Canal+ Adds Serie A To It's African Offering, Launches BBC Earth In French

Canal+ Afrique following it's parent company Canal+ acquisition of MultiChoice is expanding its SuperSport offering with Africa 2. This will give consumers access to the Italian top-flight with the rollout of Serie A.

This brings the number of SuperSport channels available on Canal+ Afrique in francophone markets to 7, which also includes Premier League, LaLiga, Football Plus, Football, WWE, and Action.

In addition to that, BBC Earth also will be making its debut on Canal+, in French. The channel is already available on DStv for South African viewers with shows like Planet Earth, Dynasties, Banded Brothers and Eden Untamed Planet.

BBC Earth will debut on channel 203 while SuperSport Africa 2 airs on channel 727.

Canal+ is currently in the process of deploying its streaming app in MultiChoice markets after being made available in Francophone markets. The streaming service is set to replace Showmax which will be going dark across Africa by the end of April.

Warner Bros. Discovery And StarTimes Expand Carriage Deal To Include TNT Africa And Cartoon Network

A few years ago, TNT ended it's distribution on StarTimes platforms across Africa due to a carriage dispute between the operator and Warner Bros. Discovery. Since then, TNT was only distributable MultiChoice platforms and Canal+ Afrique.

During this time, StarTimes had revived it's ST Movies brand in place of the movie channel. With TNT set to be reinstated on their platforms from 1st May with Cartoon Network to be included as a new offering to viewers.

It will join Investigation Discovery, TLC, Discovery Channel, Toonami and Boing bringing the number of channels from Warner Bros. Discovery on the platform from 5 to 8 channels. 

Tailormade for African fans, TNT offers the best of contemporary and Hollywood blockbusters, with programming built on an action-driven, pulse-raising slate, mixed with romantic gems and hilarious comedy.

It is the exclusive home of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in Africa, broadcasting AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage weekly.

Cartoon Network is a premier children's television channel offering animated series, including Teen Titans Go!, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Craig of the Creek. It ranks as #1 children's channel and is responsible for 50% kids viewing on DStv.

The channel actively produces and showcases African content, such as CN to the Rescue and Garbage Boy and Trash Can. Since late 2025, the channel has been multilingual giving viewers the option to watch select shows in IsiZulu.

May 2026 On Disney Channel And Disney Junior Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy | Returning Shows: Spidey And His Amazing Friends | More

Disney Channel 

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire | Season 1

MON - THUR AT 17:00 CAT

Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy

MON - THUR AT 16:30 CAT

The entire Star Wars Galaxy gets completely mixed up when an ordinary nerf -herder, Sig Greebling, unearths a powerful artifact from a hidden Jedi temple.

Lego Star Wars: Pieces of the Past

MON - THURS AT 16:30 CAT

Our heroes will make unlikely alliances as they traverse new and dangerous parts of the hilariously mixed-up galaxy in an effort to stop the growing threat Solitus poses to all they hold dear.

Star vs The Forces of Evil

WEEKDAYS AT 16:30 CAT

Star Butterfly is an unusual princess, a feisty girl who is sent by her parents to Earth from another world for safety, and changes the lives of all around her, while also fighting the baddies.

Our Weekly Movie Spot

FRIDAYS AT 5PM

Zapped

FRI 01 MAY AT 5PM

(2014) Shake It Up’s Zendaya stars in this hilarious film as a bright student and talented dancer struggling with changes in life, including a new family and school, who finds a phone app that controls boys!

The Suite Life Movie

FRI 08 MAY AT 5PM

(2011) In their first feature film, Zack and Cody are approached to join a research project about twins. They find themselves connected in ways they've never been before, which proves very dangerous…

Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation

FRI 15 MAY AT 5PM

(2012) In this all-singing, all-dancing Disney Channel Original movie a young musician writes a song for the girl he loves. He wins a contest but his friend gets the credit. Will he get the girl too?

Toy Story 2

FRI 29 MAY AT 5PM

(1999) The toys are back in town as Tom Hanks and Tim Allen star in a toy-rrific sequel. Woody is kidnapped, so Buzz and friends rush to the rescue, in another delightful animated adventure.

