new year. That is until Game Of Lies debuts in the timeslot of Decisions and Lord Of The Skies and interesting enough Cennet ends in Valentine's Day almost as if this was planned.

Could MultiChoice Be Looking To Add Play Room On DStv And GOtv Platforms In Southern Africa And Likely The Rest Of Sub-Saharan Africa As A Replacement To Akili Kids??? Here's Why

Last month, MultiChoice and Ngwato Nkosi Group unveiled Play Room as a new kiddies channel to DStv. The channel combines fun and learning for children with a mixture of locally produced and international series with titles like Akili And Me and CoComelon dubbed in Zulu.

There are plans to include more languages of course it's not known how many languages Play Room is looking to incorporate to its line-up.

It was also confirmed by the channel themselves that Play Room will for now be available in South Africa. At the moment, it's not viewable in Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Play Room served as a replacement to the factual based children's channel Da Vinci. In ROA, Da Vinci was substituted by Nigeria's Teen Africa TV which had since then following the closure of the factual brand expanded to 40 African countries (including MultiChoice's GOtv).

That only leaves Southern Africa without a replacement, as seen with past additions Zee Zonke and NWTV. These brands are all being filtered for Southern Africa despite incorporating local languages while Play Room is being excluded from the the rest of Africa.

MultiChoice had inserted test cards for Play Room in Southern Africa of course questions amount to why these appear in the region if the brand would be tailored only for South Africa like eToonz. If we had to guess, MultiChoice could be looking to launch a localised feed in Southern Africa.

Similar to the likes of Nickelodeon, this feed would come with a varied offering/language with some content sharing between and this includes the bulk of international shows like Paw Patrol, Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures and Total Dramarama.

With Play Room taking centre stage on channel 300, we presume the feed in Southern Africa would take up channel 311 - just a hunch. But that can only happen if eMedia Investments' free-to-view eToonz gets booted seeing as we do use the same frequencies.

As for ROA, there appears to be some conflict pertaining to the content e.g. Akili And Me (Akili Kids, Kenya) and Henry Danger (Nickelodeon). It would make sense to remove some channels like Akili Kids if the plan would be distributing the exact content in local languages.

Akili Kids which is the East African version of Play Room serves as a multilingual children's channel with content like Akili And Me and Wild Kratts in Swahili. It also offers both fun and learning something that Play Room could look into building for these markets.

Sunday, December 24, 2023

News Shorts: Telemundo Africa Enters The New Year With More Decisions, Noah's Park To Make A Landing On Play Room And Celebrate Valentine's With Mpho Popps And South Park On Comedy Central

Decisions enters the new year

During the month, Telemundo unveiled the highly anticipated series Game Of Lies after failing to launch it in 2023. As reported already, the series will replace Lord Of The Skies by January 15 although the late night series would come to a close by 31 December 2023.

With that in mind, Decisions would take up the timeslot for Lord Of The Skies and later Law Of The Heart. We assume Game Of Lies will take up one timeslot of Law Of The Heart which had been distributed as a double bill while we wait on the follow up series.

Queen Of The South was initially set to replace Lord Of The Skies and if I had to guess the series will most likely replace Prisoner Of Love once it ends in February 2024 and another series slated to end in that time is Cennet: The Power Of Destiny.
Play Room rolls out it's first new show in the year

Last month, MultiChoice added Play Room as a brand new multilingual children's channel offering fun and learning with a mixture of locally produced and international content. It serves as eMedia's eToonz first ever rival as it too is based from South Africa.

According to media outlets, Play Room will be rolling out Noah's Park this January after failing to rollout in the channel's launch line-up with Akili And Me taking up its position. The show might air in a different timeslot seeing as it's former timeslot is proven favourable by viewers.

Dreamer the rhinoceros, Honk the camel, Stretch the giraffe and five of their animal friends left Noah’s Ark and set off on a great journey to find a new home. The live-action puppet show consists of 14 episodes which have been weirdly been divided between 2 seasons.
February on Comedy Central

MOST RIDICULOUS WITH MPHO POPPS
5 FEBRUARY @ 21:00 WEEKDAYS
South African celebrities join Mpho Popps for a laugh-filled adventure as they share their reactions, stories, and banter about the funniest clips from the internet.

