Entertainment Inside Us (Insidus)

Canal+ has managed to have upped its stake in MultiChoice to 45% home to brands like SuperSport, M-Net, DStv and GOtv which is awaiting regulatory approval. With both parties that will be spending the rest of 2024 looking to assess a possible structure as Canal+ being a foreigner has to navigate the restrictions to foreign ownership. The likely scenario here is that MultiChoice Africa will be managed by Canal+ with existing shareholders voting rights being reduced as they will be in charge of the services within South Africa. Residing within Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria, MultiChoice Africa offers brands such as Africa Magic, Zambezi Magic and Maisha Magic. With Canal+ obtaining a 20% stake in MultiChoice South Africa which is the maximum amount a foreigner can get of a local company. It's possible that shareholders may look to increase Canal+ influence over MultiChoice Africa by 80% or at least on the content side. Canal+ had outlined that they don't believe in the d

Following the channel's rollout in 2023, Zee Zonke had proved to be a popular addition with DStv consumers after accumulating over 200,000 viewers. The parent company Zee Entertainment Enterprises distributes various other channels within the African market including Zee World and Zee Alem on DStv with Zee Family and Zee One on Openview. Now the channel is gearing up to boost its primetime offering with the addition of Bollywood movies with Darlings opening up the block on Sunday 27 October at 18:00. In the film we are introduced to Badru and Hamza as a cutesy couple, probably in their early 20s, thinking of marrying each other. Three years later, we see the couple is still in love until Hamza finds two small pebbles in his food. Here, the act of domestic violence is hinted at for the first time. Hamza is an unhinged character who physically abuses his wife after getting drunk.  Badru is more or less done with Hamza, but because of the ideology of marriage and Hamza’s

MultiChoice video streaming platform Showmax has received equity funding of $164 million (R2.8 billion), as it looks to take on international video-on-demand platforms such as Netflix and Disney+. This, after in March last year, MultiChoice entered into an agreement with Comcast subsidiary NBCUniversal and Sky, to form a partnership for purposes of driving Showmax to become the “leading streaming service in Africa”. Comcast, through its subsidiary NBCUniversal, acquired a 30% equity stake in Showmax, and provides ongoing support through the licensing of its Peacock platform and content from NBCUniversal, Universal Pictures, Peacock and Sky. MultiChoice, through its wholly-owned subsidiary MultiChoice Group Holdings, and Comcast, through NBCUniversal, are providing funding to Showmax (only as and when Showmax’s board determines) during its investment phase. According to MultiChoice, this is contributed in proportion to the companies’ respective shareholdings and they will sh

StarSat is a satellite based pay-tv service that StarTimes managed to acquire a 20% stake for those using their services in South Africa with On Digital Media being majority shareholder. As reported sometime ago, the pay-tv operator has been operating illegally in South Africa for over a year and now ICASA is looking to action. Since StarSat's inception into the market, they've managed to accumulate over half a million subscribers in South Africa alone which is baffling considering how long Openview had been operational in the market. They also have over 6000 workers whose jobs are as well at stake as they roam around their offices aimlessly. StarSat is insuring consumers that they won't shut down by all means and it's comes as somewhat of a shock that they've been operating without a license for this long. But there's no guarantees that they'll be able to keep up with their word as ICASA could as well look to have their signals getting shut off

In this supernatural saga, a malevolent Chudail named Nishigandha is on an obsessive quest for Suhaag ki Nishaniyan, ‘Solah Shringars’ – 16 mystical adornments that will bestow upon her unparalleled beauty and the ultimate prize of immortality. With each ‘Shringar’ she collects by sacrificing her husbands, her dark powers grow stronger. Now, she has set her sinister sights on ensnaring her 16th and final target, Moksh, to unlock the final ‘Shringar’. However, Nishigandha faces an unexpected challenge from Deeya, a courageous woman determined to protect her beloved Moksh from the enchantment of the Suhagan Chudail. Deeya must wage a desperate battle to break Nishigandha’s enchantment before it’s too late. With Moksh’s life hanging in the balance, will Deeya’s love triumph over Nishigandha’s dark magic? The series cast Nia Sharma as Nishigandha, Zayn Ibad Khan as Moksh, Debchandrima Singha Roy as Deeya, Aradhana Sharma as Rachna, Jyoti Mukherji as Moksh’s Mother as Sachin K