Disney Channel 20th Anniversary Stunts

Throwback Block

MON-THU AT 17:50 CAT

06 - 30 APRIL

A Live-Action block for both kids and adults alike! Vote on social media:

Hannah Montana S3 vs Shake It Up.

Electric Bloom Weekend Stunt

SAT 02 & SUN 03 MAY

FROM 11:55

A curated collection of favourite Electric Bloom episodes.

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire Stunt

SAT 09 - SUN 10 MAY

FROM 11:55 CAT

A curated collection of favourite Vampirina: Teenage Vampire episodes.

Disney Junior 

Iron Man and His Awesome Friends Season 1

MON - FRI AT 08:05 CAT

"Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” follows the adventures of best friends and super geniuses as they work together to solve problems and protect their city.

Spidey And His Amazing Friends Season 1

MON - FRI AT 09:00 CAT

The Spidey heroes take to the high seas with their new Water -Web suits and their new friend, Jeff the Land Shark. Together, they protect the sea and the city.

Canal+ To List On JSE As Revenue Continues To Plummet

CANAL+ has reported broadly flat revenues for the first quarter of 2026, as the group moves into the operational phase of its post-acquisition strategy following the addition of MultiChoice Group.

Total group revenues reached €2.17 billion, down 0.4% on a comparable basis including MultiChoice, but up 1.8% to €1.57 billion when excluding the African business. On a reported basis, revenues increased 41% reflecting the enlarged scale of the group.

CEO Maxime Saada said the company had made a “solid start” to the year, with execution of its strategy now underway and early synergies from the MultiChoice deal being delivered in line with expectations.

In Europe, revenues fell 1.6% to €1.13 billion, following the end of the distribution of DAZN in France, as well as the divestment of the DTH subscriber base in Hungary in 2025. However, Poland remained a bright spot, with continued growth in OTT subscriptions and advertising revenues. The OTT business in Austria also made a strong start.

Africa and Asia revenues rose sharply to €889 million due to the inclusion of MultiChoice, though on a like-for-like basis revenues declined slightly, reflecting ongoing pressure on the South African operator’s non-subscription income. Subscription revenues remained broadly stable at constant currency.

The group confirmed that its MultiChoice turnaround plan is now in motion, including expanded sales operations and revised pricing strategies. At the same time, CANAL+ is progressing with cost synergies, targeting €250 million in savings in 2026.

Streaming also remains a key area of transition. The group will phase out the Showmax OTT service by the end of April, migrating content and users onto MultiChoice’s DStv platform as part of a broader platform consolidation strategy.

Content production arm STUDIOCANAL delivered a strong performance, with revenues up 9% driven by box office success across multiple territories and continued growth in content licensing.

Elsewhere, video platform Dailymotion reported advertising growth, particularly in the US, alongside expansion of its professional services offering.

CANAL+ reiterated its full-year guidance, expecting flat revenues and adjusted EBIT of €735 million, with free cash flow above €250 million.

The group is also preparing for a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 3 June, marking a key milestone following its expansion into African markets.

How eVOD And SABC+ Manage To Survive The Streaming Wars?

Showmax shuttered its doors in Africa as MultiChoice was losing a lot of money by keeping it on the air. The streaming service that served as a joint venture with Comcast's NBCUniversal and Sky was hoping to become Africa's version of Netflix.

The problem part with these endeavours is that Africa isn't seen as a booming economy for streaming. This is due to low broadband in some markets as well as high data costs.

While consumers can trust that eMedia Investments and SABC will continue funding the local economy through its eVOD and SABC+ streaming service. Fact of the matter is because of these challenges seen in Africa they need to diversify.

Subscriptions and advertising alone can't help sustain its operations while it may work for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as they're bigger brands. SABC+, eVOD and even Showmax had to subject themselves to these obstacles in Africa.

eMedia Investments and SABC still have to rely on their cable networks to re-coperate the costs. In some instances, they have to find a partner that is willing to help them build their content slate.