South Park Valentine Stunt
Wednesday 14th February @10pm
Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy
Tweek x Craig
Proper Condom Use
Bebe's Boobs Destroy Society
Raisins
Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset
Follow That Egg
Cartman Finds Love

January 2024 On Cartoon Network And Cartoonito Across Africa (Drafted) | New Series Alert: Hero Inside | Returning Shows Including Pokémon And Bugs Bunny Builders | More

Cartoon Network
• Hero Inside (New Show): animates a childhood fantasy, unlocking
a world where your favorite super hero can appear
before you just by saying their name. The adventure
begins after Scott, a cartoonist and free spirit, mysteriously vanishes after drawing 100 superheroes across 100 comic books, without ever publishing. 
• Pokemon: Sun And Moon: Ultra Adventures: This season takes place in the Alola region and follows the continuing adventures of Ash; his classmates Lillie, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, and Sophocles; Ash's rival, Gladion; and antagonists James, Jessie and Meowth of Team Rocket. 

Cartoonito
• Lu And The Bally Bunch: A ladybird with a brand-new social life is still learning the social skills to handle it.
• Bugs Bunny Builders: Bugs, Lola, Daffy, Porky and Tweety use their amazing vehicles to take on the looniest construction builds while learning valuable lessons -- they never give up, because The Looney Builders always get the job done.
• Batwheels: Superpowered vehicles Bam, Bibi, Red, Jett and Buff join forces to fight crimes and protect citizens trapped in dangerous situations in Gotham City.
• Beantastic: Cartoonito will have you in stitches as Mr. Bean celebrates Teddy’s birthday by letting him choose what to do – from going crazy in a toy store to having a firework party! The live action episodes feature Mr. Bean sharing a train car with a loud and annoying stranger and accidentally stealing a baby.
• Zig & Sharko: Zig the hyena lives all alone on a desert island and schemes to eat Marina, a mermaid who asks a shark friend to protect her.

Scooby-Doo Mystery (SEGA)

The player controls Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, who is followed around by Scooby, while Fred, Daphne, and Velma make brief appearances, often at the beginning and end of a mystery. The object of the game is to solve puzzles to progress, uncover the mystery and catch the monster/criminal to win the scenario. 

Saturday, December 23, 2023

News Shorts: Impact Wrestling To Revert Back To The TNA Trademark In Hard To Kill, Second Chances Rumoured To Debut On Zee World In The Coming Days And uBettina Wethu Season 4 To Replace Nikiwe After It Ends

TNA is making a comeback

We are told the company has quietly polled long-term fans of the promotion earlier this year and learned that many of them stated they preferred the TNA name. Fans who have chanted "TNA" since the promotion returned to the road have also been a factor in the company thinking about making the change and then finally flipping the switch back.

There was a lot of TNA nostalgia several years ago when the promotion brought back the TNA title with Moose as titleholder with the original plan for the company to revive TNA as a separate TV series and possibly promotion out of a TNA reunion PPV but the COVID-19 pandemic stalled those plans before they were dropped. Instead of two different promotions and TV series, instead TNA has returned as the name of the company.

The plan is for Impact to close out the remainder of the year and then transition over to the TNA name in January with the Hard to Kill PPV in Las Vegas being the first official TNA show.  
Second Chances coming to Zee World

Yash (Shreyas Talpade), a rich and esteemed business tycoon, yearns for real love. While he falls in love with Neha (Prarthana Behere), the journey ahead is not going to be an easy one for him. Will he be able to win Neha’s heart?

Second Chances (Mazhi Tuzhi Reshimgath) debuted on Zee One earlier in the year and according to sources the series is rumoured to launch on Zee World across Southern Africa from 29 December but there has been no mention of the show by the channel yet.

uBettina Wethu takes the front seat

During the month, it was revealed that Nikiwe would be axed by early 2024 after it struggled to garner traction following its debut earlier in the year. eMedia Investments in not so shocking news had enlisted the fourth season of uBettina Wethu on e.tv's line-up.

After phasing out the 18:00 timeslot drama timeslot for locally produced reality shows on eReality. It lead consumers to wonder what fate awaited uBettina Wethu and as predicted sometime ago it would take up Nikiwe's timeslot.

In Season 4 we will see Betty, her comrades, and kin in a whole new light as they realise new goals and fix old wounds. Betty has lost direction, so she sets off to realign and march forward determined to win - without the distraction of personal relationships - her downfall in the past. 

