Warner Bros. Discovery Looking To Bundle Max With Other Streaming Services In Parts Of Europe And Africa

Following the first phase of the recent WBD’s European roll out of Max, Leah Hooper Rosa, EVP of EMEA Streaming, the company’s goal is to operate across all major markets, including the UK.

She said she expects to see more conversations in the future about launching Max in the UK. WBD previously announced it plans to launch service Max in the country by 2026. The media and entertainment powerhouse currently has a long-running licensing partnership with UK pay TV operator Sky, for its HBO content which runs until the end of 2025.

Hooper Rosa, said, “We’re in the game now of we want to be a top three global streaming service. That’s our ambition.”

“We’re on a multi-year journey in terms of our Max roll out across Europe. We’re actively in conversations. Our CEO and Gerhard Zeiler (president of WBD International)  have also shared with partners and working out what that would look like,” she added.

Referring to the company’s recently partnership with Disney to offer a bundle including Disney+, Hulu and Max in the US, Hooper Rosa said – “it’s natural that we see those types of things move into Europe”.

The streamer has launched across Europe in partnership with telcos and pay TV provider in select regions.

“We haven’t seen too many types of those relationships yet in Europe with other streamers doing streaming bundling. But I think there is an opportunity for that in the future and we’ll see how consumers react to that,” she added.

Max debuted in Iberia, the Nordic markets and parts of central and eastern Europe earlier this month, as part of a staggered roll-out for simplicity, said the WBD exec. Further launches are planned for France, Poland, the Netherland and Belgium June.

Currently the streamer is available in 20 countries, including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

At present, WBD will only introduce tis Max’s ad-supported subscription plan in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Romania, Poland, France and Belgium.

For their strategy in Europe she explained, “its really a combination of the maturity of the ad market in those regions and the of maturity of our business because we need to be able to sell ads or to be able to have the capability to work with a partner.”

Max also offers a sports add-on, providing coverage of major international and European sports including Australian Open, Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon, US Open, Giro d’Italia, La Vuelta a España, Tour de France, and every major winter sports World Championship and World Cup events.

As part of the move, Hooper Rosa said it will be scaling back its content across its other streaming services including discovery+ where Max is present, which was the streaming home for WBD’s sports content across the company’s European markets.

“Max is our flagship streaming service,” she said. “So what we’re doing now is a  wind down across Europe of our other streaming services. It’s really on a market by market basis of how we’re managing that transition.”

Development Alert: Annekan Die Swa Kry (Kardeşlerim) Currently Seen On e.tv And ATV Cancelled After 4 Seasons

Annekan Die Swa Kry (Kardeşlerim) is a Turkish television series in the genre of drama, youth and romance was broadcast on February 20, 2021. Directed and written by Serkan Birinci and Gül Abus Semerci, it starred are Celil Nalçakan, Cüneyt Mete, Simge Selçuk and Yiğit Koçak. 

The story revolves around Kadir, Ömer, Asiye and Emel, four siblings who lose their parents due to unfortunate circumstances and try to build their lives going forward with each other's support. Despite their ups and downs, they are always there for each other.

The series which consists of 4 seasons will end with its 133rd episode which will be broadcast on June 15, 2024 in Turkey. It is currently on its third season on e.tv with the latter often allocated on eVOD months prior so it's likely viewers will get the final installment by the fall.

This news was revealed across social platforms as Turkish broadcaster ATV has another program slated in place of Annekan Die Swa Kry. Prior to the news, sources outlined that writers had expressed interest in doing a potential fifth and sixth season. 

ATV is a Turkish free-to-air television network owned by Turkuvaz Media Group and is also one of the most popular channels within the market. Aside from Annekan Die Swa Kry, it is known for shows like Karadayi, Kara Para Ask (Black Money Love) and Hercai.

"Minimax": Could MultiChoice Look To Replace Me With Another TV Channel On DStv?

During the year, MultiChoice had axed both 1Magic and Me from the DStv platform. Unlike the other 9 TV channels to have closed, further content from these brands had consolidated under Showmax which inherited its own TV channel, 1Max.

Of course, MultiChoice further reduced its availability to the consumers of 1Magic, Compact Plus. Despite most consumers already having a Showmax subscription it would make sense to offer it to consumers of Compact and Family.

This has led consumers of Me to wonder if M-Net would find other means in getting Summertide and White Lies SA to lower bouquets. Seeing as 1Max is Compact+ and a minority of consumers can't access Showmax.

Rumours had been swirling around that another TV channel was in development for lower bouquets possibly in place of Me. Of course, various details about the content or a name has not yet been disclosed at the time of publishing. 

Something that we had theorized earlier in the year was the possible demise of Me was the production of another TV channel. With the inclusion of 1Max, we presume a lightweight version of the channel perhaps titled Minimax is in development. 

With 1Max basically being 1Magic with additional content from Me alongside a demographic expansion to include the rest of Africa. Minimax would only focus on the local aspects of 1Max and perhaps infuse M-Net's existing local offering in the lineup. 

Me would initially evade themselves from airing a majority of local shows from 1Magic. Minimax on the other would further minimize the amount of content from M-Net seeing as the latter is on 1Max with M-Net being minimal on repeats on their channels. 

As seen with BBC UKTV, Minimax could as well be exempted from Premium and Compact Plus while being viewed on Family and Compact perhaps even Access seeing as the latter (e.g. Reyka) is not on Mzansi Wethu. 

1Magic was viewed as M-Net's BET channel with 1Max expanding that to include content from ROA. The content is meant to resonate with every aspect of consumer's lives but with Minimax it would be less traditional with shows like My Kitchen Rules SA and Trackers. 

The History Channel Bring You War Story Sundays This June

This year marks 80 years since the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. The seaborn invasion and airborne operations were the beginning of the liberation of France and western Europe during WWII.

In commemoration of this anniversary the HISTORY Channel Africa brings viewers D-Day: 100 Days To Beat The Third Reich. Other war stories that will be brought to life, each Sunday evening in June, includes Hitler’s Handmaidens, The Lost U-Boats Of WWII and WWII Air Crash Detectives

Catch these gripping WWII doccies this June and July!

Hitler's Handmaidens

Sundays at 20h15

Starts 2 June

The role of women in the rise and implementation of Nazi Germany is rarely featured in the history of World War II.

Hitler’s Handmaidens examines the women who played an influential role in German

society under the Nazi regime, from those who supported Hitler’s rise, to the individuals who played an active role in the Holocaust and other atrocities.

D-Day:100 Days to Beat the Third Reich

Sundays at 21h05

Starts 2 June

For the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing, this documentary will bring back to life the 100 days it took for the Allies to liberate Normandy, to break through the German line and to pave the way towards victory. It tells of 100 critical days, both heroic and tragic, that made history.