Amazon Prime Video was at one point a Showmax competitor commissioning content in Africa now they just license finished content. While Netflix continues funding the local economy these endeavours had been reduced.

MultiChoice, SABC and eMedia Investments continue to be the lifeline for these endeavours in South Africa. If one of them were to go six feet under, it's less likely that Netflix will just step up and fill up the gap left by DStv.

If you look at DStv, they have Mzansi Magic, Moja Love, Via, KykNET, SABC News and WildEarth. Netflix is not going to produce content to that scale if MultiChoice were to shut down especially if it's not going to make them money.

May 2026 On Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Discovery Family And Real Time Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Motor Mythbusters | Returning Shows: Hollywood Dreams | More

Investigation Discovery 

Evil Lives Here: My Child the Killer S1

Brand New

Through heart-stopping stories, parents must come face to face with the horrible truth — that the child they loved has grown up to become a killer.

First TX: 12 May

TX Day: Tuesday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 30 June

People Magazines Investigates: The Secrets of the 12 Tribes Cult

Special

Religious leader Gene Spriggs spurs a movement with teenagers, disenchanted hippies, and Yellow Delis — but in time, paradise becomes purgatory.

First TX: 17 May

TX Day: Sunday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 17 May

Returning shows include Hollywood Demons S2 on Fridays at 21:00 from 22 May (ends 19 June) and American Detective with Lt. Joe Kenda S5 on Wednesdays at 21:00 from 6 May (ends 24 June).

Travel Channel 

Returning shows include House Hunters International S139, S140 on weekdays at 06:00 from 7 May (ends 11 June).

Discovery Family

Trans Am S1

NEW TO CHANNEL

Brothers and car savants Scott and Tod Warmack resurrect the legendary brand Trans Am from extinction and give the green light to the legacy by restoring old muscle cars and building new ones.

First TX: 7 May

TX Day: Thursday

TX Time: 18:25

Last TX: 11 June

Motor MythBusters S1

NEW TO CHANNEL

Motor MythBusters brings science to the streets and puts car-related pop culture, viral videos and urban legends under the microscope.

First TX: 8 May

TX Day: Weekdays

TX Time: 10:10

Last TX: 19 May

Returning shows include Expedition Unknown S5 & S6 on weekdays at 21:05 from 1 May (ends 10 June).

Real Time 

Returning shows include Restaurant Impossible S14, S15 on weekdays at 12/3:05 from 1 May (ends 25 May), House Hunters International S191-S193 on weekdays at 14:35 from 15 May (ends 2 June), Your Worst Nightmare S6 everyday at 23:20 from 10 May (ends 21 May), Still A Mystery S7 everyday at 22:30 from 9 May (ends 18 May) and Married with Secrets S2 everyday at 23:20 from 22 May (ends 31 May).

May 2026 On Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV And Food Network Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Flavortown Food Fight | Returning Shows: Baylen Out Loud | More

Discovery Channel 

CONSPIRACIES & COVERUPS S1

BRAND NEW 

Ex-CIA officer Andrew Bustamante pressure-tests

today's biggest conspiracies, using tradecraft,

experiments, and expert analysis to uncover the

truth.

First TX: 3 May

TX Day: Sunday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 21 June

VANTARA: SANCTUARY STORIES S1

BRAND NEW 

Wildlife expert Forrest Galante explores the

rescue and rehabilitation at Vantara.

First TX: 16 May

TX Day: Saturday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 20 June

Returning shows include GOLD RUSH: MINE RESCUE WITH FREDDIE & JUAN S5 on Mondays at 20:05 from 18 May (ends 3 August).

TLC 

* premieres for the rest of Africa

One Day in My Body S1

BRAND NEW

Follow people whose extreme bodies force them to navigate life differently, capturing defining moments with access to their world .

First TX: 2 May

TX Day: Saturday

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 20 June

Boy Band Confidential: A Hollywood Demons Event

BRAND NEW

Candid interviews with artists from Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and others reveal the darker realities of power struggles and exploitation .

