Development Alert: By Public Demand, Star Life Will No Longer Air Daytime Repeats Of Evil Affairs

During the week, it was reported that Star Life will be rolling out a new series Jhanak replacing Faltu once it comes to an end in May. But that's not the only surprise set to hit viewer's screens later in the month as another deals with their current show, Evil Affairs.

The supernatural drama alongside Beyond Love debuted earlier in the month replacing Divya-Drishti. It was met with an onslaught of complaints from viewers about its dark themes and depiction of Hinduism with some viewing it as scary. 

Last minute notice, the channel published on their Facebook page plans to halt daytime repeats of Evil Affairs. Not only that further alienate it from other shows in terms of promos meaning consumers can only enjoy at 22:00 and possibly anytime in the night. 

👻📺 Big news! You shared, we heard! Starting TOMORROW, "Evil Affairs" won't haunt your daytime screens anymore. No...

Posted by Star Life Africa on Tuesday, April 30, 2024

It also means that consumers who had been catching up to Evil Affairs in the daytime will miss out meaning the show would have lost an audience and also not much advertising would be expected for that show as the audience would be limited. 

Since then consumers have gone to the page to express their displeasure with the decision including: 

Faith Choolwe Maambo who said some of us we only manage to watch evil affairs during the day why removing it Star Life Africa watching it at night is very scary

Lesego Lesh Gaitsiwe who said some of us work night shifts nd the only time we got is during the day star life nonono

Euphemia Mwema who said now what is going to be airing on the time of their repeat??this is not fair for us who don’t manage watching at night we prefer watching repeats so please spare us and we are tired of ANUPAMA,My Desire and Lost in Love.🙏And that 30 minutes or 25 is too little

Several consumers had since then asked the channel what program will occupy the repeat slot at the time of publishing. From what we can presume, Beyond Love could as well air double repeats or the existing lineup could take up its timeslot. 

But the channel also lagging around 15 shows as seen with sister channels StarPlus and Star Bharat. Competitive channels Zee World is following a similar route in terms of content by focusing more on fresher releases.

Recap To The Week: OUTtv And FUSE Are Coming Off Openview's Ultraview, Moving To eVOD

During the week, it was reported eMedia Investigation would be axing OUTtv by the end of the month. As further content fold under the eVOD streaming service, while Ultraview came with a fee content from OUTtv comes at no charge.

Of course, this brought out a lot of unanswered questions for which we enquired to eMedia's teams and only got a response a short a while ago. This pertains to the rest of Ultraview's offering particularly EDGE since it only consisted of two channels.

According to a representative, FUSE will also be disconnected on the 30th April 2024. Similar to OUTtv, plans are underway to get FUSE on eVOD meaning Ultraview as some viewers predicted is a complete bust leaving consumers with the Indian channels.

For those who aren't aware, OUTtv Proud is a joint venture between OUTtv and FUSE. If eMedia Investments is saying FUSE will be added soon expect it to fold under OUTtv Proud which we presume is crowded with programming from OUTtv at the moment.

Similar to eMedia Investments, MultiChoice will also be two additional channels from their platform, WildEarth and Africa Magic Urban. This would serve as one of the many channels to have exited their platform in the last months without a replacement. 

News Shorts: CBeebies Picks Up Rights To New Series Piggy Builders, Bob Bakish Exits Paramount Global’s CEO Position Amidst Acquisition Talks With Skydance And Every Girl's Dream Makes Its Freemium Debut On Zee One

BBC Children’s, France Télévisions and Germany’s ZDF have ordered Piggy Builders

Created by Marie Manand, Julien Hazebroucq and Emmanuelle Leleu, this 52 x 11-minute series stars three pig siblings who are very different individually, but who all share a passion for building projects in their forest home and fending off a meddlesome wolf named Vern.

Romain Villemaine (Ricky Zoom, Maya the Bee) is on board to direct, and Piggy Builders‘ first episodes will be unveiled at MIPCOM in October, followed by premieres on CBeebies, France Télévisions and ZDF in Q3 2025.

Piggy Builders was originally pitched at Cartoon Forum 2021, where it was well-received, according to Xilam founder and CEO Marc du Pontavice. It’s the studio’s second CG-animated series after Oggy Oggy, which has been acquired by the likes of France Télévisions, Discovery (Italy) and Super RTL (Germany) following its global premiere on Netflix in 2021.   

Paramount CEO Bob Bakish is stepping down, will be replaced by a trio of executives

Bakish climbed the corporate ladder after joining Viacom in 1997, until he became CEO of the company in 2016. Following the merger of Viacom and CBS, he became CEO of the combined company in 2019, which was later renamed Paramount Global. He is also leaving the company's board of directors, Paramount said Monday.

Bakish will be replaced by what the company called an "Office of the CEO." Paramount will now be led by CBS president and CEO George Cheeks; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, the head of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. The company said the three executives will work closely with Paramount CFO Naveen Chopra and the board.

In the release Monday, Paramount said the new leadership is "working with the board to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan to accelerate growth and develop popular content, materially streamline operations, strengthen the balance sheet, and continue to optimize the streaming strategy."

Zee World repeat launching on Zee One

After debuting on the pay-tv channel in 2022, Zee One is set to give other consumers within Africa an open window to access to Every Girl's Dream from the 5th May replacing King Of Hearts.

Every Girl's Dream (Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Na) which was launched in November 2021 on Zee TV revolves around Krisha a hospitality graduate, trying best to prove herself and help her family financially by working at her father's friends' royal hotel in Udaipur. It was there where she meets her Prince Charming, Devraj.

 

Anjali Tatrari and Avinesh Rekhi played the lead with other stars like Leenesh Mattoo, Romil Chaudhary, Simran Sharma, Rakshanda Khan, Farah Lakhani, Utkarsha Naik, Leena Balodi, Karuna Verma, Aashish Bhardwaj serve as supporting characters.

Jeepers: ‘Scooby-Doo’ Live-Action Series From Berlanti Productions Lands At Netflix With Major Commitment

The one-hour drama project is said to be nearing a deal at the streamer with a script-to-series commitment. Exact plot details are being kept under wraps aside from the fact it will be based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Warner Bros. Television will produce, with the studio having recently launched the “Dead Boys Detectives” series at Netflix.

Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as writers and will also executive produce along with André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner under their Midnight Radio banner. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman will executive produce via Berlanti productions (the company is currently under an overall deal at WBTV). Jonathan Gabay of Berlanti Productions and Adrienne Erickson will co-executive produce.

Reps for both Netflix and WBTV declined to comment.