The Lost U-Boats of WWII

Sundays at 21h05

Starts 16 June

During WWII the Nazis stole billions of dollars in gold, jewels and art. To hold onto as much of their treasure as possible despite losing the war, the Nazis dispersed the valued goods all over the globe using U-boats. For almost 80 years the treasure laden U-Boats have remained in their watery graves, until now. Famed treasure hunter Darrell Miklos sets out to complete his lifelong mission of finding the missing U-boats and their multi-billion-dollar cargo. Each one-hour episode follows Darrell and his team of experts as they attempt to locate and lift the missing Nazi U-boats from the bottom of the Caribbean Sea.

WWII Air Crash Detectives

Sundays at 20h15

Starts 30 June

Uncovering the truth behind the deaths of thousands of airmen in World War II is investigator Garth Barnard. He reveals the historical events that caused vast destruction and devastation.

Not only are stories told of collisions with attacking aircrafts, but the series presents the facts behind dangerous training missions and accidents that occurred.

Join the HISTORY Channel Africa, as we uncover details surrounding the largest and deadliest conflict in human history, only on DStv 186 this June and July. 

Important Notice Dated 30 May

As some readers are aware, we have been less active on the site as this is part of many enhancements to improve reader's experience. We are currently distributing other content on X (Formerly Twitter) while our Facebook account continues to offer the best of Insidus. 

During this time, we have been prepping up new content which we will share in the coming days.

Warner Bros. Discovery Hinting At More Mergers And Acquisitions Through Interviews

Warner Bros. Discovery, just over two years after closing the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, will be “opportunistic” about seeking M&A deals in the next two or three years, president and CEO David Zaslav said.

“I think some companies will be for sale,” Zaslav said, speaking Thursday at the Bernstein 40th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York. “We can be opportunistic but we’re going to be very disciplined.”

“I think there’s likely going to be some consolidation. There are a lot of players. There are a lot of players that are losing a lot of money,” Zaslav said. “One of the reasons why we really fought to drive our free cash flow and pay down our debt is to be in a position — as we roll out globally, as we fight to build our business — that we’re a healthy company.”

Speaking of losing money, Warner Bros. Discovery reported full-year 2023 revenue of $41.3 billion, down 4% on a pro-forma basis, and a net loss of $3.13 billion (versus a net loss of $5.36 billion on a pro-forma basis in 2022). The media conglomerate during the first quarter of 2024 repaid $1.1 billion of debt to end the quarter with $43.2 billion of gross debt.

“Over the next two to three years, I expect that there’s going to be some opportunities,” Zaslav said. “There’ll be some players that want to get out of the business, that will look to consolidate their streaming businesses with others. And so I think we will look to be opportunistic during that time,” he said, adding that he believes there will be 4-5 dominant global streaming platforms as things shake out.

“The global nature of this business is going to require a number of players to decide whether they want to go it alone,” according to Zaslav. He said “consolidation can happen in a lot of different ways,” including through bundling — such as WBD and Disney’s forthcoming Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle — and he also suggested “over the long term some of the smaller players in streaming will end up wanting to be part of a bigger global organization.”

Regarding Paramount Global — which has been in talks about a potential sale to Skydance Media and has been reviewing a joint bid from Sony Pictures-Apollo — Zaslav didn’t address WBD’s recent interest in exploring a merger with the company, but he commented in a lightning-round Q&A about Paramount, “Great storytelling heritage.” Zaslav met briefly late last year with Paramount’s then-CEO Bob Bakish to size up a potential merger but those talks didn’t continue.

Skydance Sweetens Offer For Paramount Global

David Ellison’s Skydance has sweetened its offer to acquire Paramount Global, Deadline has learned, in an attempt to make it more palatable to the company’s Class B stockholders after they trashed the outlines of a previous deal and threatened to sue.

Ellison’s original offer was to buy out Par’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone for a significant premium, resulting in a windfall for her, and then merge Skydance into Paramount keeping the combined company public. Stockholders wanted to be bought out at a premium as well.

Skydance, backed by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital, sweetened the offer once late last month — offering to buy out a certain number of Class A voting shares from stockholders other than Redstone — as an exclusive monthlong negotiating period with Par ended. But it wasn’t enough to woo holders of the Class B non-voting stock, who are the majority of shareholders.

As the Skydance exclusive talks ended with no deal, Sony jumped in for a $26 billion bid with private equity giant Apollo, that was later downsized in some fashion as Sony signed a non-disclosure agreement with with Par about two weeks ago that would let SPE access Par’s books and talks to start in earnest. Those conversations were not exclusive, however, and Skydance remained very much in the mix, continuing to talk with Par as well.

The issue for Sony is not shareholders but regulators. Foreign ownership rules likely prevent Sony from owning CBS broadcast assets, which likely why its offer became more targeted. But it might not be a cakewalk to merge two major studios either. Skydance is safer, more certain on the regulatory front and wouldn’t require a prolonged review amid possible opposition that can drag a deal out and sometimes end without one.

All offers are being evaluated by a special committee of Paramount’s board of directors. Three on that committee — Dawn Ostroff, Nicole Seligman and Frederick Terrell — will formally exit the board as of the company’s annual shareholder meeting next Tuesday. Another board memeber, Robert Kieger, will also be leaving. Par announced the upcoming departures — which will leave it with a greatly downsized board — earlier this year to widespread speculation on what it meant for a deal.

Par hasn’t said whether the three had continued to serve actively on the pared down committee after their pending departures were announced or what the committee composition is now, or will be after the meeting where shareholders vote for directors among other issues on the agenda. The committee in any case is just there for a recommendation, with Redstone the decider and, some feel, a wildcard.

Says one source with knowledge of the dealings, “At the end of the day, whatever the committee recommends to Shari, it’s up to her to decide. A deal’s not a deal without her.”

Hollywood insiders favor a Skydance deal over a Sony/Apollo takeover of Paramount Global. The reduction of a major studio strikes fear throughout the exhibition sector that fewer event films would exist in the long run, the sector currently weathering the aftermath of Covid, two strikes and a Disney-Fox merger which has reduced the supply of movies at multiplexes.

"Trouble In Bollywood": You Have My Heart Rolls Out On Star Life From June 8th, Titli's Future Remains Uncertain

During the month, Star Life made the dastardly deed of halting daytime repeats of Evil Affairs and Beyond Love. This had caused an uproar of angry viewers demanding for them to be reinstated with Star Life only opting to move further repeats to late nights.

Now it looks the channel will be embroiled in more drama in the coming days as a new titled You Have My Heart is slated for June 8th. The only problem would be the timeslot allocation as it takes up 21:30 where Titli's is currently residing. 

Various consumers are concerned that Titli could suffer a similar fate as Beyond Love. As some readers are aware, Beyond Love has several seasons fully develop and Star Life is ending its journey with only 1 season currently and not airing back to back.

Titli will end with only 71 episodes having being aired on the 21:30 timeslot. There were rumours that the nature of the show had to do with its demise and although that's not proven we presume Titli could replace Beyond Love as opposed to Lost In Love.