Paris-based global IP company HARI, announces it has greenlit a brand new series starring baby lemmings from its global hit series Grizzy & The Lemmings. Described as a “genlte-slapstick” CG-animated show aimed at preschoolers and families, the 78 x 7′ series will deliver throughout 2025/26. For the Baby Lemmings, the whole world is a playground, and there’s nothing better than sharing this life philosophy with their little animal neighbors in the Canadian forest. When you see life from the Baby Lemmings’ side, you can overcome any difficulty and have a whole lot of fun while doing so! “At first glance, blending the craziness of slapstick with the gentle nature of preschool content seemed an impossible task,” said Josselin Charier, Executive Producer, HARI. “However, it’s in the core DNA of the lemmings to be playful. And it’s through this boundless playfulness that we discovered the perfect formula for a preschool audience: stories where any challenge can be overcome

• As reported sometime ago, Barney's World will airing on Cartoonito across Europe, Middle East and Africa from October 14th (not 18th) prior to this the show will debut on the channel in the US and UK. Based on the Barney And Friends franchise, this will serve as a rebooted format as seen with Thomas And Friends: All Engines Go!. For the full press release on the premiere: click here • Jessica's Big Little World returns for new episodes on Cartoonito and this is the few other premieres coming to the channel in the month alongside Zig & Sharko. • Supa Strikas and Lego Ninjago: Ninja's Rising return to the channel in the month of October while Pokémon Horizons: The Series continues with new episodes on Cartoon Network with these serving as the only premieres on the channel. • With Halloween around the corner, Cartoon Network will host thematic episodes of Teen Titans GO!, We Baby Bears, The Amazing World Of Gumball, Craig Of The Creek and Apple And Onion. Ca

Earlier in the week, it was reported that StarSat was set for closure in the South African market by 18 September but this never happened as they mention an active presence by on social media and continue selling their decoders. ICASA made the call for On Digital Media who serve as license holders in South Africa to shut their services. So corporates at StarSat would rather resolve their matter in court which again didn't work out with the company that is engaging themselves in an another ongoing case with ICASA. This whole thing with retrenchment and also loss in consumers to some appears to be desperate attempt at them antagonising the situation. With the affects of COVID-19 and the current economic climate StarSat was facing financial constraints or as they would put it "owing to challenges in securing new investment in a competitive market". So where was StarTimes in all this as they got TopTV out of financial turmoil and also was ICASA aware of this. Regardless of ho

A few years ago, SuperSport which serves as one of the largest sports broadcasters in Africa offering a wide range of sports ranging from football, rugby, tennis, boxing and wrestling formalised an agreement with the SABC for Betway Premiership. Initially, these games could have been viewed on rival broadcasters like Openview alongside SABC:s DTT. In recent years, SuperSport decided to add some restrictions to these agreements when licensing them to the SABC that included blocking transmission from being received to Openview consumers. This benefited the SABC as they would be paying much less for these rights and it prompted eMedia Investments to take legal action. Several punches were thrown during this time with eMedia Investments accusing SuperSport of an abuse in power while they accused them of "free riding". eMedia Investments' didn't need to pay for these games as they were being broadcast on SABC 1 so this was basically burdened to the SABC at the time eMedia

NEW EPISODES (40-52) Spirit Riding Free From Monday, 7th October Weekdays at 8.30am, 11.50am Weekends at 8.30am Big adventures canter into Lucky’s life in all new episodes of DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free. Together with Pru and Abigail, Lucky and Spirit journey to the rescue in new wild expeditions, including saving a missing girl and even their own dads! Join the PALs when Miradero gets pranked on April Fool’s Day or when Snips pretends to be Lucky’s little brother for the day. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned, and the BFFs learn to overcome life’s challenges through the strength of friendship and teamwork! In the final season 2 episodes, Lucky does a lot of growing up. She becomes a big sister and takes on brand new responsibilities like babysitting! During a career day, she realises that she wants to be a veterinarian, and most notably, Lucky visits the big city for an interview at a boarding school a long way from Miradero! This group of episodes introduce a lot

