During 2022, eMedia Investments and MultiChoice got into a legal brawl regarding the fate of eMedia's 4 channels in the pay-tv market on DStv after the closed on the platform with the only other means of viewing their content happens to come from Openview which will soon come with its own pay-tv component, Openview Ultra.
As mentioned, a while back eMedia Investments' 4 channels being eToonz, eExtra, eMovies, and eMovies Extra were reinstated for about 6 months meaning the future of these channels will likely be revealed by the end of January or later in February depending on court outcomes.
For all we know 6 months may not include December as that was a festive holiday and maybe it did and they're just monitoring by days considering they were reinstated in the first week of August it could mean that an outcome should have been reached by this week.
DStv:
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments gets roasted over load shedding plans
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future
- kykNET Lekker Opened To More DStv Customers For A Limited Time
- What Consumers Should Be Concerned About Regarding SABC's Yet To Be Launched Channels On DStv?
In a conversation with the pay-tv holder on whether these channels will remain onboard, they had this to say:
Not yet, we will advise if they will be closed.
We finally got confirmation these channels are neither permanent or temporary just #DisComplicated. I mean could we even see a happy ending to all this even.
Firstly, they don't fit into their 5 year content strategy as all eToonz does is repeat from DreamWorks and eMovies borrow their movie selection from M-Net Movies with Movie Room, TNT and Studio Universal getting a pass due to their global reach I suppose.
DStv Flex:
- What to expect this February on TNT?
- Big Cat Sunday this February on National Geographic Wild
- CBS Reality acquired rights to Killer's Caught On Camera
- Trafficked With Mariana Van Zeller returns for a third season on National Geographic
eExtra kind of makes that ideal channel to have onboard compared to the other 3 channels. As seen with e.tv last year it does kind of make up as another local component to eMedia's portfolio in this case a rival for kykNET and another having to do with the audience.
My hunch on why MultiChoice is opting not to keep it has to do with the existing Zee TV lineup as that also doesn't fall under their 5 year content strategy and the other dealing with the fact Kuiertyd despite being a premiere on eExtra has a daytime block on e.tv.
There's always Kind Van Die Noodlot and In Die Ysterhand Se Greep on kykNET & Kie.
The fact MultiChoice doesn't see value in these channels doesn't mean they don't hold value elsewhere. In court arguments, they kind of implied that when referencing Openview as there's not much alternatives as seen with DStv at the moment.
For consumers wishing to view these channels would need to get an Openview or stream selected content on eVOD while others choosing to remain with DStv would need monitor e.tv's schedule to see what shows they'll missed out through these channels.
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