Let's analyze the facts here, Star Life had promised to air repeats of Evil Affairs in late nights but programme guide shows no such thing. Then there's You Have My Heart, Star Life didn't have any new show slated on that day as Titli is still listed. 

Based on the Malayalam drama series Karuthamuthu, You Have My Heart (Anurager Chhowa) follows an ordinary girl and a doctor who fall in love as they discover each other's real beauty despite facing various trials and tribulations.

It starred Dibyojyoti Dutta as Dr. Surjo Sengupta, Swastika Ghosh as Deepanwita "Deepa" Majumdar, Ritu Pyne as Dr. Ira Sengupta, Arjun Chakrabarty as Dr. Arjun Chakrabarty, Sristi Majumdar as Rupa Sengupta and Mishita Roy Chowdhury as Shona Sengupta.

Important Notice: SPI International's Kino Polska Is Getting A New Logo On June 3rd

Kino Polska will feature a completely new visual setting, more modern and adapted to current trends. According to the broadcaster, its introduction is intended to both encourage new viewers to discover the rich world of Polish cinematography, as well as to more strongly emphasize the film character of the channel, which is inscribed in its DNA. 

With the introduction of a new channel design, we want to intrigue both our existing viewers and attract the attention of new ones. We are passionate about Polish cinema, so we want to encourage everyone to choose Kino Polska - both younger and older, representatives of different generations. The station plays an important role in building the identity of different generations and connecting them, educating younger viewers about their roots and history, and reminding older viewers of their youth. In this way, we build the value and impact of the Kino Polska brand, whose mission is important for subsequent generations - says Patrycja Gałązka, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at SPI International. 

As part of the new setting, Kino Polska has gained a new color palette that responds to the trend of popularity of vintage style. Another element of the changed design is the new Kino Polska logo, in which the channel name has been retained, gaining a refreshed font and a different form of notation. Next to the name, there is also a new signet ring depicting a frame. 

The new logo of Kino Polska additionally emphasizes the film character of the channel and reminds that by reproducing the frame with our hands, each of us can look at the world through the prism of the creator looking for the right shot - informs the broadcaster. 

Along with the refreshed look of the channel, its sound design will also change, which has been adapted to the more modern visuals of the channel, but at the same time refers to the existing musical theme, keeping viewers feeling that it is a well-known channel that accompanies them on their film journeys. 

The new musical setting is universal, suits various moods as well as film genres, it is light and positive. It was composed by musician and composer Szymon Wysocki - adds the broadcaster. 

New programming offer of Kino Polska The Kino Polska channel will gain both a new setting and programming offer. The station is changing for viewers, offering a completely new version of Kino Polska, wanting to reach a younger audience, the broadcaster informs. Starting from June 9, every Sunday of the month, viewers will be able to watch a special film series "Cinema of Generations", dedicated to different generations. The station will take viewers on a film journey through decades of Polish cinema, from the 1980s to the present day. The film proposals include: "Dogs", "Kill me cop", "Sztos", "Fuks", "Controlled conversations" and "No one will sleep in the forest tonight".

Source: Satkurier

News Shorts: Play Room Acquires Broadcasting Rights To Cave Club, Baby Cele Joins Season 2 Of Sibongile And The Dlaminis And Raid The Cage Delayed On SABC 2

Cave Club is now part of the Play Room family 

Welcome to a land of adventure, exploration, and even dinosaurs. Join five fearless friends as they discover the unexpected origins of some of today's most popular trends and tackle relatable issues. These B.F.F.s will be the first to see and do everything-starting with the first-ever best friends' group, Cave Club.

It will air daily at 07:30 from 6 June.

Baby Cele Joins Season 2 of Sibongile & The Dlaminis

Baby Cele is joining season 2 of Sibongile & The Dlaminis as Samkelisiwe, Bab’Ntombela’s sister, and it looks like she is set to shake things up for her former friends Deliwe and Phetheni.

The three met as young women and connected over their shared experience of being scammed, but she got the short end of the stick in this friendship trio, which sets her on a path for revenge.

Baby Cele is one of the extremely talented actors in Mzansi and she has showcased her talent on productions like Mzansi Magic’s Ring Of Lies, Saints and Sinners and recently Shaka Ilembe. Watch her as she returns to Ixopo and turns some people’s lives upside down on the new season of Sibongile & The Dlaminis on Mzansi Wethu (DStv Channel 163) from 29 July at 6:30pm.  

SABC 2 delayed Raid The Cage

In late March the SABC at a programming upfront in Johannesburg rolled out podcasters Sol Phenduka and Mac G on stage before stakeholders and announced them as the co-presenters of Raid the Cage South Africa that the public broadcaster said would start on 27 May on SABC2.

According to insiders, the SABC made the announcement about Raid the Cage and other shows without various contracts having been signed yet. 

Raid the Cage SA for SABC2 is another one of the shows acquired by Primedia Studios and done for the SABC and is one of the new crop of localised format shows produced by Anele Mdoda and Frankie du Toit's Rose and Oaks Media like The Masked Singer SA and Ready, Steady, Cook for SABC3. 

Development Alert: Star Plus Undergoes Timeslot Changes In Africa With Maati Se Bandhi Dor Added To The Lineup, Telecast Of Lost In Love Replaces Beyond Love On Star Life

Star Plus is a general entertainment channel that distribute Bollywood based films and series part of which are made available to Star Life. The parent company Disney Star also operate Star Bharat, Star Select, Star Gold and Vijay TV in the region.

During the week, the channel had made several schedule adjustments to their existing offering with Pandya Store (a long awaited show for Star Life) aired its last episode on Sunday night. This would be replaced by another original show Maati Se Bandhi Dor.

Maati Se Bandhi Dor follows a hard-working Vaiju who labours in the fields to support her family and village, but she finds her life facing an unexpected challenge when Rannvijay dismisses her as a potential wife. Ankit Gupta and Rutuja Bagwe star as the lead characters. 

Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin moved from 20:00 to 19:30 with Udne Ki Aasha moved from 18:30 to 20:15 both of which run for 45 minutes. The latter Anupama and Yeh Hai Chahatein remain intact in their current timeslots at 21:00 and 22:00.

Other shows offered on the channel include Chhoo Kar Mere Mann Ko at 11:30, Grihapravesh - Ek Nayi Shuruwat at 12:00 and Kasme Vaade at 15:00.

In other developments, the first season of Beyond Love concludes on Star Life by June 7th following a troublesome rollout on the channel due to Evil Affairs. Both had lost daytime slots and had no repeat slots throughout the night which led to an onslaught of complaints. 

According to the programme guide, Beyond Love will be replaced by a current telecast of Lost In Love which kind of begs the question. Could this have anything to do with the controversies surrounding Evil Affairs?