CRIME MONTH   This month, the HISTORY Channel Africa dives into crimes from the past with capti vati ng details  surrounding crimes that made South African headlines, to stories on mafia exploits and daring prison escapes. Great African Crimes with Mandy Wiener uncovers gripping true crime stories that have captivated the nation. Then, discover the secrets of infamous mobsters and their rise to power in two new series and follow heart-pounding accounts of inmates who defied the odds to break free.  Brand New & Exclusive AMERICAN GODFATHERS: THE FIVE FAMILIES  14 October Mondays 19h25 American Godfathers: The Five Families is a three-part documentary series that explores the creation, rise and fall of New York City’s five mafia families who over a fifty-plus-year period had a hand in every facet of organised crime in America from bootlegging and drug trafficking to extortion and gambling. The series which traces the extensive history of the mafia, beginning with its ties

Viola Vitale, a gorgeous and magnetic woman who has always worked in the field of fashion journalism, moves from Paris back to Palermo, armed only with optimism and trust, to search for the father she never knew. There, Violet starts working for an online publisher, covering the crime beat, collaborating with Inspector Francesco Demir. He’s charismatic and seductive, with top investigative talent, but little faith in humanity…in that, the polar opposite of Violet. Highly intuitive on the job, Demir is also impulsive and given to bending the rules. The pair work side-by-side on homicide cases, she as a reporter, he as a cop. Hugely difficult at first, given the clash of opposites, in time they learn to collaborate successfully. In part because Violet can count on her special gift: synesthesia. Synesthesia is not merely a figure of speech, but also the actual spontaneous and uncontrollable blending of multiple senses – sight and hearing, for example. In Violet’s case, she

Canal+ is currently finalizing a new structure after obtaining a 45% stake of MultiChoice making them one of company's largest shareholders. After their initial bid of R29 billion was turned down earlier in the year the French broadcaster had up it's bid to R32 billion with an interim board deeming it "fair and reasonable". Following their visit to Cape Town, they were interviewed by several journalists regarding the transaction and several things were brought up first there are no plans to fold DStv under the Canal+ trademark considering how strong they are. However, DStv and Showmax may not compliment one another for very long as they deem it as competition. Aside from NBCUniversal's stake in the streamer, Showmax has been buying up content that isn't viewable on DStv much less 1Max same goes for DStv as there's thing with Zee Zonke and TLNovelas. Look at Disney+, SABC+ and even eVOD their existence is based on their linear portfolio and vi

Canal+ is currently finalizing a new structure after obtaining a 45% stake of MultiChoice making them one of company's largest shareholders. After their initial bid of R29 billion was turned down earlier in the year the French broadcaster had up it's bid to R32 billion with an interim board deeming it "fair and reasonable". Canal+ intends to keep MultiChoice listed in the JSE meaning they're not attempting a complete takeover and it was reported earlier in the year that Patrice Moshepe is also in the running to help finalize this acquisition. According to Africa Intelligence, the French broadcaster is looking for another business partner to finalize this acquisition. This does lead some to wonder how much of a stake Patrice Moshepe is willing to invest in MultiChoice if some were to guess probably around 15%-30% based on the company's financial performance they are put in a position where they can declare bankruptcy and Canal+ is the only thing

After losing rights to WWE a few years ago, eMedia Investments opted to rather put their focus in their remaining lineup which ranged from international movies and series to local content. By 2021, they made a strategic move by supplementing this with Impact Wrestling (now TNA) after SuperSport opted to discontinue carriage of the wrestling promotion from their platforms. The news of TNA's inclusion on e.tv wasn't met with the best responses from wrestling and sporting fans with some making comparisons to rival WWE. This showed as TNA failed to chart in e.tv's top 20 watched shows likely due to the poor scheduling choices another being competition from both SABC 1 and SuperSport weirdly enough only of the two offered wrestling on the same day as TNA. If there's another thing, eMedia Investments handled poorly when it comes to TNA was how they'd distribute this content while WWE's flagship shows and PPVs were all allocated on e.tv with eExtra serving