Should the project go forward, it would not be the first live-action Scooby-Doo project to make it to the screen. Most famously, “Scooby-Doo” was released in 2002 and starred Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini, with Neil Fanning voicing Scooby. The film was a box office success, generating over $250 million worldwide. A sequel with the same cast, “Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed,” came out in 2004 and grossed over $180 million. There was also the live-action TV film “Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins” and its sequel that were released in 2009 and 2010.

There have also been a wide range of Scooby-Doo animated projects over the years, beginning with the original cartoon series in the late 1960s. Various incarnations have followed over the years, spanning multiple animated series and films. Most recently, the animated film ““Scoob! Holiday Haunt” was meant to be released on Max but was scrapped in a cost-cutting move. Currently, Max airs the animated series “Velma,” with Mindy Kaling voicing the bespectacled member of the Mystery Inc. gang.

Canal+ Owner Vivendi Is Still Exploring A Stock Split, Publishes First Quarter Revenue

Canal+ owner Vivendi is still exploring a stock split, as it today posted first quarter revenues up significantly.

France-based Vivendi posted Q1 revenues of €4.28B (R86 billion), up 5.4% on 2023’s numbers when using constant currencies and and the businesses the firm owns today. No earnings were revealed in the unaudited numbers.

Within those numbers, Canal+ saw revenues grow 4.3% year-on-year to €1.5B (R30 billion, +3.5% at constant currency and perimeter). International revenues were up 5.8% thanks to subscriber growth, particularly in Africa, where Canal+ has been buying up shares in MultiChoice and looks set to take over the South African giant. Mainland France TV operations revenue was up over 5%.

However, Studiocanal saw revenues decline compared with 2023, when the likes of Alibi.com 2 and John Wick 2 had significant domestic and international launches.

Other notable performances saw social video platform Dailymotion increase revenues by 24.8%, with the ‘New Initiatives’ division it is housed in posting €42M in revenues overall.

This financials come amid a period of corporate soul-searching at Vivendi, and following the takeover of publisher Lagadère in November last year.

The Paris-based company believes its stock price has been “substantially” reduced due to the consolidated nature of its media operations following the listing of Universal Music Group and wants to split its business.

Having already outlined a plan to explore dividing pay-TV and content giant Canal+, ad firm Havas and publisher Lagadère, Vivendi said a feasibility study into a stock split had been going since December 2023. The company says all three units are individually performing well — with each posting year-on-year revenue growth today — and have been hindered in their ability to invest by the “high conglomerate discount” on its shares.

The current plan is for Canal+, Havas and a publishing and distribution division would all list as independent entities on the stock market. Vivendi would also remain publicly listed “maintaining its role of supporting the transformation and expansion of its subsidiaries and continuing to actively manage its investments.”

Should the Vivendi board approve the split, employee representatives at each new entity would be engaged before necessary regulatory, bonder holder and other lender approvals is sought. A final vote would then take place at the AGM in April 2025 to ratify the moves.

Yannick Bolloré, Chairman of Vivendi’s Supervisory Board, and Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Chairman of Vivendi’s Management Board, said in a statement: “Today we are publishing a particularly sharp increase in revenues for a first quarter. This reflects the strength of our three core businesses and the Group’s ability to transform and grow.

“The organic growth of 5.4% compared to the first quarter of 2023 was notably driven by the significant contribution of Lagardère, validating the relevance of the transaction with this group last November and our confidence in the potential of its activities. Canal+ Group and Havas also delivered solid performances, with increases in reported revenues of 4.3% and 6.2%, respectively, over the same period.”

SuperSport And SABC In More Hot Water As Amazon And Disney Are Looking To Finalize Deal For The NBA

Amazon.com Inc. is close to a deal to bring NBA games to its Prime Video streaming service, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. 

The league is also nearing a new agreement with Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN, which is expected to keep the rights to the NBA finals but air fewer regular-season games, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information.

Details on the number of games Amazon will have in the regular season and playoffs are still being ironed out. Rights to the women’s league, the WNBA, are expected to be included as part of both deals.

The Athletic and Puck reported earlier on the framework of the deals. Both news outlets said the agreements would last a decade. Representatives for the NBA and Amazon declined to comment. ESPN didn’t respond.

The NBA’s incumbent partners are Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. The league’s current media deals are worth a total of $24 billion, or over $2.6 billion a year. Those contracts expire after the 2024-2025 season.

The NBA is looking double its income from TV rights and add at least one or two more partners, the people said. The league is also talking to Warner Bros., whose Turner division has carried games since 1984, and Comcast Corp.’s NBC, which lost its basketball rights in 2002.

Sports are the biggest draw for major TV networks, making them must-have programming, especially as the audience for general entertainment programming has declined.

New Series Alert: Force Of Attraction, Spinoff To Radha Mohan Debuts In May On Zee World

During the week, it was reported Star Life would be rolling out a new Hindi drama Jhanak in May after Faltu. Now Zee World is also looking to debuting a program from Zee TV titled Force Of Attraction (Pyar Ka Pehla Adhyaya: Shiv Shakti) a spinoff to Radha Mohan.

Force Of Attraction follows Shakti Sharma a kind woman who aspires to be a doctor. After losing her parents, she lives with her uncle and aunt in Varanasi. She crosses path with Shiv Kashyap a doctor, who has a hurting past and is unable to heal. 

It starred Arjun Bijlani as Dr. Shiv Kashyap, Chinmay Patwardhan as Ravi Singh, Megha Singh as Janvi Sharma, Parineeta Borthakur as Gargi Rameshwar Sa, Seema Pandey as Gayatri Kashyap and Ashman Kumar as Ayush Singh.

Force Of Attraction debuted on Zee TV from 3rd July 2023 and since then 289 episodes has been filmed so far each with a 22 minute duration. It will commence on Zee World in Southern Africa from 22 May and a week later for consumers in ROA from 29 May.

This will be the first Zee TV series within the decade to get its very first spinoff with the other Twist Of Fate that rolled out 2 other shows This Is Fate and Unfortunate Love within the previous decade.

May 2024 On TLC Across Africa | New Series Alert: Take My Tumor | Returning Shows Including 7 Little Johnstons | More

South Africa

7 Little Johnstons S9A

NEW SEASON

In this installment, Jonah becomes the first Johnston kid to turn 21, with Christmas just around the corner. Trent’s and Amber’s efforts to elevate the holiday season are interrupted due to the antics of the adult kids in the house. Things take a turn for the worse when Amber confronts Anna about her plans to move out.

First TX: 20 May

TX Day: Monday

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 5 Aug

90 Day Fiance: Love in Paradise S4

NEW SEASON

The show focuses on four lovestruck Americans travelling to Brazil, Colombia, Italy and Malta to share lives with their significant others. Each couple will struggle with getting to know each other while also dealing with the highs and lows inherent in any relationship.