First TX: 17 May

TX Day: Sunday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 24 May

Returning shows include 90 Day Fiance S12 on Thursdays at 20:00 from 28 May (ends 24 September) and *Sundays at 21:00 from 24 May (ends 11 October), Baylen Out Loud S3 on Fridays at 21:00 from 22 May (ends 7 August) and *7 Little Johnstons S11 on Mondays at 21:50 from 4 May (ends 13 July).

HGTV

Tropic Like It's Hot S1

BRAND NEW

Buyers with big personalities and sky-high demands search for tropical love nests with breathtaking views in a sexy quest for paradise.

First TX: 17 May

TX Day: Sunday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 5 July

Returning shows include House Hunters Renovation S18 on Tuesdays at 21:00 from 5 May (ends 9 June) and Rock the Block S7 on Fridays at 21:00 from 29 May (ends 10 July).

Food Network

Flavortown Food Fight S1

Brand New

Guy Fieri challenges America's best chefs to compete in his ever - changing lineup of Flavortown restaurants for a chance to win up to $20,000.

First TX: 27 May

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 17:00

Last TX: 26 August

Returning shows include Diners, Drive - Ins and Dives S42 on Tuesdays at 16:05 from 12 May (ends 16 June) and Ready Jet Cook S2 on Sundays at 14:50 from 3 May (ends 17 May).

May 2026 On TNT Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Ambulance | Returning Movies: Mercury Rising And San Andreas | More

* premieres are in bold

Run For Your Life

Stunt

May turns into a survival showdown as Saturdays deliver double-dose action. New adrenaline-charged premieres join fan-favourite thrillers for high-stakes nights built to keep you hooked till the last second.

Saturday, 2 May

20:00 Ambulance (2022)

21:40 Split (2016)

Saturday, 9 May

20:00 Non Stop (2013)

21:50 The Survivalist (2021)

Saturday, 16 May

20:00 Deep Blue Sea (1999)

21:50 Snakes on a Plane (2006)

Saturday, 23 May

20:00 I am Legend (2007)

21:45 Skyscraper (2018)

Saturday, 30 May

20:00 The Hurt Locker (2008)

22:15 The Purge (2013)

Everyday Warriors

Stunt

This Worker’s Day, TNT honours the everyday heroes who rise to life’s toughest moments. Everyday Warriors delivers heartfelt, inspiring stories built to connect audiences and celebrate true courage.

Friday, 1 May

15:10 211 (2018)

16:35 Daylight (1996)

18:30 San Andreas (2015)

20:30 We Were Soldiers (2002)

22:50 Mercury Rising (1998)

Love on the Edge

Stunt

This Mother’s Day, discover stories where love turns fierce. When danger strikes, women fight, protect and stand strong, showing just how far a mother’s instinct can go when pushed to the edge.

Sunday, 10 May

16:05 Paper Spiders (2020)

17:55 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

20:00 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

22:35 Little Bone Lodge (2023)

TNT Hit

Stunt

On 22 May, TNT Hits brings a pulse-racing Paris thriller led by Idris Elba. Packed with sharp action and bold energy, this channel premiere is set to hook viewers from the first chase.

Friday, 22 May

20:30 Bastille Day (2016)

May 2026 On Cartoon Network And Cartoonito Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Baby Lemmings | Returning Shows: Pokémon - Ultimate Journeys | More

Cartoon Network

• Regular Show: The Lost Tapes: The countdown is on for the return of Regular Show on Cartoon Network, as fans prepare to dive back into the chaotic, laugh-out-loud world of Mordecai and Rigby. The Emmy® Award-winning fan favourite is back with even more wild adventures, unforgettable characters and park-side mayhem, kicking off with Regular Show: The Lost Tapes on Monday, 11 May at 17:20 CAT.

