Discussion: Could SABC Look Into Closing A Few Channels??? As Plans Are Underway To Cut Back On Costs + 7de Laan Could Go Dark By Next Month Abruptly As SABC Is Cash Strapped

Could SABC look into reducing their portfolio?

During the week, it was learnt that 7de Laan would pause production and this was after SABC had been piling up its debt for the soon-to-be-axed Afrikaans drama. The public broadcaster not struggling to obtain income through load shedding and the reduction of analogue is looking to axe more content.

Not long ago, it was discovered that uBettina Wethu would be next victim. Unlike 7de Laan, uBettina Wethu has seen a decline in viewership that eMedia Investments was able to rescue the drama with a fourth season awaiting release on their linear platforms.

Another would be sporting rights in which the public broadcaster failed to obtain rights to the T-20 and also couldn't come to an agreement with SuperSport for the Rugby World Cup.

With the public broadcaster relying on peanuts to get on by at this point perhaps a restructure to their local portfolio is needed. For several decades, they had been producing content for SABC 1-3 while as supplying SABC Sport and Education perhaps a reduction to their local offering would do them good.

Instead of prioritising 3 channels, maybe the public broadcaster could put all their money on SABC 1 and use SABC+ to substitute the other two channels. SABC 1 remains as the most watched free-to-view channel in the market while the other had seen major declines.

The public broadcaster is anticipated to lose viewers once 7de Laan departs on SABC 2. Perhaps a merger between SABC 2 and SABC 3 would do them good. One thing I've seen from their competitors is the growth in dubs you barely get that much with the SABC.

I'm not saying SABC 2 would be exactly like Telemundo/Zee World but something similar to eXposed/eExtra which too has its lineup of international dramas with local elements such as Die Kontrak, SterStatus and Ouma Sarie all of which are folded under the Kuiertyd block.

SABC 3 despite not getting as much viewers as SABC 1 or 2 has more viewers than most of the public broadcaster's DTT offering such as SABC Education, SABC eKhaya and SABC News. Maybe the channel could serve as an Encore station for their past programming.

Another could be exploring a potential sell of their channels, the idea would be similar to Disney that the public broadcaster maintains majority stake and this other party manage the content with the public broadcaster in charge of marketing this content to consumers.

7de Laan is under hot water

As mentioned earlier, SABC had decided to axe the longest running Afrikaans soap on SABC 2 as they can't afford the expenses supplied to the production crew for further episodes. With the last episode initially set for December 26, 2023 the series is likely to go off air much earlier.

According to sources, the SABC only contracted Danie Odendaal Productions to produce 7de Laan episodes until 24 October, although plans were to keep the show running until 26 December as mentioned. The soap faces a chance of being cancelled by next month and not December as advised.

That is unless SABC doesn't find the necessary funds to keep the show on air and crew involved in production of the show were informed about this and had since then gone on to film other projects so should the SABC find something it would be impossible to film these episodes.

Leading to further speculation that the SABC may not get the remaining 45 episodes of the show but something far less than that if none at all. Ideally, 7de Laan could as well end with a two part feature film which broadcast for an hour or two and not the usual 21 minutes as seen with the finale of Showtime's Ray Donovan.

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