First TX: 15 May

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 17 July

The Curious Case Of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks

NEW TO CHANNEL

A follow-up to the 2023 docuseries that focused on Natalia’s adoptive parents, Kristine and Michael Barnett, and their claim that the child, who’d been diagnosed with the rare dwarfism condition spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, was actually an adult woman who terrorized their family from 2010 to 2013.

First TX: 7 May

TX Day: Tuesday

TX Time: 22:00

Last TX: 11 June

Africa

Curvy Brides' Boutique S2

NEW SEASON

Straight-talking Jo Cooke and Alison Law are transforming wedding dress shopping for plus- size brides. Jo and Alison are making sure brides from sizes 16 to 40 feel amazing on the inside and look incredible on the outside.

First TX: 29 May

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 22:40

Last TX: 26 June

I Want THAT Wedding S1

BRAND NEW

Newly engaged couples struggling to agree on their wedding budget go to three different weddings but don't know their costs until the end of the experiment. Then they decide on the ideal budget for their own special day.

First TX: 8 May

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 21:50

Last TX: TBC

Take My Tumor

BRAND NEW

People living with extremely large, rare, or sometimes life-threatening tumors seek help from world-renowned surgeons that only tackle the most difficult cases.

First TX: 3 May

TX Day: Friday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 28 June

The Grinch (GBC)

The Grinch stares down at Whoville through his telescope from Mount Crumpit, planning to take the Whos' presents using his gadgets. He goes in his cave, and looks through his blueprints deciding which gadget to make first. However, the Grinch accidentally falls off his mountain of boxes and his blueprints fly away down to Whoville and various parts of Wholand. The Grinch visits Whoville, the Whoforest, Whoville Municipal Dump, and Wholake, destroying Christmas presents, playing pranks on the Whos and recovering pieces of his blueprints in the process so he can steal Christmas.

For a Gameboy Color emulator visit Cartoon Games and click CARTOON EXTENSIONS 

Download Now

Paramount Global’s Board Is Preparing To Fire CEO Bob Bakish As Soon As Monday Morning,

The board is expected to lean on company division heads in lieu of a CEO while it negotiates a possible merger with Skydance Media. Paramount Global has set up a special committee to explore the deal. The companies are in exclusive talks to pursue a deal until May 3, though that window could be extended.

Bakish has lost the trust of Paramount Global controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, according to people familiar with her thinking. Redstone wanted to make a move to oust Bakish before Paramount Global’s carriage negotiation with Charter Communications, which is pivotal for setting a value for the company in its merger talks with Skydance, the people said.

A spokesperson for Paramount Global declined to comment.

Paramount and Skydance have been making headway on a final deal, under which Bakish would leave Paramount, reported Thursday. Skydance intends to name its CEO David Ellison to helm Paramount, according to people familiar with the matter.

In private, Bakish has dissented against the merger, claiming that it could dilute common shareholders, according to people familiar with the matter.

Under the deal terms, almost 50% of the merged company would be owned by Skydance and its private equity partners, reported April 5. Common shareholders would own the remainder of the company, which would continue to trade publicly.

Development Alert: KykNet&kie Gets A New Schedule In May With Binnelanders Moving To 17:30 And Moederhart At 20:00 Replacing Skerpioen

Since the first broadcast on 9 April 2013, kykNET&kie has not only shown the cream of kykNET's programs, but also provided new content produced exclusively for kykNET&kie. The award-winning Suidooster, winner of the Safta in 2022 for the best soap opera, and the telenovela Arendsvlei brought real South African stories to viewers, put a host of new talented actors in the spotlight and made for a huge injection into local TV - operation taken care of. Then there are programs like Say your say, KLOP! and the dubbed Turkish telenovelas that keep viewers buzzing.

kykNET&kie's schedule change in May will give viewers the luxury of sitting back and relaxing with excellent entertainment in the evening.

So, put down that remote control and enjoy prime viewing in premium time.

• Binnelanders' twelfth season starts on Tuesday 7 May at 17:30. The series is broadcast from Mondays to Fridays.

• Deep Waters' first season can be seen from Tuesday 7 May at 18:00. In the first week, an episode is also broadcast on Friday 10 May, but after that it is on air from Mondays to Thursdays.

Suidooster is still on the box from Mondays to Fridays at 18:30.

• Arendsvlei remains in the 19:30 time slot from Mondays to Thursdays. The last episode of this boundary-pushing telenovela, which ran for six seasons and 160 episodes, will be broadcast at the end of June. It is directly followed by a new telenovela, Skemergrond, which starts on Monday 1 July at 19:30. Skemergrond takes place in Gemoedsdrif, a small town in the Western Cape, and revolves around the Louw family and their beautiful flower farm.

The Turkish telenovela Skerpioen's last episode will be broadcast on Monday 6 May at 20:00. Moederhart, which currently airs Mondays to Thursdays at 17:30, moves to the 20:00 time slot from 7 May, but is still on air from Mondays to Thursdays. Keep an eye on the news for an announcement about a new Turkish telenovela that starts when Moederhart comes to an end.

Other programs on kykNET&kie that belong on every good watch list include:

• Medical (Tuesdays at 9.30pm)

• KNOCK! (Sundays at 18:00)

• Have Your Say (Sundays at 7pm)

• Super Rugby (Mondays at 9pm)

• Toks & Tjops (Fridays at 20:00)

• eNews (daily at 19:00)

 

Superrugby, Toks & Tjops and eNuus are also broadcast simultaneously on kykNET (DStv channel 144).

Spoilers: Velma Likely Cancelled On Max Following Season 2 Finale

Velma is an American adult animated mystery television series based on the character Velma Dinkley from the Scooby-Doo franchise. Developed and created by Charlie Grandy for HBO Max, it stars executive producer Mindy Kaling as the voice of the titular character, with Sam Richardson, Constance Wu and Glenn Howerton in supporting roles. 

The series revolves around Velma Dinkley and the other human members of Mystery Inc. before their official formation, making it the first television series in the franchise to not feature the character Scooby-Doo.

Since its inception, Velma had received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the voice acting and animation, but were divided towards the humor and criticized its meta storytelling , characterization, writing, and departures from the traditional Scooby-Doo format. 

Despite the massive backlash that the show has taken, Velma was Max's most-watched animated original show in 2023. The [hate] streaming was probably what contributed to a second season and the fact most programs from the Scoobiverse are two seasons long.

Max released the second season of Velma which too was dismayed by Scooby-Doo fans for its directionless storyline and puns inserted throughout but what caught the attention was the season 2 finale which welcomed back a classic character, Scrappy-Doo.