Friday, December 22, 2023

January 2024 On DreamWorks Across Africa | Dragons: Race To The Edge | Turbo FAST | Where's Wally? | Julianuary | Movie: Barbie Video Game Hero

NEW EPISODES
DRAGONS: RACE TO THE EDGE

Hiccup and Toothless are back along with your favorite Dragon Riders in an action-packed Season 2 of DREAMWORKS DRAGONS: RACE TO THE EDGE. The high-stakes continue as the Riders advance in their hunt for Viggo, Ryker and their expanded Dragon Hunter army. Tune in as the Riders encounter new dragons, a seemingly reformed Dagur, an underground Dragon Fighting arena, and learn along the way that Viggo has a Dragon Eye and dragon fortress!
From Monday 1st January
Weekdays at 7pm
Weekends at 7am, 2pm, 9pm

NEW EPISODES
TURBO FAST

Fresh off his Indy500 victory tour, Turbo gathers his posse of adrenalin-fueled snail pals to form the Fast Action Stunt Team, or "FAST." Together, there's no challenge that's too big for "Turbo FAST," no adventure too extreme, or no prank too outrageous. Whether solving mysteries or meeting strange new insect adversaries, Turbo, Chet, Whiplash, Burn, Smoove Moove and White Shadow have a need for speed that sends them racing toward a whole new level of zany fun.
From Monday 1st January
Weekdays at 7am, 12:30pm, 9pm

NEW EPISODES
Where’s Wally?

Twelve-year-old Wally and his best friend Wenda are members of the Worldwide Wanderer Society— the international order of curious travelers who circle the globe celebrating cultures and solving problems through observation. Their mentor—Wizard Whitebeard, a seasoned wanderer—sends these inquisitive young adventurers on international travel missions so they can earn their stripes and someday become wizard-level wanderers too. But standing in Wally and Wenda’s way is their rival Odlulu, who can’t help but cause trouble wherever she goes
From Monday 1st January
Weekdays at 9am, 9.30pm
Weekends at 6.30am

STUNT
JULIANUARY

January is ‘Julianuary’! A month-long holiday named after and celebrated by everyone’s favourite lemur, King Julien! Join us for back-to-back episodes of All Hail King Julien, every weekend at 11am - 2pm, from Sat 6th Jan.
Back-to-Back episodes from Saturday 6th January
Weekends at 11am –2pm

MOVIES
Friday at 5pm
Saturdays at 9am

Barbie Video Game Hero: Friday 5th, Saturday 6th January
Get ready to power up! When Barbie™ magically gets pulled into her favourite video game, she is excited to see she’s transformed into a fun roller-skating character. In the game, she meets Cutie, the lovable cloud-shaped friend, and Bella, the roller-skating princess. Together, they soon discover a mischievous emoji is trying to take control of the game. As they travel from level to level, Barbie™ must rely on her amazing gaming skills and out-of-the box thinking to save her team and beat the game!

January 2024 On Qwest TV Across Africa | Ray Charles | Al Mckay’s Earth Wind & Fire Experience | Meshell Ndegeocello | More

RAY CHARLES
Let the good times roll. By 1961, Ray Charles had already scored major hits such as “I Got A Woman” and “What'd I Say”. He had been definitively adopted by the European white youth, who were seduced by his rants, which preceded the arrival of soul music at the end of the decade. In his exchanges with the Raelettes, he delivered the frenzy of gospel, always supported by the riffs of an excellent formation (three saxophones, two trumpets and a rhythm section). Additionally, his instrumentalists revealed their musical prowess during pure instrumental pieces, where Ray Charles simply deployed his unique piano playing, thus acknowledging the valuable percussive aspect of his music.

As it is not really necessary to dwell on the talent of the "Genius", we take the liberty of underlining the impact of the Raelettes, a vocal backing set up in 1958 with Darlene McCrea, Pat Lyles, Gwendolyn Berry and Margie Hendrix. Their powerful and raspy voices are widely prominent during the concert. We will also highlight the presence of saxophonist and flautist Dave "Fathead" Newman, (on “Georgia On My Mind”) who also played with Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker and transpired an invigorating blues.