Food Network Selena + Restaurant S1 BRAND NEW After a four-year culinary crash course with some of the world's top chefs in her home kitchen, Selena Gomez is ready to raise the stakes! She heads out to work in a string of Los Angeles' hottest restaurants, where she'll be put through her paces by the best in the business. First TX: 31 October TX Day: Thursday TX Time: 17:00 Last TX: 14 November Kids Halloween Baking Championship SPECIAL Four fan favorites from Kids Baking Championship are back to battle in two frightful challenges. They must create something sweet and scary as well as a hybrid monster dessert. Only one will take home the title of champion and $10,000. First TX: 31 October TX Day: Thursday TX Time: 20:05 Last TX: 31 October Kids Baking Championship SEASONAL SPECIALS First TX: 31 October TX Day: Thursday Last TX: 31 October KBC: Bloodcurdling Bakes Four fan-favorite kid bakers create cemetery fault line cakes inspired by classic candy bars for a ch

• Tito Jackson has passed away at the age of 70 Tito is the third oldest Jackson child in the famous Jackson family, which spawned global icons Michael and Janet Jackson. Tito and his younger brother Michael were part of the legendary Motown R&B group the Jackson 5, which included in addition to them fellow brothers Jermaine, Marlon, and Jackie Jackson.  • Op Dun Ys to debut on eExtra this October Based on the series Doctor Foster, Asya lives a peaceful and happy life in Tekirdağ with her husband Volkan and their son Ali. This situation changes when she learns that her husband has been having an affair with a young woman named Derin for two years. • Long-delayed live-action Ben 10 film from Warner Bros. Studios has been scrapped   • This Is Fate returns with a new season on Zee World with a rebroadcast of Twist Of Fate on eExtra • Ringside Rebel joins Zee World's lineup for consumers in Southern Africa   • South African actor Sello Motloung dead at 53 In a statement

StarSat has currently entered a broadcasting dispute with ICASA after they were ordered to shut down their services in Africa during the week but still continued to operate. This matter was taken to the Gauteng High Court but had since been dismissed with a new case to address the the whole matter between both parties is still ongoing. After launching as TopTV in 2008 by On Digital Media as a rival to MultiChoice's DStv, with its own lineup of premium entertainment and sports. They accumulated a chunk of debt and were on the brink of bankruptcy received several bids from a MultiChoice funded company, Zuku TV with their successful bidder being StarTimes. Following the acquisition, StarSat was embroiled in controversy with the inclusion of pornography that led to several legal disputes with The Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa), Cause for Justice and Doctors for Life leading to this content to get taken off from airwaves only to be broadcast illegally and get taken

Disney Branded Television is slated to air a new 2D-animated comedy series Primos which will premiere on Monday, October 21 at 16:30 CAT on Disney Channel. With repeats airing daily at 13:10 CAT, 16:05 CAT, 19:30 CAT, 19:55, 20:45 CAT and 21:10 CAT Primos is inspired and created by Emmy Award-nominated writer/animation artist Natasha Kline’s (Big City Greens) childhood in Southern California, growing up in a large, multicultural and blended Mexican-American family. It follows Tater Ramirez Humphrey, an eccentric girl with ambitious summer dreams. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when her family invites all 12 of her cousins to stay with them, leading to a summer of surprises and unforgettable adventures. The voice cast is led by Myrna Velasco as Tater Ramirez Humphrey; Angélica María as Tater’s grandmother, Buela; Cheech Marin as Tater’s grandfather, Pop; and Melissa Villaseñor as Tater’s sister, Nellie Ramirez Humphrey. Guest stars for Season 1 are Mark Consue

On Digital Media (ODM), the licensing company of pay television platform StarSat TV, acknowledges the statement issued by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), dated 20 September 2024, regarding StarSat’s potential exit from the subscription market in South Africa . Owing to challenges in securing new investment in a competitive market, along with the introduction of a new shareholders agreement and the economic pressures following the COVID-19 pandemic, ODM submitted its license renewal application to ICASA later than the required deadline. Despite multiple attempts to seek guidance from ICASA officials to address these regulatory challenges, ODM did not receive the necessary support. Furthermore, the Gauteng High Court recently dismissed an urgent interdict application filed by ODM to block ICASA’s decision to cease its operations as of 18 September 2024. A review application is pending to address the substantive legal issues between the two pa