SPOILERS

Like the other characters that first got their start in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, Scrappy isn't like the original iteration of the talking puppy. In Velma, Scrappy is created as a part of "Project Scooby" by the military in an effort to infiltrate "meddling kids".  

Unfortunately for the government, their experiment falls out of their control and Scrappy begins going on a murder spree for all those responsible for the project. For those looking for more spoilers, season two ended with quite the bang. 

Scrappy attempts to kill Velma and company, only to be killed himself as the titular character becomes a ghost and takes control of his body. Velma is left deceased when the season two finale comes to an end with no third season confirmed.

But judging by the finale, it wouldn't seem far fetched if the show had concluded with this episode. Considering all the hate Velma got, Scrappy-Doo kind of redeemed himself after serving as one of the most disliked characters in the franchise. 

Canal+ Increases Stake In MultiChoice To Almost 42%

French media group Canal+ today announced it has acquired additional shares In MultiChoice, the operator of Africa’s biggest pay-TV – DStv.

Following a significant increase in its ownership stake, Canal+ has triggered a mandatory offer to minority shareholders of MultiChoice Group. This action was necessitated after surpassing a predefined threshold established by the JSE.

In accordance with JSE regulations, when an individual or entity acquires at least 35% of a listed company, a mandatory offer must be extended to other shareholders under terms agreed upon with the main exchange.

Canal+ has put forth a mandatory offer to acquire all outstanding shares of MultiChoice Group not already held by the conglomerate. The proposed purchase price stands at R125.00 per share, payable in cash, signaling Canal+’s commitment to further consolidate its position within the media landscape.

Today, Canal+ announced it has increased its shareholding to 41.60% in MultiChoice.

Canal+ has acquired in on/off market transactions, a further 3,374,668 MultiChoice Shares, as follows:

• On Thursday, 18 April 2024, Canal+ acquired 18,633 MultiChoice Shares in on/off market

transactions for an average consideration of ZAR 116.00 per MultiChoice Share

• On Friday, 19 April 2024, Canal+ acquired 101,468 MultiChoice Shares in on/off market transactions for an average consideration of ZAR 115.99 per MultiChoice Share

• On Monday, 22 April 2024, Canal+ acquired 1,618,032 MultiChoice Shares in on/off market

transactions for an average consideration of ZAR 116.42 per MultiChoice Share

• On Tuesday, 23 April 2024, Canal+ acquired 342,678 MultiChoice Shares in on/off market

transactions for an average consideration of ZAR 116.83 per MultiChoice Share

• On Wednesday, 24 April 2024, Canal+ acquired 1,293,857 MultiChoice Shares in on/off market

transactions for an average consideration of ZAR 117.59 per MultiChoice Share

After the aforementioned trades are implemented, Canal+ will hold an aggregate of approximately

41,60% of the MultiChoice Shares in issue.

“Canal+ confirms that these acquisitions have already been disclosed to the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) as required under the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008 (Companies Act) and Chapter 5 of the Companies Regulations, 2011 (Takeover Regulations).”

Just weeks after revealing that Imtiaz Patel would remain as chairman to manage a potential deal with Groupe Canal+, MultiChoice Group has now announced Patel’s immediate departure from the position.

This decision arises amidst growing worries about corporate governance within the broadcasting company, currently under a takeover proposal by France’s Canal+.

In an unexpected turn of events, MultiChoice disclosed on April 2nd, after a board meeting ahead of the Easter weekend, that it was retracting an earlier statement regarding Patel’s planned resignation. The board had previously announced that Elias Masilela would assume the chairmanship starting April 1st.

“In view of the recent ruling by the Takeover Regulation Panel that required Canal+ to make an immediate mandatory offer to all MultiChoice shareholders…the MultiChoice board has reached an agreement with Imtiaz Patel to remain on as chair,” the company said at the time.

New Series Alert: Ajooni, eExtra's First Series From Star Bharat Debuts In May

eExtra, a general entertainment channel operated by eMedia Investments that is home to international dramas from Turkey, Asia and India is set to rollout a new series titled Ajooni. eMedia has yet to release further details about the show.

But from what we presume here this could be a reference to the drama from Star Bharat. Of course, the reason we've been doubtful pertains to the misinformation regarding Broken Bonds and This Is Love.

The story Ajooni is set in Haryalipur, where the titular character and Avinash are to be engaged but then she accidentally meets Rajveer in the market and he falls for Ajooni - love at first sight. He starts stalking her and breaks her engagement with Avinash.

It starred Ayushi Khurana as Ajooni Bagga, Shoaib Ibrahim as Rajveer Singh Bagga, Drisha Kalyani as Meher Vohra, Pankaj Dheer as Ravindra Singh Bagga and Shraddha Singh as Harman Ravindra Singh Bagga.

Ajooni aired from 26 July 2022 to 23 August 2023 on Star Bharat with 316 episodes filmed each with a 22 minute duration. Now the series is slated to rollout on eExtra daily at 13:45 from 8 May with an 18+ age restriction, could censorship be included?

Development Alert: Dora Renewed For Season 2 On Nick Jr. And Paramount+

Paramount+ has renewed the animated preschool series Dora for a second season. The iconic Latina heroine returned this month in the CG-animated revival series produced by Nickelodeon Animation. 

Dora, based on the original series Dora the Explorer, follows everyone’s favorite bilingual explorer, Dora (Diana Zermeño), and her best monkey friend, Boots (Asher Colton Spence) as they embark on epic adventures in a fantastical rainforest. Guided by trustworthy Map (Anairis Quiñones), Dora and her friends must work together to overcome many obstacles while being challenged by the sneakiest fox, Swiper (Marc Weiner). Kathleen Herles, the original voice of Dora the Explorer, voices Mami.

“Kids and family programming is consistently one of the most popular genres on Paramount+ and we’re thrilled that our audience has already embraced Dora,” said Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+. “It’s an incredible opportunity to introduce this beloved character and iconic franchise to a whole new generation.” 

Dora is currently available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and also on Nick Jr. internationally.

Dora is produced by Nickelodeon Animation in Burbank, California, and created by Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes. Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Rich Magallanes serve as executive producers. Henry Lenardin-Madden serves as co-executive producer, and Alejandro Bien-Willner serves as story editor. Marielle Kaar is Nickelodeon’s Executive in Charge of Production for the series. Dora the Explorer was created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner.

“Our audiences have embraced the new Dora series with open arms, and it’s incredible how she continues to capture the imaginations of preschoolers around the world with her extraordinary rainforest adventures,“ said Ramsey Naito, President, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation. “We can’t wait for kids to discover all of the new fantastical places and colorful characters in the second season while learning and playing along with their good friend Dora.”