• Pokémon: Ultimate Journeys: The season culminates the research fellowship adventures of Ash Ketchum and Goh, as they travel across all eight regions, including the new Galar region and the Galar region's Crown Tundra. NEW EPISODES 

Cartoonito

• Baby Lemmings: Cartoonito welcomes Baby Lemmings, a fun new series set in the Canadian forest, where every day is a playground and every challenge is an adventure. The Baby Lemmings share their joyful outlook with their animal friends, proving that with teamwork and creativity, anything is possible. The series premieres on Monday, 25 May and airs Monday to Friday at 17:00 CAT with two new episodes daily.

 

• Batwheels: Superpowered vehicles Bam, Bibi, Red, Jett and Buff join forces to fight crimes and protect citizens trapped in dangerous situations in Gotham City. They are thrust into hilarious hijinks as they learn important lessons. NEW EPISODES 

Other developments

This Mother’s Day, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito are celebrating moms with special episode stunts launching on Mother’s Day, Sunday, 10 May. Cartoon Network’s The Superest Mom – Gumball Special Stunt spotlights Nicole Watterson, while Cartoonito’s Happy Mother’s Day! Stunt brings together a fan-favourite mix of heartwarming episodes from beloved shows.

 

Switching Times AGAIN!!! eExtra Kills Primetime At 18:30 With Daily Repeats Of Yosef As Sout Van Die Aarde Moves To 17:30

After e.tv decided to move Kelders Van Geheime from 19:00 to 18:00 during the month. The broadcaster has announced that Sout Van Die Aarde would be moved to 17:30 on eExtra from 29 April as Yosef takes its current timeslot at 18:30.

Not long ago, Sout Van Die Aarde had it's repeat broadcasts removed from e.tv due to the rollout of eVOD's new addition, Maanligsprokie.

Viewers who are probably not at their homes during these times for Yosef but arrived to see Sout Van Die Aarde will now miss out on daily episodes. Then there's Yosef in which viewers are probably lost on the plot as they couldn't see its broadcast on e.tv.

We can only assume that eMedia Investments after some rationalising saw the division they created for Yosef. With it's broadcasts being so close together, you're dividing the viewers and adding Sout Van Die Aarde is only going to complicate matters.

There's a reason Bollywood shows air in the daytime on eExtra with Turkish shows on e.tv. So they do not clash as such friction would harm the viewership it's the reason e.tv News is at 18:30 as it's being hammered by Amalanga Awafani on SABC 1.

Prior to e.tv News, this slot was initially reserved for the channel's local dramas like Durban Gen and Nikiwe but the timeslot proved to be troublesome for its local endeavours.

MultiChoice And StudioCanal Announces The Road Home, A Distinctly South African Story, To Be Filmed In Cape Town

• The Road Home is a story of the power of music that changed the world, bringing to life the inspiring story of the creation of the Graceland album and band

• The film’s budget is roughly ZAR 300 million

• Production to commence in Cape Town on June 29th, employing over 300 local film crew and up to 3,500 extras

• Underscores commitments made by CANAL+ during the acquisition of MultiChoice Group

STUDIOCANAL, the in-house studio of CANAL+, in partnership with Flora Films, is proud to announce the production of feature film The Road Home. The film brings a uniquely South African story to a global audience, and is set against the backdrop of Paul Simon’s 1986 album Graceland. Principal photography starts in Cape Town in June.

Following exile from his native South Africa, trumpeter Hugh Masekela (Rametsi) is pulled between two worlds when the Anti-Apartheid Movement, led by his mentor Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Pearce), launches a boycott against Paul Simon, over his groundbreaking township music-inspired album “Graceland”, accusing Simon of violating the United Nation’s Cultural Boycott.

Splitting from his mentor, Masekela – who sees their music as a powerful weapon in the struggle – joins forces with Simon and Hugh’s lifelong collaborator, South African powerhouse vocalist Miriam ‘Mama Africa’ Makeba (Erivo), to create the Graceland band - a super group designed to bring South Africa’s voice to the world, building to a powerful, celebratory testament to resilience, and the triumph of the human spirit.