Some Vivendi-owned assets, whose operations are closely aligned with those of Canal+, are currently in the process of being transferred to the latter for the sake of consistency. Canal+ will consolidate together with its current business GVA, which provides telecommunication services in Africa, including high-speed Internet access marketed under the brand Canalbox; the video streaming platform Dailymotion; the performance venues L’Olympia and the L’Œuvre theater in France as well as the cinema theaters CanalOlympia in Africa. In this new configuration, Canal+ Group will represent a unique international media operation with exposure to both mature and high-growth markets. It would have recorded €6.2 billion in revenues, €472 million in Adjusted Earnings Before Interest and Income Taxes (EBITA) and €315 million in Cash Flow From Operations (CFFO) for the year ended December 31, 2023. Its total number of subscribers would amount to approximately 26.8 million at such date, of w

Zee World is a Indian based entertainment channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that distributes various films and series in English. The channel imports all its content from Zee TV and following its successful launch in Africa by 2015 have contributed to the creations of Zee Alem (Ethiopia), Zee Zonke (Southern Africa), Zee Bollymovies and Zee One. As some readers have already seen, Zee World has decided to separate it's operations in parts of Africa with the rollout of Zee World SA and Zee World Africa. This is nothing like TLC varied feeds but more like that of Zee One where Zee Entertainment Enterprises gives both feeds a chance to offer first run content which has even led to a bit of rivalry amongst the feeds. For instance, Zee World SA follows fellow competitor Star Life and began rolling out their series in half hour timeslots while Zee World Africa was still open to offering these shows in a longer format. Even more baffling was that Zee World Afric

Sunday Family Flicks Stunt Your Perfect Family Movie Night Awaits! Make Sundays in October unforgettable with TNT’s Sunday Family Flicks! Enjoy heartwarming movies like Kung Fu Panda 3, The Croods: A New Age, Johnny English, and Madagascar: Europe’s Most Wanted. Create cherished memories every Sunday on TNT! *Channel premieres are in bold* Sunday, 6 October 15:05 Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) 16:45 Ice Age (2002) 18:05 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out  of the Shadows (2016)  Sunday, 13 October 14:30 The Croods: A New Age (2020) 16:05 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) 18:05 Shanghai Knights (2003)  Sunday, 20 October 15:00 Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most  Wanted (2012) 16:35 A Series of Unfortunate Events  (2004) 18:25 Johnny English (2003) Sunday, 27 October 15:20 Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) 16:50 Little Rascals (1994)  18:10 Night at the Museum (2006) The October Horror Fest Stunt October Highlights October is here, and Halloween is just around the corner! TNT’s Date with Ter

Discovery Channel  The Great Antiques Challenge S1 BRAND NEW Six antiques dealers go head-to-head to find the perfect pieces for homeowners and small businesses. Hunting down items from across the country to fulfil the clients brief, the dealers will display their finds for the client to choose from. But will any of them hit the mark and will the winning dealer manage to make any profit? First TX: 10 October TX Day: Thursday TX Time: 21:55 Last TX: 28 November Returning Shows including Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing S2 which premieres 30 October at 21:55. TLC South Africa  Doctober SPECIAL Doctors are once again taking over TLC South Africa with a special programming event. The second edition of this medical-themed TV stunt will feature a lineup of compelling content, including highlights like 'Face Doctors' and 'Botched Bariatrics'. Tune in for a month full of fascinating medical stories and expert insights. South Africa: First TX: 1 October TX Day: Mo

Investigation Discovery Born Evil: The Serial Killer and the Savior S1 Brand New  Executive Producer Michael Bay’s first true-crime documentary series — Hadden Clark is the serial killer you’ve never heard of. Delve into his murderous family, his bond with a cellmate he thought was Jesus and the trek to solve the cases linked to him. First TX: 13 October TX Day: Sunday TX Time: 21:00 Last TX: 10 November Justice, USA S1 Brand New This compelling 360-degree view of Nashville's criminal justice system offers unprecedented access to the lives of inmates, legal counsel and administrators as they confront issues of mental health, addiction and the incarceration of juveniles and women. First TX: 23 October TX Day: Wednesday TX Time: 21:00 Last TX: 26 November The Real Murders on Elm Street S1 Brand New This chilling documentary series explores true stories of real murders on Elm Streets across the county — proving that horror happens everywhere, things do go bump in the night