Bomber Shorts: NickMusic Being Burned Off On Weekday Mornings On Nicktoons, Guddan Unexpectedly Resurfaces On Zee World And A Rebroadcast Of Ana's Revenge And El Baron Launch On Telemundo Across Africa m

NickMusic's demise on weekday mornings 

NickMusic is a basically a youth oriented version to the current MTV that features a mixture of local and international hits catered toward a younger demographic. Internationally, it operates as a programming block (if not TV show) and 24 hour channel.

Since its inception on Nicktoons, the show has been going through numerous timeslot changes and in recent months getting phased out from the lineup. Usually Nicktoons would restart NickMusic from the beginning but now it can go unnoticed for several months. 

As some readers are aware, NickMusic airs daily at 16:10 and from May 6th these episodes will air in its repeat slot at 09:00. I don't get why they'd want to air new episodes that early when a majority of the channel's viewers aren't tuning in.

Another why let The Casagrandes get another timeslot as the channel had become bloated with its repeat alongside SpongeBob SquarePants. Is this the channel's way of axing shows perhaps or another way to view it as a liability?

Zee World to hit a new low with a rebroadcast 

A rebroadcast of the first season of This Is Fate was currently airing on the channel weekday afternoons at 3pm. Zee World suddenly decides to yank the show of the schedule for a rebroadcast of Guddan from the third season. 

Now why let Guddan back on the channel particularly from season 3 considering this is the first time reruns come on it would have made a lot more sense to restart from season 1 unless the channel has something else on the cards.

Telemundo is offering double the Zee-nanza

Unlike Zee World, Telemundo is no stranger to rebroadcasts as primetime had continued to plummet on the channel with 22:00 remaining the sole survivor with Come Back To Me. As two reenter the channel for a share of repeats, Ana's Revenge and El Baron.

Ana's Revenge followed a young woman who decides to avenge the death of her mother.

El Baron followed a young Mexican dreamer and rebel helps Pablo Escobar change the world of drug trafficking forever.

Ana's Revenge will air daily at 21:00 replacing The Chosen Granddaughter while El Baron replaces Queen Of Miami at 23:00 from 7 May.

Ultraview's Future In Doubt As OUTtv Proud Launches On eVOD With The OUTtv Channel Coming Off Openview By The End Of April

OUTtv will be coming off the subscription Ultraview platform on Openview at the end of April. eMedia Investments has yet to mention a replacement for EDGE consumers unless that's being discontinued as FUSE would be the only TV channel currently priced at R75 per month.

Ultraview launched as a pay tier to the current free-to-view Openview platform comprises of two packages each with their own set of entertainment. Spice TV is a Bollywood package offering Zee Family and Star Select from India's largest broadcasters while EDGE is youth oriented for OUTtv and FUSE.

eMedia Investments has yet to disclose any further details on subscriber numbers for Ultraview but it is believed to be small bunch. Majority coming from Spice TV due to the existing involvement from Zee One and Star Life which serve as sister channels to the channels in question. 

EDGE would air in the later nights between 9pm and 11pm where consumers are either watching Uzalo on SABC 1 or Isitha: The Enemy on e.tv. Besides that viewership within these hours particularly for such channels are usually low.

Although OUTtv would be signing off from Openview this isn't necessarily a goodbye as the latter would be allocated on eMedia Investments other platform, eVOD. Similar to MultiChoice and NBCUniversal's endeavors with Showmax its likely that further content will surface on eMedia's other channels.

Prior to the introduction of OUTtv Proud, there were rumours flying around that OUTtv would be debuting a streaming service in the market. As companies are looking to consolidate and further reduce spending costs this was the probably the best chance OUTtv had in terms of survival. 

Press statement about OUTtv Proud

OUTtv Proud is proud to announce its exciting new home on the popular eVOD streaming platform. eVOD users can now see the popular and colourful OUT tv content at no extra cost.

After captivating audiences on Ultraview, OUTtv Proud is taking its critically acclaimed slate of content to the ever-growing world of streaming. eVOD viewers can now enjoy a wide range of colourful programming, from captivating dramas and comedies to thought-provoking documentaries and reality shows on South Africa’s first FAST channel.

“OUTtv Proud is already highly popular in the United, States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom and we look forward to building on that success in South Africa,” said Brad Danks, CEO of OUTtv. “South Africa has a rich, dynamic and vibrant LGBTQ+ community and we are excited to partner with eMedia to bring the world’s best LGBTQ+ TV series, movies and documentaries to them.”

New Series Alert: Jhanak Coming This May To Star Life

Star Life, a general entertainment channel operated by Disney Star that is home to various Bollywood drama series and movies all of which are dubbed in English is set to rollout another series in the coming months titled Jhanak.

Jhanak follows the titular character as she faces many challenges and obstacles in her life due to her poor background, but she never gives up on her passion. She meets Anirudh, who offers her support and encouragement, but fate separates them. 

It stars Hiba Nawab as Jhanak Raina, Krushal Ahuja as Aniruddha Bose, Chandni Sharma as Arshi Mukherjee, Dolly Sohi as Srishti Mukherjee, Sachin Verma as Shubh Basu and Kajal Pisal as Tanuja Basu.

The Hindi drama debuted on November 20, 2023 on StarPlus and 80 episodes have reportedly been filmed. It was met with a lot of praise by viewers and even surpassed the rankings of Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin better known as Lost In Life.

Jhanak will air daily at 18:00 CAT from 24 May replacing Faltu which comes to a close days prior. Zee One is also slated to air a new show titled Never Late For Love in the month.

Development Alert: Kelders Van Geheime Will Have A Simultaneous Broadcast On eExtra, Elif And Other Primetime Shows From Kuiertyd Revert Back To Previous Timeslots

Last month, it was reported that e.tv will be debuting its first original Afrikaans soap Kelders Van Geheime from 6 May. This comes after SABC failed to replace one of their longest running shows 7de Laan in 2023 and moved further Afrikaans content to SABC 3. 

Kelders Van Geheime, which is based on the wheelings and dealings of the community that lives on Soebatskloof (a wine farm in the Cape), focuses on three families. As they stand together to earn their bread and butter – and a glass of wine!

As some readers are aware, the show will be airing at 18:00 on e.tv replacing Ouma Sarie. This is the same timeslot SABC 2 aired 7de Laan which garnered 800,000 viewers while Ouma Sarie pulled 1.8 million viewers which is almost double. 