Recap To The Decade: Canal+ And MultiChoice Unveil New DStv Package Catered For Francophone Africa

Canal+ is a French based pay-tv provider operated by Vivendi that distribute various films, series and TV channels. It is also one of MultiChoice's biggest shareholders owning almost of the pay-tv company as it looks to take full ownership and get a JSE listing. 

Canal+ and MultiChoice are no strangers to one another as they had done numerous content deals e.g. Blood Psalms. Another being Canal+ attempt at acquiring MultiChoice Africa (excluding South Africa) which was quickly blocked from mentioned parties. 

With Canal+ current stake within MultiChoice, they were able to distribute channels already viewed on their platforms through a separate package/add-on targeted at Francophone Africa known as DStv English.

The name DStv English comes from the fact that MultiChoice's services are well-known within the English speaking countries (or Anglophone) and with DStv being a household name. Another derives from offering viewed on these platforms.

DStv English comprises of two packages the first titled English Basic option offers general entertainment brands like Africa Magic Epic, Zee World, Telemundo, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. All of which were currently priced at a monthly rate of 5000 CFAF (R152,61).

The second package known as English Plus comprised mainly of M-Net and SuperSport channels and these include Africa Magic Showcase, M-Net Movies 3 and 4, SuperSport EPL and La Liga. All of which were currently priced at 14500 CFAF (R442,58).

Notice the price difference here with your standalone DStv package in South Africa. It should be noted that DStv English only offers 15 channels which are divided into two packages and with the total sum it would make DStv Compact (R470p/m) cheaper.

If anything it goes to show that every channel viewed on your regular DStv comes with a price tag and also that MultiChoice has been spending more money on channels viewed on English Plus.

Is SABC Still Planning To Expand Their Operations To MultiChoice's DStv And eMedia Investments' Openview?

In 2021, reported rivals eMedia Investments and the SABC had extended the agreement to include SABC Sport alongside SABC's 19 radio stations. This would sit alongside SABC 1-3 with plans to add two entertainment channels to the existing line-up. 

These channels never came to fruition to Openview consumers since the agreement was announced despite promises to unveil them. The only thing known about these brands is that the premise is similar to SABC Encore with plans to include new content. 

Prior to this, MultiChoice and StarSat were in discussion to launch another TV channel from the public broadcaster, SABC Education. Similar to these two untitled channels on Openview, SABC Education hadn't launched yet and only resides on SABC's DTT and SABC+.

There had been mentions that MultiChoice similar to eMedia Investments could be looking to add more TV channels from the SABC which is delaying the rollout of SABC Education. Another that an SABC Encore based channel was in development. 

Since last year, the public broadcaster was only able to launch two channels SABC Lehae and SABC Variety. Although, they hadn't officially announced the channels or properly marketed them they are however viewable on SABC's DTT with Lehae also on SABC+.

Speculation going around is that these channels would also be allocated on eMedia Investments' Openview. The public broadcaster is low on income and the only reason they would even greenlit a channel would be if they had some form of funding.

These two channels do match the description SABC provided about these Openview channels - repeats. SABC Lehae would give consumers access to local news following the dismissal of News And Sports in 2022 while SABC Variety would compliment ePleiser. 

Not much is known on why SABC hadn't expanded their services as intended but some guesses have to do with the restructuring of SABC 1-3. The SABC is currently reviewing the content on these channels in an attempt to revamp themselves. 

Maybe these endeavors would lead to the creation of more TV channels or restructures for their other brands.

Another reason could be the corporate management of these brands, they had promised to launch SABC+ by 2018/9 but did so successfully by 2022. Same thing with SABC Lehae, no announcement or media briefing on its launch as promised last year.

Recap To The Week: DAZN Secures Global Rights To Broadcast AEW’s Double Or Nothing And NJPW: Forbidden Door

The global streaming platform, DAZN has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights for All Elite Wrestling‘s (AEW) two Pay-Per-View events – AEW: Double or Nothing and AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door.

Starting this weekend, fans globally will be able to buy AEW PPV events directly on the DAZN Platform. On May 26, AEW will return to Las Vegas with AEW: Double or Nothing for its sixth season. A thrilling evening of professional wrestling is anticipated at AEW: Double or Nothing, which will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Pete Oliver, CEO of Growth Markets at DAZN, said, “We are pleased to be partnering with AEW to bring their exhilarating Pay-Per-View events to audiences across the globe. By providing fans with access to these blockbuster events, we aim to elevate the sports viewing experience and enable wrestling fans to experience every moment of the action, from thrilling matches to surprise appearances.”

The combined pay-per-view event AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, presented by AEW and NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling), will air live from UBS Arena on Long Island, NY, on June 30 on DAZN.

Ten fights have been announced for Sunday’s pay-per-view, with seven championships on the line, including the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator battle.

Australia, Afghanistan, India, Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Maldives are among the territories that are not included in this agreement.

Was Anyone Surprised That eMedia Investments Removed TNA (Formerly Impact Wrestling) From Openview?

By late 2019, TNA (formerly IMPACT Wrestling), a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, had announced a new multi-year television deal which will make e.tv the home of TNA across more than 50 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The exclusive broadcast deal would showcase TNA Wrestling’s flagship weekly shows TNA Wrestling IMPACT! and TNA Xplosion, plus four annual pay-per-views, monthly event series and library content from TNA+.

Since its inception, the show went through numerous timeslot changes on e.tv and often pulled a houdini. To top it off, TNA was overshadowed by the likes of the DStv Premiership on SABC 1 as they aired in the same timeslot.

That was never the case with WWE and even if it were e.tv would allocate repeats throughout the week and none of those efforts were seen with TNA. Even with PPVs, e.tv would reserve a timeslot for Summerslam or WrestleMania while the latter went to Openview. 

eMedia Investments' attempts at substituting TNA went unnoticed and was heavily criticized by viewers. Some of which criticized the dialogue and storyline and went as far as making comparisons with WWE.

After 5 years, eMedia Investments opted not to renew their agreement with TNA which led StarTimes acquire those rights. This would bring TNA Wrestling's offering to 30 countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa and Ivory Coast.

Samurai Jack: The Amulet Of Time (GBA)

The game follows Jack's quest through seven areas to obtain the elemental gem pieces of an amulet that can send him back to his own time. As more gemstones are collected, the player unlocks more of Jack's weapons and abilities, such as a super jump and a battle hammer.

For an emulator please visit Regular Nick: Games

Download Now 

"The DStv Purge": Why Consumers Shouldn't Expect A Follow-Up To M-Net's Me Anytime Soon?

During the year, MultiChoice had axed both 1Magic and Me from the DStv platform. Unlike the other 9 TV channels to have closed, further content from these brands had consolidated under Showmax which inherited its own TV channel, 1Max.

Of course, MultiChoice further reduced its availability to the consumers of 1Magic being Compact Plus. Despite most consumers already having a Showmax subscription it would make sense to extend the reach to Compact and Family.

