SABC is gearing up for the launch of their second news channel, SABC eKhaya. It will serve as the 7th TV channel by the public broadcaster and it will also be a regional spinoff to the current SABC News brand viewed on MultiChoice's DStv, SABC's DTT and SABC+.
It will debut in the second quarter of the year exclusively on SABC's DTT and SABC+ offering news in all 11 South African languages. A format which was once seen on the current SABC News but abandoned following the brand's expansion to the rest of Africa.
As seen these past years, SABC has been behind on expanding their linear presence. In 2021, they formalised a partnership with eMedia Investments for 3 additional channels including SABC Sport and now we are in 2023 and we're still awaiting updates on the 2 channels.
From what was gathered, these two channels would leverage content from SABC's archives and just like SABC Sport. The plan was to offer something unique and not available on SABC 1-3 as more households tune into these stations and their content.
Although, we have yet to get an update on the supposed channels. SABC eKhaya isn't the only channel the public broadcaster might be looking to introduce in the coming future but likely a revival to the controversial SABC Encore now referred to Intelsat as SABC 1.
For almost 2 years, the public broadcaster had been working on this supposed channel under SABC Entertainment, SABC Children and SABC Encore. What had me more convinced about Encore was the time since it left DStv which is when these tests were underway.
One of the brand names, SABC Entertainment was initially meant to be the name for SABC Encore before those plans were scrapped while as the connection with SABC Children may have to do with the fact that both channels exist to leverage from SABC 1-3.
The public broadcaster had marketed SABC Encore on numerous occasions particularly for live matches or memorial services alongside talked on a revival. On top of that, SABC 1 had been spotted with the SABC Encore tag.
If anything, I do wonder how this brand would be any different to the version viewed on DStv. The channel was opened on numerous occasions for rebroadcasts of live matches on top of that memorial service and with SABC restructuring repeats on SABC 1-3.
It wouldn't be shocking if SABC Encore returned in a similar form to M-Net's SWITCH channels or eMedia's Power UP as SABC 1-3 won't be leveraging repeats from the other. Considering it was somewhat relevant, I can see the 80s/90s version of the channel remain intact.
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