As we're browsing the schedule, there's no daily repeats (for now) as the bloated e.tv has stuffed its schedule with eExtra's scraps. But as we turn to eExtra there is a listing for Kelders Van Geheime weirdly enough its a simultaneous broadcast from e.tv.

When e.tv airs the show at 18:00, eExtra will be airing the exact same thing probably to avoid competition with Elif which airs 30 minutes later at 18:30. Everything Turkish on eExtra from Doodsondes (19:30), Chrysalis (20:30) and Die Put (21:30) join the list.

Now the matter in question, considering e.tv is already airing this at 18:00 it would have made sense to air it by 20:00 or 22:00. Again, e.tv has all these other repeats some like Chrysalis have afternoon repeats on eExtra so Kelders Van Geheime could air in that spot.

Another issue why are we just killing off timeslots for simultaneous airings on e.tv (e.g. Annekan Die Swa Kry). eExtra also offers Asian and Bollywood programming those could have been inserted there to avoid any conflict with the programming. 

Annekan Die Swa Kry and even Kelders Van Geheime could have aired around 15:00-17:00. No need to kill off viewers on eExtra unless there's households that aren't picking up e.tv which would make zero sense.

New Series Alert: Justice League Action And Jessica's Big Little World To Rollout In May On Cartoon Network And Cartoonito Across Africa

After debuting on Cartoon Network in most parts of the world by 2016, Warner Bros. Discovery suddenly decides to license the show for the network in Africa 8 years later. It was made available on Toonami 4 years after it debuted in other countries. 

It follows Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and other superheroes join forces to form the Justice League that aims to fight villains. The series will air daily at 17:50 CAT from 6 May on Cartoon Network and similar to other countries no daily reruns. 

Unlike Teen Titans and Beware The Batman that were heavily ignored by Cartoon Network. Justice League Action is getting some exposure now the issue here most of the channel's audience at the time had grown up and probably aren't tuning into the network.

Not that Justice League Action is doomed to fail or anything as Cartoon Network has a huge fanbase in the market but some consistency would have helped now those who use it to view the network by 2016 are probably missing out.

Warner Bros. Discovery in some markets opted to further distance themselves from the preschool content. This was revealed by the one of the crew members of Craig Of The Creek, as Jessica's Big Little World will not be moving forward with a second season. 

The series follows the titular character as she 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.

Jessica's Big Little World will air daily at 17:00 CAT on Cartoonito from 6 May will daily reruns at 07:35 CAT and 13:55 CAT.

MultiChoice Has Announced Imtiaz Patel’s Exit As Chairman, Just Weeks After Saying He Would Stay On In The Role

Just weeks after announcing that its chairman, Imtiaz Patel, would stay on to oversee a possible deal with Groupe Canal+, MultiChoice Group on Tuesday announced Patel’s exit from the role with immediate effect.

The move comes amid concerns about corporate governance at the broadcaster, which is the subject of a takeover bid by France’s Canal+.

In a surprise move, MultiChoice said on 2 April — following a board meeting before the Easter weekend — that it had rescinded a previous announcement that Patel would step down, with board member Elias Masilela due to take up the chairmanship from 1 April.

“In view of the recent ruling by the Takeover Regulation Panel that required Canal+ to make an immediate mandatory offer to all MultiChoice shareholders … the MultiChoice board has reached an agreement with Imtiaz Patel to remain on as chair,” the company said at the time.

“The board believes there is significant benefit in continuity at this time, and Mr Patel has agreed to extend his tenure until the conclusion of the Canal+ transaction or such sooner date as may be determined in light of progress on the transaction,” it said then.

Now, just three weeks later, Patel is stepping down – this time apparently for good.

Explaining why Patel is leaving, just three weeks after the board decided he should stay on, MultiChoice told investors that at the time of the announcement on 2 April, discussions were in their final stages on key terms of the proposed transaction with Canal+.

‘Next phase’

“These culminated in MultiChoice and Canal+ entering into a co-operation agreement on 7 April and issuing a firm intention announcement on 8 April, with the material terms of the proposed transaction recorded in these documents,” it said.

“Given these developments, the progress that has been achieved thus far and the fact the independent board has been constituted and will fulfil its obligations under the takeover regulations, the proposed transaction has now shifted to the next phase.

“The board and Mr Patel have therefore agreed that now would be an appropriate time for Mr Masilela, the current deputy chair, to be appointed as chair as planned and for Mr Patel to step down from the board with effect from the date of this announcement.”

Patel will remain as an adviser to the group on a consultancy basis as originally planned, it said. 

Interesting Fact: Nickelodeon Was Also Late Entry In Germany As It Relaunched In 2005, Followed By Africa Three Years Later Now Its Winding Down

Not long ago, it was reported that Nickelodeon will be exiting Germany as RTL looks to acquire the channel awaiting regulatory approval. Several shows from the channel such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Paw Patrol are set to rollout under Toggo.

Nicktoons and Nick Jr. serve as sister channels to Nickelodeon are anticipated to remain in the market for now.

Based on a programming block on Super RTL, Toggo will be rolling out as 24 hour channel in the region which is set to continue the Nickelodeon legacy while also supplying other content. As Paramount opts to build its children's offering through streaming. 

Interesting to note, Nickelodeon had a troublesome launch in the market initially rolling out in 1995 went through bankruptcy and several of its shows had been licensed to Super RTL. Coincidence, went it relaunched in 2005 it only came in Africa by 2008.

Prior to this, M-Net had operated K-TV as a children's channel to consumers in select countries. The channel shuttered as M-Net was looking to further distance themselves from the kids market due to the rise in competition from other stations.

It wasn't long till Play Room was rolled out taking a page of Sky Kids and Akili Kids offering fun and educational content part of which is locally produced. Although, it is owned/branded as an M-Net channel it is funded by them through MultiChoice - technically K-TV.

The parent company for Nickelodeon had been auctioned off to potential buyers including Skydance, Apollo Global Management and Sony Pictures Television. Skydance is said to be in advanced talks as Sony looks to partner up with Apollo.

Sony was said to be looking to distance themselves from the streaming and linear regime only handling the studios. Apollo on the other would have minimal control of Paramount so if anything could we be looking at the future of their linear lineup through Germany.

Most channels by Paramount Global nowadays had been operating under one feed either commercial or ad free. Then several productions such as The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish and The Casagrandes Movie are being burnt off to Netflix. 

If anything, it wouldn't seem far fetched if Nickelodeon were to halt their linear operations at some point and some countries looked into following RTL's footsteps and kept some content on the air.

Development Alert: Super RTL Looking To Acquire Nickelodeon In Germany And Rebrand It To Toggo, As Paramount Looks To Streamline Its Portfolio In The Region

German family channel Super RTL wants to take over children’s channel Nickelodeon in Germany and rebrand it into its children’s brand Toggo.