But 1Max's inclusion could only be a piece of the puzzle to Me's closure from MultiChoice and M-Net's initial statement:

M-Net is streamlining its channel offering to provide a more seamless entertainment experience for DStv customers...newer fresher content as well as existing shows will be available on the remaining M-Net channels and platforms such as DStv Stream, Catch Up and Showmax.

From what is implied on the statement above, M-Net is looking to go down this path alone as seen when it Iaunched back in 1986. As Mzansi Magic continues to support Mzansi Wethu, M-Net would rather offer content that airs on a respective brand.

There hasn't been much of that in recent years as M-Net's offering continues to remain under pressure from Netflix and Disney+. From what we've seen recently, Netflix becoming the exclusive home to WWE in 2025 with promotions Raw and Smackdown. 

When M-Net picks up a show from the BBC or Paramount Pictures instead of that going onto Me. They're redirecting these efforts onto Showmax as it becomes and continues to be the avenue of fresher releases alongside ones viewed on DStv. 

There were rumours that a replacement was being explored with some citing a third-party. If that happens to be the case, don't expect it to be anything like Me but more like Universal and Comedy Central with its own avenue of content with select from M-Net.

Development Alert (Rumour): CNBC-e Eyeing A Potential Relaunch In Turkey By 3rd June

CNBC, which withdrew from Turkey in 2015 due to the expiration of its broadcasting rights, is planned to start broadcasting again soon. CNBC Turkey, headquartered in Istanbul, will broadcast at least 10 hours of live content a day covering finance, economy and various topics. business news. The channel's programming will be supported by international broadcasts from CNBC bureaus around the world, including Abu Dhabi, London, New York and Singapore. 

The leading economy and television network CNBC Turkey will be relaunched with the support of İlbak Holding. CNBC International President and CEO John Casey expressed his thoughts on the merger as follows: "As a global brand, we understand the importance of providing local business news, insights and analysis. We are excited to announce its partnership with CNBC Turkey. İlbak Holding and CNBC-e To bring the unique and dynamic content of 's to Turkish audiences.

Murat İlbak, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of İlbak Holding, stated that they are happy to bring CNBC back to Turkey with its Turkish content and made the following evaluations: "CNBC Turkey will undoubtedly be a success with the complete, unbiased, accurate information and news content that we have committed to. It will be a breakthrough in the job markets in our country. Turkey has a vibrant and versatile economy with a population of 85 million and a growing investor base. Our aim is to provide an advanced information flow that will facilitate decision-making processes and to reveal the full potential of the business world and markets in Turkey. CNBC Turkey will help its viewers make informed decisions and seize opportunities in the ever-changing global business environment." 

İlbak noted that the TV channel will also play an important role in the development of Turkey, which is among the world's top 20 economies, and added that this strong partnership with CNBC International He emphasized that it will also show the strength and dynamism of the Turkish economy.

Brief History of CNBC-e 

CNBC-e started broadcasting on October 16, 2000, under the leadership of Ercan Kumcu and with the contributions of the Central Bank. Founded by Doğuş Broadcasting Group, the channel was one of the first channels in Turkey to include foreign TV series as well as economic and financial news. CNBC-e works in partnership with CNBC, NBC's renowned business channel, to deliver important market news and analysis to its viewers from around the world. 

Why Did CNBC-e Close? 

CNBC-e ceased broadcasting in 2015. This decision was due to both economic reasons and strategic changes in the media industry. CNBC-e, which broadcasts popular foreign TV series as well as finance and economy programs, was replaced by TLC Turkey after its closure. TLC tried to appeal to CNBC-e's audience with more lifestyle and entertainment content. 

When Will CNBC-e Start Broadcasting in Turkey? 

Recently, rumors have begun to circulate on social media and various platforms that CNBC-e will restart broadcasting. Many viewers hope CNBC-e will reopen. CNBC-e's legacy audience eagerly awaits such a return due to its interest in financial and economic news. CNBC's advertising posters have started to appear on the streets and is expected to open on June 3.

Credits: Anadolu

eMedia Investments Won't Be Able To Offer The T-20 World Cup To Openview Consumers

eMedia has said in a statement that it will not be broadcasting the T20 World Cup in June because of a constrained bidding time frame provided by MultiChoice.

This comes after MultiChoice, which acquired exclusive rights to the World Cup, only opened a tender for free-to-air broadcasters to bid for sub-licensing rights five weeks before the tournament’s start.

As a result, eMedia said bidders are “unlikely” to receive confirmation of broadcasting rights until less than two weeks before the event.

eMedia said it hasn’t submitted a bid, as there will not be enough time to secure sponsors, arrange advertising, and adjust programming schedules.

Due to this conduct, the broadcaster believes MultiChoice has violated the Electronic Communications Act and the Sports Broadcasting Regulations, which mandate prompt notification to free-to-air broadcasters.

“eMedia views the issuing of these late invitations to tender by MultiChoice as undermining fair competition and ignoring a recent Competition Tribunal order designed to prevent such restrictive practices,” the broadcaster said.

“This behaviour is not only unfair to E-tv’s dedicated viewers but also detrimental to the South African broadcasting industry as a whole.”

This is not the first time eMedia has called foul on MultiChoice’s behaviour around sports rights.

Last year, MultiChoice and the SABC concluded last-minute deals allowing the public broadcaster to show key matches from the Rugby and Cricket World Cup tournaments.

This included all matches featuring the Springboks and Proteas, as well as the semi-finals and finals, regardless of who was playing.

However, the deals explicitly blocked the SABC from broadcasting the matches on any channels carried by eMedia’s Openview.

eMedia claimed that these restrictions were anti-competitive and launched legal action against MultiChoice as a result.

The Competition Tribunal recently granted eMedia an interdict forcing MultiChoice to allow the SABC to broadcast live sports sub-licensed from SuperSport on Openview.

Newsflash: Sibongile & The Dlaminis Returns For Season 2 Introducing Nsikelelo Mthiyane As The New Sibongile

If you thought season 1 of Sibongile & The Dlaminis was serving nothing but sgaxa after sgaxa, Season 2 will have you hooked even more because the story continues and introduces the new Sibongile on Mzansi Wethu (DStv Channel 163).

The story of Sibongile (formerly played by Luyanda Zwane), a vibrant small-town girl’s dream of studying to better her and her family's lives continues to unfold after her drama-filled and short-lived romance with Kwenzo ends. In season 1, viewers saw Sibongile’s heart being crushed by Nomalanga’s pregnancy with Kwenzo’s child, she had to go back home to the village in Ixopo and deal with her ‘not-so-motherly’ stepmom, Deliwe, and face her disappointed father until the truth about her circumstances came out.

In season 2, newcomer Nsikelelo Mthiyane takes over the role of Sibongile, and the story continues as viewers will see even more explosive secrets exposed, more confrontations and of course, more gossip from Nomfundo’s squad (the Dlamini helpers). Most exciting is the addition of new cast members to the story, who are sure to shake things up for both the Dlaminis and Sibongile’s family.