The screenplay was developed through deep research ensuring a truly authentic telling, in particular drawing on the knowledge and resources of the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation, enriched by contributions from acclaimed South African novelist Zakes Mda. Alongside the invaluable insights shared with Bronner during the writing process by several Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation members, Bronner did extensive research for the script – including in-depth interviews with Paul Simon.

The production of The Road Home will employ over 300 South African crew members, with only a small number of specialist roles filled internationally, alongside 68 local cast members, including celebrated South African actor Thabo Rametsi, an estimated 3,500 extras, and globally recognised local musicians.

CANAL+, through its film and television production and distribution arm STUDIOCANAL, is largely financing The Road Home, demonstrating its commitment to premium international storytelling in South Africa. The film will be shot on location in Cape Town further reinforcing the country’s status as a world class film production destination.

Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL and Chief Content Officer of CANAL+: "South Africa remains one of the best places in the world to produce compelling, high-quality content. I am delighted that we are able to bring a uniquely South African story to a global audience and shoot it in Cape Town with major local and international stars. The production is only possible due to the outstanding talent - both on and off the screen - which exists within South Africa’s creative ecosystem. This film exemplifies CANAL+’s continued commitment to investing in outstanding local content and bring powerful African stories to the screen with authenticity and ambition.”

Nomsa Philiso, Director, Content, General Entertainment, English and Portuguese-speaking Africa + added: “MultiChoice Group has long had a strong and successful local content platform rooted in African storytelling. Our combination with CANAL+ builds on this foundation, strengthening our scale and reach and enabling the production of ambitious films such as The Road Home. Through STUDIOCANAL, we are further enhancing our ability to invest in premium content and take high quality African stories to global audiences, showcasing the best of the continent on the world stage”.

The Real Reason Telemundo Africa Changed The Names To Shows Like The Way To Paradise And A Passion For Revenge

Telemundo is an American based entertainment channel home to variety of telenovelas from Latin America, Mexico and Colombia. It's been in Africa for 13 years with shows like My Heart Beats For Lola, For Love And Justice and The Face Of Destiny.

Some viewers have noticed that Telemundo changed the names various of shows being allocated on the channel. Aside from the latter two there's also The Woman In Charge, The Way To Paradise and All Roads Lead To Love.

The Woman In Charge which will be concluding soon is known as La Jefa which translates to The Boss. Because Telemundo already reserved The Boss for La Patrona, they resorted to an alternative title with the same meaning. 

For The Way To Paradise, it's whole premise even the title Sin Seños Si Hay Paraíso deals with breasts and some countries are sensitive about this. It's been long been speculated that Telemundo never made this show available in Africa due to this ordeal.

Another show which also got a name change For Love And Justice is known as Los Miserables which translates to The Miserable Ones. The series revolves on Lucia clearing her name (Justice) and finding romance "Love".

The Miserable Ones doesn't really sit well with a show containing such a plot. Another instance is All Roads Lead To Love (Eva La Trailera/Eva The Trucker) as they wanted it to appeal to a wider audience as opposed to feeling niche or industrial.

A Passion For Revenge (Tierra De Reyes/Land Of Kings) is a remake to Hidden Passions (Pasión de Gavilanes) and similar to All Roads Lead To Love the title was touching on the plot. Brothers avenge the death of sister (Revenge) and fall in love (Passion).

Another reason with A Passion For Revenge being a remake, Telemundo probably wanted it to stand on its own feet from past iterations.

In short, there's several reasons Telemundo gave these shows their respective names some like The Way To Paradise proved to be controversial. Then there's others like All Roads Lead To Love where they wanted to make it appealing to viewers.