The companies confirmed a corresponding agreement to German industry publication DWDL.

According to the agreement, Super RTL will take over Nickelodeon’s established satellite frequency on Astra (19.2° East) and operate the channel under its own Toggo brand after a transitional period, while continuing to show popular Nickelodeon series such as Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants. The Nickelodeon channel brand will disappear from German free-TV. Paramount intends to focus entirely on its streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV in the children’s sector in Germany in future.

“By expanding the partnership with Nickelodeon and Paramount, Super RTL is offering its young audience an even richer wealth of high-quality children’s programmes. The takeover of the satellite frequency creates a new valuable Toggo touchpoint for the target group of 3 to 13-year-olds. This fits perfectly into the strategy of making the Toggo brand present and tangible for children across as many channels and platforms as possible,” said Thorsten Braun, Head of Marketing, Brand & Consumer Products Officer at RTL Deutschland.

Michael Keidel, Vice President Ad Sales, Affiliate & Streaming Partnerships in Northern, Central & Eastern Europe at Paramount, added: “Thanks to the strategic partnership with Super RTL, the popular Nickelodeon characters and stories for children in Germany continue to have a firm place on free-TV. This fits perfectly into our strategy of entertaining fans via numerous high-reach touchpoints. These include our premium streaming service Paramount+, our free, ad-finGerman family channel Super RTL wants to take over children’s channel Nickelodeon in Germany and rebrand it into its children’s brand Toggo.

The companies confirmed a corresponding agreement to German industry publication DWDL.

According to the agreement, Super RTL will take over Nickelodeon’s established satellite frequency on Astra (19.2° East) and operate the channel under its own Toggo brand after a transitional period, while continuing to show popular Nickelodeon series such as Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants. The Nickelodeon channel brand will disappear from German free-TV. Paramount intends to focus entirely on its streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV in the children’s sector in Germany in future.

“By expanding the partnership with Nickelodeon and Paramount, Super RTL is offering its young audience an even richer wealth of high-quality children’s programmes. The takeover of the satellite frequency creates a new valuable Toggo touchpoint for the target group of 3 to 13-year-olds. This fits perfectly into the strategy of making the Toggo brand present and tangible for children across as many channels and platforms as possible,” said Thorsten Braun, Head of Marketing, Brand & Consumer Products Officer at RTL Deutschland.

Michael Keidel, Vice President Ad Sales, Affiliate & Streaming Partnerships in Northern, Central & Eastern Europe at Paramount, added: “Thanks to the strategic partnership with Super RTL, the popular Nickelodeon characters and stories for children in Germany continue to have a firm place on free-TV. This fits perfectly into our strategy of entertaining fans via numerous high-reach touchpoints. These include our premium streaming service Paramount+, our free, ad-financed streaming service Pluto TV and our pay-TV channels.”

The transaction is subject to approval by the German Federal Cartel Office.anced streaming service Pluto TV and our pay-TV channels.”

The transaction is subject to approval by the German Federal Cartel Office.

Recap To The Decade: Canal+ Afrique Also Offer Pornographic Material With Hustlers TV And Private TV, What Could Await This Lineup Should It Rollout On DStv?

As some readers aware, StarSat once offered a pornographic content on their platforms for consumers in South Africa. This had garnered a lot of media coverage and even led to numerous legal disputes with the channels alienated within the region.

Despite StarTimes playing it safe by having those channel's offering reduced to weeknights and making consumers who opted to bundle the entertainment pay extra. Their attempts had proven to be unsuccessful and led consumers to flee the platform. 

Now Canal+ is seeking to acquire MultiChoice and should these attempts prove favorable. DStv's entertainment would have to be merge/aligned with Canal+'s current offering of course this may prove to be another hurdle.

Similar to StarTimes in select countries, Canal+ offers also offers pornographic material known as MultiMan TV with Hustlers and Private TV. It might form part of MultiChoice's current offering as part of an alignment of content and TV channels.

We're not saying that packages will be axed but seeing as Canal+ already offers English stations those will likely be the first to resurface on DStv. With MultiChoice residing in 22 million households they would give this entertainment further exposure. 

Development Alert: A Rebroadcast Of Eternal Love Launches On eExtra, Annekan Die Swa Kry Returns For Season 3 On e.tv

eExtra hits the snoozefest button with Eternal Love 

After debuting on the channel earlier in the year, a rebroadcast of Eternal Love is scheduled to air daily at 16:15 from 3 May. This is by far the quickest comeback ever for a rebroadcast as it ending sometime in February taking a 3 month gap.

Based on the novel of the same name, Eternal Love followed a free-spirited woman's soul inhabits the body of a timid woman from a different time. She must find a way to balance her double life when she falls in love with two different men.

The Erens are back for more drama

As seen on the programme guide, Annekan Die Swa Kry is not going anywhere after the second season finale debuts on e.tv from 19 May. As season 3 is scheduled to air immediately after the second season finale in the same timeslot on e.tv at 17:00.

Synopsis on the first episode of season 3

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. While the excitement of the new term at Ataman College increases with the new students coming to the school; Ömer's ignorant cooperation with his brothers and his arrogant attitude cause them to come face to face with Asiye. The showdown at the party organized by the Eren brothers at the mansion ends unexpectedly.

Prior to its debut, e.tv will be airing its first Afrikaans soap Kelders Van Geheime from 4 May. Filmed in Simondium, it stars Veronique Jephtas, Vashti Prins, Charl Marais Senior, Zak Hendrikz and Geon Nel.

May 2024 On Discovery Channel And HGTV Across Africa | New Series Alert: Crime Gone Viral And Wild And Weird America | Returning Shows Including Down Home Fab | More

Discovery Channel 

Crimes Gone Viral S1

NEW TO CHANNEL

Gripping clips of kidnappings, break-ins, wild car chases, and other crimes rack up millions of views, but the stories behind these crimes are often never told -- until now. This series takes viewers inside the most shocking crimes that went viral.

First TX: 28 May

TX Day: Tuesday

TX Time: 20:55 & 21:25

Last TX: 6 Aug

Wheeler Dealers World Tour

BRAND NEW

After twenty years of iconic makeovers Mike and Elvis are back to take on their most ambitious projects yet and this time, they're going global. From the US, to Australia, Europe and the UK, Mike will track down a selection of vehicles that are iconic to each country, in need of some serious TLC, set up in a local garage and

leave it to Elvis and local mechanics to restore them to their former glory.