“Sibongile & The Dlaminis has been a gift that keeps on giving for our audiences, with season 1 surpassing one million viewership numbers and we can proudly say that it has been a resounding success,” says Shirley Adonisi, Director for Local Entertainment Channels. “We are excited to embark on this second chapter of Sibongile’s journey and we know that the new additions and changes will make this story even more exciting.”

So, does Phetheni find out about the love triangle she is unknowingly part of? Will Vuma ever forgive Deliwe and take her back? What of Nomalanga’s pregnancy and Gcina’s involvement? Most importantly, does Sibongile finally get to have her ‘Cinderella’ moment with Kwenzo?

Tune in for the premiere of Season 2 of Sibongile & The Dlaminis on Mzansi Wethu, DStv Channel 163, from 29 July Monday-Wednesday at 18:30.

New Series Alert: Mzansi Wethu Presents Vuka Mjita, A Show Dedicated To Men

Many have heard the saying ‘Indoda ayikhali’ (a man does not cry) as this may be taken as a sign of weakness. From July 14 July, Mzansi Wethu (DStv channel 163) will be introducing Vuka Mjita, a show where men will unashamedly, honestly, and vulnerably express their feelings.

Hosted by Mondli Makhoba (The Wife, Shaka Ilembe), also known as Bhut’Omdala, Vuka Mjita is all about taking men on a therapeutic journey that breaks their walls and helps them unlock the doors to the side of healing. This is with the hope that the process will assist them reflect on the men they are becoming and what role they are playing in their families and in society.

“This show is like being part of a journey to ‘empower‘ men and we are looking at it as giving a platform to help understand, nurturing and try to heal the mental state of our brothers and sons where it’s needed,” says Director of Local Entertainment Channels Shirley Adonisi.

“Our Mzansi brand is all about entertainment that resonates with our audience, and we hope that Vuka Mjita will be more than just that but will also be a show where men can be vulnerable and talk openly and honestly.”

Thanks to the therapy plan which was designed by Clinical Psychologist & Author, Thabang Tlaka, each week a therapist will sit with a different gentleman who needs a remedy or therapy to deal and change a predicament they are faced with. As an expert in the field, the process he takes them through helps each candidate to break down the walls, speak up, confront their fears.

As uBhut’Omdala says: ”Kuwumsebenzi wethu to find out why we exist, for there is a bigger purpose.”

Tune in to Mzansi Wethu DStv Channel 163 from Sunday 14 July at 8pm to see how men in our modern-day society try to find their purpose for existence through emotional healing.

Africa’s Dedicated Horse Racing Channel, Featuring The Best International And Local Horse Racing, Racing 240 (Channel 240 On DStv), Is Transitioning To High Definition

4Racing’s Head of Content, Stephen Watson said, “This is a huge step forward for the sport of horse racing and the culmination of all the work done since our inception to transition racing to higher broadcast standards. As reflected in our Nielsen Sports SA data, the Racing 240 channel has seen significant month-on-month viewership growth over the past 18 months, with no signs of plateauing and the channel performs well amongst its peers within SuperSport’s strong sports channel bouquet.”

“Additionally, we have effected an early contract renewal with MultiChoice, so will be upgrading Racing 240 to HD on a new year multi-year term,” he added.

Nielsen Sports SA Managing Director, Tumelo Selikane, confirmed, “At Nielsen Sports SA, we have diligently tracked Racing240 since April 2022. Previously, Telly Track broadcasted horse racing on DSTV, amassing a total unique audience of 1.9 million. However, Racing240, starting from ground zero, has impressively grown its total unique TV audience to 3.4 million to date.”

“We are proud to be their partner and to monitor their remarkable growth numbers. We eagerly anticipate the next three-year partnership with DSTV and what it holds for the future of Racing240.”

The new channel delivery path to MultiChoice’s HD uplink facilities in the United Kingdom will be fully configured and tested by the associated technical teams in the coming weeks and once signed off by both sides, a phased roll-out will commence across the continent, with a ‘go live’ date to be announced in due course.

Multichoice CEO Marc Jury commented: “Racing 240 has grown in popularity with our viewers across all subscription packages, so we are delighted to have reached agreement to upgrade the channel to High Definition on a new multi-year term. Having apremier horse racing channel within our existing dedicated sports channels bouquet aligns well with our strategy to continue bringing the very best international and local sporting action to our subscribers.”

In conclusion, 4Racing’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Fundi Sithebe said, “This is a significant milestone for the industry at large, with far reaching benefits for all racing stakeholders. Our broadcast is the shop window to our sport and we are deeply appreciative of both the working relationship and opportunity MultiChoice has given us to showcase racing in HD. We are very excited to offer this enhanced HD viewing experience to all racing patrons, punters and fans.”

TLC South Africa Brings Back the Beloved Busby Family - OUTDAUGHTERED

TLC South Africa is excited to announce the return of the heartwarming family series, OUTDAUGHTERED, premiering on Monday, 3 June, at 21:00. Viewers are invited to join the Busby family as they navigate the challenges of parenthood and the joys of raising six daughters, including the all-girl quintuplets that have captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.

 

As the new school year begins, Adam and Danielle grapple with the demands of their growing family and busy careers. With Ava, Olivia, Hazel, Riley, Parker, and oldest daughter Blayke, the Busbys embark on new adventures, from learning to read to taking on more household chores. However, amidst the chaos, Adam and Danielle are keenly aware of their daughters' individual needs, striving to provide each with the attention and support they require to thrive.

 

Blayke, facing the challenges of middle school and social pressures, takes on the nerve-wracking task of trying out for the school volleyball team. As she grapples with her fears of not making the cut, Adam and Danielle offer unwavering support, navigating the complexities of parenting a preteen with love and understanding.

 

Adam and Danielle share their insights into the season, with Adam remarking, "Ever since I started to get more photography gigs outside the house, it’s been a big adjustment for Danielle and me. Me working, Danielle working, plus all the kids..."

 

Reflecting on the possibility of hiring additional help, Adam humorously adds, "If you put on a job description, ‘quintuplets …’" to which Danielle chimes in, "They’re like HECK no."

 

Despite the challenges they face, the Busbys make sure to carve out time for family bonding, embarking on adventures to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, meeting up with other families of multiples, and even cheering on their favourite football team, the Texans.

 

Tune in to TLC South Africa (DStv channel 135) on Monday, 3 June, at 21:00 for the premiere of OUTDAUGHTERED. Viewers will be treated to an intimate glimpse into the beautiful chaos of family life with the Busbys. 

Breaking Barriers: Telkom Demonstrates Education With The Rollout Of TelkomLEARN

It is now almost universally agreed that good education is the foundation to personal growth, stability and success. However, accessing that education is one of the fundamental challenges keeping young people from achieving success and fulfilment.

 

Preventing this access are material barriers such as cost, connectivity and the availability of quality educational resources.