May 2026 On Nick Jr. Across Europe And Africa | Channel Premiere: Rubble & Crew S4 | Returning Shows: Ben And Holly's Little Kingdom | More

-- Brand new episodes of Rubble & Crew season four:

- 2026-05-04 06:45 4x05a The Crew Builds A Conveyor Belt Restaurant

- 2026-05-05 06:45 4x05b The Crew Cooks Up A Community Soup

- 2026-05-06 06:45 4x06a The Crew Fixes The Observatory

- 2026-05-07 06:45 4x06b The Crew Builds A Meow Yard

-- Deer Squad season four:

- 2026-05-18 07:50 4x01 Out Of The Ice Part 1 & 2 - season four premiere

- 2026-05-19 07:50 4x02 Buns In Space / Scratch And Sniff

- 2026-05-20 07:50 4x03 Penguin Peril / Fix It Fair

- 2026-05-21 07:50 4x04 Dojobot / A Shark's Life

- 2026-05-22 07:50 4x05 Strength Of Steel / Bubbles, Bubbles, Lots Of Trouble

- 2026-05-25 07:50 4x06 Slushy Storm / Cowboy Steel

- 2026-05-26 07:50 4x07 Rise Of The Sub-Zero Sub / Balloon Bonanza

- 2026-05-27 07:50 4x08 Steel Man Steel / The Mystery Heroes

- 2026-05-28 07:50 4x09 Winter Is Coming / Kite Fright

- 2026-05-29 07:50 4x10 Musical Mayhem / Dinobadbot

-- Returning shows:

- Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom:

From Monday 11th May 2026, airing daily at 09:30, 16:00 and 02:10

- The Creature Cases:

From Monday 18th May 2026, airing daily at 14:40 (one-and-a-half episodes each day)

Canal+ To Shutter Showmax Streaming Service By The End Of April As Content Moves To DStv Stream

Showmax has today confirmed key dates marking the end of the streaming service that has operated across 44 markets in Sub-Saharan Africa for the past 11 years.

In an email sent to subscribers on Wednesday evening, the platform outlined a phased wind-down of its current service, with 31 March 2026 set as the final day for subscription renewals and voucher redemptions. From 1 April 2026, new subscriptions and renewals will no longer be available.

Existing subscribers will continue watching content until their subscription expires, or until the end of April 2026, whichever comes first.

This new update provides the clearest consumer-facing timeline yet, following the announcement roughly two weeks ago that Canal+ would shut down Showmax, citing “unacceptable” losses at the African streamer as it sought cost-saving measures.

That announcement sent shockwaves across the industry, from Nairobi to Lagos to Johannesburg, with filmmakers and actors raising concerns over the loss of a key African platform that had, for over a decade, commissioned and amplified local storytelling at scale.

At the same time, the announcement was also met with uncertainty, particularly due to the absence of a clear shutdown timeline or transition plan for subscribers.

Even now, some subscribers have already begun expressing frustration over the short transition window. “It’s really annoying how little time is left,” one subscriber and regular Showmax viewer said in a WhatsApp message.

Showmax Originals will now move to DStv Stream, positioning it as MultiChoice’s central hub for streaming offering, at least for now.

“Showmax is starting a new chapter, and your favourite shows are getting a shiny new home on DStv Stream,” the company said in the email.

But the language used in the communication also suggests that there is more to come. In stating that the content will join “a bigger world of entertainment, all in one place,” MultiChoice hints at a broader consolidation strategy — one that could see Canal+ and MultiChoice’s currently fragmented digital products folded into a more unified streaming ecosystem. There have been reports that Canal+ is exploring a single “super app”, one to rule them all, though this remains unconfirmed at this stage.

In the meantime, it remains unclear whether Showmax users will be migrated to DStv Stream, and what that process would look like in terms of pricing, packaging and access, especially given the current price disparity between the two services.

Chrysalis (Kamdaki Kiz) Season 3 Ending Explained

In the TV finale for Chrysalis (Kamdaki Kiz), Sedat and Nalan's actual remarriage was not shown on screen because the production opted for a time-skip conclusion that focused on their reconciliation rather than a full wedding sequence.

The decision to provide a "forced happy ending" for the television series was heavily criticised by viewers and critics, primarily because it deviated significantly from the original book's ending.

Key reasons for the handling of the finale include:

• Deviation from the source material: In the real life-story and the novel, Nalan and Sedat never get back together. Nalan's true life partner after her divorce is Hayri, with whom she lived with for seven years.