AL MCKAY’S EARTH WIND & FIRE EXPERIENCE
In 2019, left-handed guitarist Al McKay assembled his All Stars to be one of the headliners at the 50th anniversary of the Jazzwoche Burghausen festival in Germany. His band, a collective of many of the best session musicians in L.A., brings back the infective soul, R&B, funk of the ‘70s radio-friendly superstar group Earth, Wind & Fire with many of the band’s greatest hits. It’s highlighted by the funk-grooved “Shining Star.” That was the band’s top hit, charting for several weeks in 1976. Another massive hit revisited is the catchy McKay composition “September,” fired by muscular lyricism that made it to No. 1 on the R&B Charts. But in interviews, McKay, a star in the group from 1973-81, stresses that they are not duplicating EWF but bringing a vital, fresh view to the legacy of the band. As such they are an homage band celebrating the band’s innovative soul-funk-r&b sounds in the ’70s that expressed the power of dance-filled black music at the time. For this Earth, Wind & Fire Experience show, McKay fills the stage with three vocalists (who also dance in step), four horn players, two keyboardists and a rhythm section of percussion, bass and drums. It’s a soul feast with McKay’s funky wah-wah rhythm guitar power. From the cool soul of “Sun Goddess” to the full-tilt beats of “Jupiter,” the show is a high-spirited reminder of an era of music in the past. Yet McKay proves that this fun still sparkles with compelling potency—evidenced in the standing-ovation call for an encore which yielded more hits, including the dance crazy “Boogie Wonderland.”

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO

Meshell Ndegeocello is well renowned for her creativity. Since she first came into the spotlight around 30 years ago with Plantation Lullabies, an album signed to Maverick, the American bassist has continuously evolved in harmony with her inspirations. A distillation of her musical repertoire, the powerful album Ventriloquism covers tracks by 11 different musicians and groups, including Prince’s moving “Sometimes it Snows in April” and George Clinton’s contagious “Atomic Dog.” Released in 2023, the LP The Omichord Real Book received well-deserved acclaim from critics, reflecting Ndegeocello’s aptitude for bringing people together through music.

Alternating between electric bass and a Moog keyboard, Ndegeocello demonstrates her musical prowess here. This compact and magnetic performance seamlessly ventures into the realm of funk while also embracing other genres such as synth-rock and jazz. Mystical and vibrant, it even includes African sounds and riffs, a clear influence when you consider that the singer's stage comes directly from the Swahili language. Backed by Jebin Bruni on keys, Christopher Bruce on guitar and the excellent Abraham Rounds on drums (that broom-playing at the beginning…), Ndegeocello delivers a unique and evolving production––a state of mind that truly sets her apart.

LAURA MVULA
Laura Mvula's voice timbre, her unique writing, and her positioning between pop and R&B have made her a special case. Recorded at the Swiss Baloise Session festival in 2016, the British singer and keyboardist is promoting her second album, The Dreaming Room (with the collaboration of Nile Rodgers), the follow-up to Sing to the Moon in 2013.

Leading a group dominated by strings, synthesizers, and producer Troy Miller on drums, as well as a vocal trio that anchors several tracks in gospel, Laura Mvula expresses a strength of character that takes on its full dimension when she finds herself alone on stage, equipped with her keytar, on a song as beautiful as "Father, Father." In her writing as well as in her interpretation, we can see that she's the real deal.

Most Popular Posts Of 2023: Everyday Novelas Takes The Most Wins With eExtra's Kuiertyd And Surprising Development Cennet: The Power Of Destiny And HONEY Make It To The Top 10

Presenting the reader's 10 most viewed stories of 2023


Notes
• Kuiertyd occupies the most spots in the top 10 (5) and Everyday Novelas offers 6 (including Cennet).
• eToonz's Powerbirds was the most popular kids show or better yet Regular Nick attraction.
• Nicktoons has the oldest post on the list which dates back to 2017.
• Roekeloos Dade has been the most mentions (3)

New Series Alert: My New Mother In Law Coming Soon To Zee One

Zee One, a general entertainment channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises and a spin-off to Zee World that distributes various Bollywood films and series has announced their first new series for 2024 titled My New Mother InLaw (Tomar Khola Hawa).

Based on the already seen Hindi drama series Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega, it follows Jhilmil's carefree life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes a young mother-in-law and the head of the family after getting married to Abir.

The drama starred Swastika Dutta as Jhilmil Roy, Subhankar Saha as Abir Roy, Srabanti Banerjee as Ahona Mitra, Kheyali Dastidar as Chaya Roy, Arpita Mukherjee as Shivani Roy and Tathagata Mukherjee as Arjo Roy.

It debuted by 2022 with a total of 183 episodes each with a 22 minute duration. My New Mother InLaw serves as one of six adaptations to the female oriented family drama alongside Hitler Gari Pellam, Thirumathi Hitler, Mrs. Hitler, Hitler Kalyana and Tu Khara Mun Chhai.

My New Mother InLaw is anticipated to rollout earlier in the new year on Zee One.