 

It is also one of life’s great injustices that precisely the people who need education most – the poor and underprivileged, those living in remote rural areas, and those without strong social support networks – find it hardest to access quality education. This is in spite of education being a democratic birthright, promised to South Africa’s people in terms of our Constitution.

 

Digital connectivity offers a unique opportunity to overcome this injustice, and to give families and communities access to the educational resources they need to improve their lives. Integrated communications provider Telkom, already a leader in the education space, has taken this opportunity to heart.

 

The organisation has launched TelkomLearn, a digital learning platform for parents seeking high-quality educational resources for their children, as well as young people looking to further their careers. The platform offers a comprehensive solution in partnership with a diverse range of credible digital education providers.

 

The new platform is the latest expression of Telkom’s long-standing commitment to education, in line with its stated mission to seamlessly connect South Africans to a better life, says Telkom Group Executive for Innovation and Transformation, Dr Mmaki Jantjies.

 

“Telkom has lived our belief in the value of education through years of fostering digital learning opportunities through connectivity,” says Jantjies. “Through our long-established Telkom Foundation school development programme, our higher education bursaries, as well as the Telkom Centres of Excellence supporting Masters and PhD students, we consistently support the transformative power of education. TelkomLearn is an exciting new way to live out this commitment.”

 

Telkom Learn looks to redefine education, by providing seamless access to online learning and skills development, and is made possible through Telkom’s nationwide digital connectivity. The primary objective of Telkom Learn is to democratise access to quality digital learning resources for parents across the country.

 

The platform offers two main streams: Basic Education and Higher Education. Under the basic education path, parents can access the extremely popular Lightbulb Edtech platform established in 2015, which is powered by Telkom. Lightbulb gives Grade 8 ­– 12 learners access to supplementary materials, practice exercises and curriculum-aligned educational content, empowering them to excel in their studies.

 

For parents looking to support their children's higher-education goals, TelkomLearn offers a diverse array of courses through its partners, covering specific career skills like entrepreneurship, Cloud computing, web design, customer service, social-media marketing and financial literacy. There are more than 100 courses available, mostly free of charge, allowing parents to help their children explore different learning programmes and career opportunities.

 

The power of the Telkom Learn higher-education platform comes through way it aggregates several credible digital education providers on one channel, giving parents a comprehensive solution and an easily accessible way to enrich their children's educational journey. The TelkomLearn partners are all global leaders in the digital, and online education fields – IBM, Microsoft, HP, Duke, and Alibaba Cloud.

 

“Because these organisations are at the very forefront of the digital economy, the courses that they provide are absolutely relevant to the needs of modern business,” says Dr Jantjies. “This means that children and young people who take these courses will not only do better at school, they will be able to build successful careers in later life.”

 

Digital education is fast establishing itself as a tool of empowerment, giving parents a way to ensure their children can access the training and the opportunities they need to succeed in today's digital age.

 

Dr Jantjies said the comprehensive new offering brought quality educational resources within reach for all of South Africa’s people – something he said was a democratic imperative, but also an economic necessity for the country.

 

“We firmly believe that education is not only the key to personal development but also the cornerstone of innovation and national development,” she says. “By nurturing talent and fostering a culture of innovation, we aim to contribute to the long-term prosperity and development of our people – and our nation at large.”

New Series Alert: Cartoon Network To Premiere New Series "Tiny Toons Looniversity" On June 3 Across Africa

It’s the first day of school at Acme Looniversity and laughs are in session! From Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation, the brand-new series “Tiny Toons Looniversity” premieres Monday, June 3 at 16:35 CAT on Cartoon Network with new episodes airing daily. 

“Tiny Toons Looniversity” follows Babs, Buster, and their new friends Hamton, Plucky, and Sweetie to Acme Looniversity, the premier institution of higher hijinx learning. While enrolled, they form long-lasting friendships with one another and perfect their cartoony craft while studying under the greatest cartoon characters in history, the Looney Tunes. 

The voice cast includes Emmy Award-winner Eric Bauza as Buster, Daffy, and Gossamer, Ashleigh Hairston as Babs, David Errigo Jr. as Hamton J. Pig and Plucky, and Tessa Netting as Sweety. The series also welcomes back “Tiny Toon Adventures” alumni Jeff Bergman,

Bob Bergen, Candi Milo, and Cree Summer, who reprise their roles as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Dean Granny, and Elmyra, respectively. Bergman also voices Sylvester and Foghorn Leghorn, and Milo also voices Witch Hazel. Looney Tunes veteran actor Fred Tatasciore voices Taz and Yosemite Sam.

“Tiny Toons Looniversity” is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg returns as executive producer, with Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, and Amblin Television Presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank also serving as executive producers. Erin Gibson (“Attitudes!”) and Nate Cash (“Adventure Time”) serve as showrunners and co-executive producers.

New Series Alert: Winx Club Reboot Is Reportedly Set To Premiere On Netflix In 2025

Rainbow Studios has announced its new, CGI-animated “Winx Club” series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix globally in 2025. The news is accompanied by the appointment of Playmates Toys and Giochi Preziosi as master toy partners for an extensive new Winx Club toyline. This strategic collaboration ushers in an era for a new generation of kids and the global fandom that has followed the franchise since the premiere of its first animated season in 2004.

Longtime business partners Playmates and Giochi Preziosi will split global distribution of a new collection of fashion dolls, accessories, role-play toys and playsets inspired by the new “Winx Club” series. Playmates will manage sales, marketing and distribution in North, Central and South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and South Africa; Giochi Preziosi will manage Europe and the U.K.

“Winx Club,” produced and distributed by the Rainbow Group, headquartered in Italy, celebrates its 20th year anniversary in 2024. When “Winx Club” debuted in 2024, it introduced a world of magic, friendship and courage. Created by Iginio Straffi, the series follows the journey of Bloom, a teenage girl from Earth who discovers that she is a fairy with extraordinary powers. As she enrolls in the Alfea College for Fairies, Bloom forms the Winx Club with her new friends, embarking on countless adventures across magical dimensions.

 “Winx Club” now spans eight animated seasons, three theatrical movies, four made-for-television movies, two “World of Winx” animated series coproduced with Netflix, two seasons of a Netflix Original live-action series “Fate—The Winx Saga” and a robust merchandising program. The “Winx Club” community has generated over 20 billion views of “Winx Club” content on YouTube and more than 35 billion views of “Winx Club”related videos on TikTok.

“We are honored to be at the forefront of this exciting new chapter,” says Georgia Manolas Walker, vice president, marketing, Playmates Toys. “The enduring legacy of ‘Winx Club’ is a testament to the timeless appeal of its stories and characters. We look forward to unveiling a spellbinding range of products that captures the adventure, friendship, and magic that ‘Winx Club’ represents.”

“We are very excited about this new chapter of the ‘Winx’ saga," says Jay Visconti, chief strategic officer, Giochi Preziosi Group. “Having worked hand in hand with Rainbow since the very first launch in 2004, we are fully aware of the appeal such an amazing brand/franchise has on consumers. We are sure that also this time ‘Winx’ will be a global success.”