First TX: 31 May

TX Day: Friday

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 2 Aug

Wild & Weird America S1

BRAND NEW

Watch uproarious real-life moments: backyard mishaps, car chaos, avalanche disasters, stunts, spills and thrills. It's an unforgettable rollercoaster of laughter caught on camera.

First TX: 18 May

TX Day: Saturday

TX Time: 20:55 & 21:25

Last TX: TBC

Border Control Spain S2

NEW SEASON

In Madrid's main airport, Madrid-Barajas, 5,000 security cameras help agents maintain security. Follow state security forces to discover how they monitor Spain's borders.

First TX: 14 May

TX Day: Tuesday

TX Time: 20:00 & 20:30

Last TX: TBC

HGTV

Down Home Fab S2

BRAND NEW

Chelsea and Cole DeBoer navigate the most

challenging chapter of their lives as they create and build a design business and take on client

renovations, all while raising four young children.

First TX: 29 May

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 17 July

Fixer To Fabulous Italiano

BRAND NEW

In this new limited series we will embark on the

adventure of a lifetime as the Marrs and their family head to Italy to help some family friends renovate a historic home and turn it into the farmhouse they've always dreamed of!

First TX: 16 May

TX Day: Thursday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 20 June

Rock the Block S5

NEW SEASON

Four teams of HGTV superstars return to the block to face-off in the ultimate home renovation competition. With identical starting waterfront homes and budgets, the team's house that appraises the highest at the end wins it all!

First TX: 4 May

TX Day: Sunday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 15 June

Why The Heck Did I Buy This House? S2

NEW SEASON

Designer and renovator Kim Wolfe comes to the

rescue of homeowners feeling major buyer's remorse. This former Survivor winner and mom of three uses her expert skills to reinvent lifeless spaces and make homeowners finally fall in love with their home.

First TX: 22 May

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 22:00

Last TX: 10 July

Apple Looking To Close Deal On FIFA World Cup, Might Block SuperSport And SABC

Soccer's global governing body FIFA is close to an agreement with Apple to give the tech company worldwide television rights for a new, month-long club tournament, the New York Times reported on Monday.

The deal with Apple could be announced as soon as this month and valued at around $1 billion, a quarter of the $4 billion FIFA had first estimated, the report said, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The potential agreement would give the company's streaming business an edge amid competition among streaming services providers to lap up rights for widely watched sporting events in a bid to add subscribers.

If the deal goes through, this would mark the first time that FIFA has agreed to a single worldwide contract, the report said.

Senior executives at FIFA, however, have raised concerns over the possibility of "free-to-air rights", which would make the event only available to subscribers of Apple TV+, according to the report. It is unclear whether the deal includes any such rights.

Sponsors have also been reluctant to commit the $150 million that FIFA is seeking for sponsorship packages, the report said.

The 32-team event will be held next year between June 15 and July 13. Usually, no major events are scheduled during this period in order to allow players to rest in the off-season a year before the World Cup, according to the report.

FIFA has faced criticism from players unions for not consulting them before making announcements about the event, according to the report.

"As a general practice, FIFA does not confirm or deny commercial discussions," a spokesperson for the governing body said in a response. Apple declined to comment.

Trouble for sports in SA

Seeing as Apple is looking to secure this for their platforms being Apple TV+ it's possible that SuperSport and SABC might miss out on the action. Considering that MultiChoice opted to minimize the sports on Showmax its likely that it could be televised. 

Provided that SuperSport licenses the rights from Apple same goes for the SABC as opposed to running through SuperSport. This comes after eMedia Investments had won a broadcasting dispute against MultiChoice in regards to the Rugby World Cup.

Although this news may seem pleasing to some readers, in other countries you have most sporting events from SuperSport viewed on multiple platforms (additional fees) while in South Africa it was under one tile (one fee).

Development Alert: New Care Bears Specials To Debut On WBD EMEA & LatAm Platforms

Six new animated specials for Cloudco Entertainment’s Care Bears: Unlock the Magic are set to premiere on Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) Cartoonito and HBO Max/Max across EMEA and on Max in Latin America.

Individual EMEA country launch dates will vary, but both Cartoonito and HBO Max/Max are planning to begin rollouts this summer. In Latin America, Max debuted the first special in mid-March, with plans to release the others in April, July, September, October and November.

The Care Bears: Unlock the Magic specials have already launched on POP in the U.K., Family Channel in Canada, Channel 9 in Australia and TVNZ in New Zealand. They have begun their rollout in the U.S. as well, with future releases continuing into November.

The six new specials are titled “The Quest for the Rainbow Stone,” “Grumpy’s Ginormous Adventure,” “The Star of a Thousand Wishes,” “The Mystery of the Snickering Ghost,” “The Bad Crowd Strikes Back!” and “The No Heart Games.”

“We’re excited to see the ongoing storytelling journey of Care Bears: Unlock the Magic unfold in an exciting new format and are thrilled to go global with these specials via our fantastic partners at Cartoonito, HBO Max/Max in EMEA, and Max in Latin America,” said Ian Lambur, senior VP of content at Cloudco Entertainment. “With the help of these broadcasters, these mini-movies will build upon the success of our season one episodes, enhance the overall Care Bears experience and make for multiple must-watch events.”

What eMedia Investments Might Have Looked Like Under The Ownership Of Warner Bros. Discovery?

As reported sometime ago, Warner Bros. Discovery was looking to acquire eMedia Investments several years back. Following various legal hurdles of foreign ownership sold their remaining shares as eMedia Investments continues to blossom.

They currently offer Openview, SA's most successful free-to-view DTT platform which is accessible to over 3 million households. It offers over 20 TV channels which offer a range of movies, reality shows, drama series, telenovelas, sports and cartoons.

Most of which probably wouldn't have been under Warner Bros. Discovery's radar leaving consumers the latter on DStv and StarSat.

Warner Bros. Discovery (known as Time Warner) at the time consisted of brands such as HBO, TNT, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito (formerly Boomerang). Before the merger in 2019, their lineup consisted of drama series, movies and cartoons.

There's no way eSeries could have entered the equation if M-Net licensed content from HBO and Warner Bros. Studios. Same goes for the kiddies channel eToonz which might have been supplemented by Cartoon Network all of which are pay-tv brands.

e.tv could have remained as a singular channel with the eMedia Investments trademark phased out. It would have been home to locally produced content while as licensing content from other studios and exploring Warner Bros. Studios archives.

There wouldn't be room for much expansions in terms of local programming e.g. Kuiertyd. 

eNCA would have probably been the only other TV channel with connections to the eMedia trademark. It would have served as the SA adaptation of CNN perhaps infusing its lineup if not co-existing or just have that heavy focus on the local economy.