“The Winx are returning stronger than ever, and I am grateful to once again collaborate with Netflix, the ideal partner to bring any IP to global audiences,” says Iginio Straffi, creator, “Winx Club” and president, Rainbow. “It’s a thrill to work with our long-time friends and partners Giochi Preziosi and Playmates, and to create the best Winx toys ever for all our fans. I am also very excited that the collaboration with these esteemed partners will ensure a bright future for a powerful ‘Winx’ comeback both on screen and at retail.”

Important Notice Dated 22 May

As reported a few days ago, we are currently reviewing our offering across platforms removing whatever redundancy lurks to enhance reader's experience. This included the removal of recent posts as the latter is viewed on related posts and labels.

Pictured above is what some knew as Insidus Plus, this had rebranded to DStv Flex the idea of creating two additional platforms was to give them some form of an identity which is what you can expect on DStv Flex.

For the record, this isn't associated with DStv in anyway and the names to some of our offerings are derived from IPs as a firm of tribute. DStv Flex is adult oriented, don't expect much changes to the offerings. 

Development Alert: Primos Delayed On Disney Channel Again Due To Controversy, Might Launch Before The Fall

Disney Channel has become home to multiple wonderful storytelling however in June 13, 2023, the network never faced a blackash to this level (“Thundercats Roar”, “High Guardian Spice”, “Velma”).

Primos has been delayed indefinitely according to EIDR, Disney+ and Disney Channel Schedule, additionaly the series theme song has been privatized on Youtube but it can still be viewed at Disney.com

Since the controversy happen several crew members mentioned that the series went on a retooling with some changes, one of the most notable ones was changing the name of Cookita to Lucita according to the VAs.

Disney instead of putting a statement or giving more information on what the actual show is about they prefered to stay silent and delaying the show until further notice or simply pretending it dosn’t exist, It’s very disrespectful to the crew an the critics as opposed to other Latino projects within the company like Coco and Encanto, since it seems that they only care to calm people when it’s a project from their feature film division who makes their projects while the TV division needs to face the harassment of millon of people for months.

Elizabeth Grullón (“The Owl House”) has confirmed that PRIMOS is indeed set to debut this summer.

Likely to debut on July/August probably the latter due the premiere of Descendants The Rise Of Red, a preview will be screened at Annecy Film Festival alongside exclusive looks to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 2.0, StuGo, Zombies The Re-Animated Series, Robogobo and the Phineas And Ferb revival.

Credits: Disney Television Animation News, Disney Channel Schedule 

Total Carnage??? MultiChoice Was Rumoured To Be Selling Off DStv And Keeping Showmax Few Years Back, Could This Explain The Sudden Inclusion Of 1Max And Possible Pursuit Of Canal+?

Last month, M-Net's 1Magic and Me channels merged to form another TV channel in the M-Net Series trilogy, 1Max. The channel would home to various original shows already streaming on Showmax with some hiccups from M-Net and the former 1Magic.

Since its inception, 1Max was a subject of numerous conspiracies as the channel was only unveiled by midnight when 1Magic went dark. There was no notice issued to the media beforehand about 1Max but they were reports of a rebranded offering. 

Since their demise from last month, consumers had been asking where to view shows like The Real Housewives Of Durban and Heels and whether or not a followup to Me is on the cards.

If you were MultiChoice, you'd tell consumers that that all this content was allocated on 1Max and that consumers need to upgrade to Compact+. But no mention of that by MultiChoice and M-Net even their PR don't mention them in their content offering. 

Now why 1Max's rollout remains a mystery is simple firstly programme guide for the channel often lists 1Magic. I mean it's understandable if it were SuperSport as most content is live and previous iterations Me and 1Magic never went through such scenario. 

The other accessibility as 1Max is applicable to premium consumers in South Africa. Other consumers are told to view remaining M-Net channels and experience an enhanced viewing experience on Showmax.

Few years ago, some inside sources had mentioned that MultiChoice was looking to separate DStv and Showmax. These rumours even escalated further as sources had mentioned the possible sale of DStv with all the focus shifting onto Showmax. 

During the year, Canal+ took center stage and expressed interest in acquiring remaining shares at MultiChoice. Considering the various hurdles, the French broadcaster will have to undergo as a foreigner some envision them only getting a select assets from MultiChoice. 

This could be pay-tv platforms DStv and GOtv alongside MultiChoice Studios. Perhaps a portion of MultiChoice could continue to operate independently this part would only focus on Showmax and retain few channels like M-Net for instance.

This arrangement could serve more like Disney-FOX merger where the American feed of FOX continues to offer the best of 20th Century Studios despite the TV channel not being under Disney's custody in the region. 

Maybe there's a reason 1Max is not viewable outside of South Africa and this could have something to do with Showmax. 

Similar to DStv, it's likely a majority of Showmax consumers aren't in these markets I mean it wouldn't seem far fetched. Various international streamers like VIU and Disney+ only reside in South Africa and aren't accessible in other African countries. 

PBS International Partners With Brands & Rights 360 To Expand Global Presence In Kids Markets

PBS International, the global distribution and co-production arm of PBS Distribution, announce a strategic partnership with Madrid-based marketing and commercial company Brands & Rights 360. In a unified effort, Brands & Rights 360 will collaborate with PBS International’s recently restructured children’s sales team, which includes Andrea Burton, Jamie Shata, and Sabrina Hall Aguirre, to serve as sales agent for PBS KIDS content. 

As part of this partnership, Brands & Rights 360 will work with international broadcasters, leveraging their extensive network and expertise in the industry to maximize the reach and impact of PBS KIDS award-winning content which includes Arthur, Lyla in the Loop and Elinor Wonders Why. With a shared dedication to delivering high-quality programming, PBS International and Brands & Rights 360 are poised to introduce PBS KIDS shows to broadcasters in new territories, ensuring more children and families worldwide can enjoy enriched content.

'We are thrilled to welcome Brands & Rights 360 to our international sales team for PBS KIDS content', said Andrea Downing, President of PBS Distribution. 'Their deep understanding of the global kids' market and proven track record of success make them an ideal partner'.

Brands & Rights 360 is known for its selective approach to partnerships, taking on a few, carefully chosen, high-quality and diverse animation and live action titles and brands with a  strong potential in the international market. This aligns perfectly with PBS International's commitment to delivering content that not only entertains but also educates and inspires young minds.

'We are delighted to work with PBS International to distribute their high-quality and award-winning children’s programming', said Ignacio (Iñaki) Orive, President of Brands & Rights 360. 'We look forward to bringing the wonderful PBS KIDS titles to many more international linear channels and digital platforms to reach families worldwide'.

This partnership comes at a time of growing demand for premium children's content across global markets, with families increasingly seeking programming that combines entertainment with educational value.