• Thematic shift: The TV series chose to redeem Sedat - showing him changing his ways after his mother's death - and concluded with him proposing to Nalan again on her birthday.

• Pacing and Time Skips: Rather than dedicating screen time to a second wedding, the final episode used a one-year time jump to show the couple already reunited and happy, which some viewers perceived as "cutting" the wedding scene.

Canal+ To Rollout Fishing TV Channel To Consumers Across Africa (Excluding MultiChoice Territories)

Fishing TV is a premium video-on-demand (VOD) platform dedicated to recreational angling (fishing). Launched in 2009, it serves as a specialized streaming service for high-quality fishing content, functioning like a "Netflix for fishing".

It aggregates and produces professional fishing TV shows, videos, movies, documentaries, and short tips from around the world. This include The Fishing TV Show, Yucatan Anglers TV and 24 Hr Rod Race.

Fishing TV organizes its library into dedicated channels (categories) covering nearly every style and discipline of recreational fishing. This includes Fly Fishing, Saltwater, Carp, Coarse & Match and Predator Fishing.

During the month, it was reported that Canal+ Afrique would be adding Fishing TV to their platforms. This was accompanied by various channels already seen on DStv like SuperSport Grandstand, Comedy Central and History.

Similar to Love Nature, Fishing TV serves as yet another TV channel that the French broadcaster hadn't picked up for MultiChoice territories. Despite offering The Wildfly Fishing Series and Inside Angling on SuperSport.

Aside from offering a linear channel, Fishing TV is available on Smart TVs, mobile devices (iOS/Android), tablets, and set-top boxes.

May 2026 On History Channel Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Britain's Murder Map | Returning Shows Including The Unbelievable With Dan Aykroyd | More

Brand New & Exclusive

THE UNBELIEVABLE WITH DAN AYKROYD S3 

01 May

Fridays 19:25

Starring Dan Aykroyd (Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters), this smart and entertaining series digs up the weirdest people, places, objects, and events in human history. From the strangest places to unusual pastimes, to the wildest weapons and spectacular cons, these are some of history’s most unbelievable stories. Among the tales we explore this season is an island ruled by deadly predators, missiles guided by pigeons, the man who single handedly liberated a town during World War II and an appliance that runs on pup power. Repeat: Monday 11:45

Brand New & Exclusive

BRITAIN’S MURDER MAP

05 May

Tuesdays 19:25

Viewers are taken on a chilling journey to real-life locations tied to some of the UK’s most notorious murders. From local pubs and eerie castles to historic hotels and grand stately homes, we visit these haunting sites that still stand today, each with its own dark story. As Vicky McClure and Jonny Owen walk through the real places connected to these crimes, the duo uncovers the grim history behind each location, bringing the past to life and exploring the lingering mysteries of Britain’s most infamous murder cases. Repeat: Wednesday 11:45

Brand New

OUTBACK WRECKERS

06 May

Wednesday 19:25

Mike Elliot and his team of scrap metal junkie are the Outback Wreckers. Their mission is to scour the harsh Aussie landscape for wrecked and abandoned cars, in search of valuable parts to be stripped out and sold for export. As Mike always says, ‘one’s man’s scrap is another man’s gold’ and these days that saying is bang on, with business booming! The Outback is littered with dumped and damaged cars and the car wreckers make it their mission to cleanup – in more ways than one! Repeat: Thursday 11:45

Brand New

CONTAINER WAR’S S1 & S2

11 May

Weekdays 18:10

Container Wars is an auction show that takes place in a commercial shipping port. The show’s cast compete against each other to buy contents of huge shipping containers that have come from all around the world. They have no idea what’s inside the containers until the doors are opened. They then have only a few minutes to assess what’s visible and decide whether to bid. Tune in for this competitive series, which is triple-billed. Repeat: Next Weekday 09:00

BRITAIN’S MOST HISTORIC TOWNS S3 

11 May

Mondays to Thursdays 21:05

Alice Roberts once again explores key periods in British history through the story of individual towns. In season 3 of Britain’s Most Historic Towns, Professor Alice Roberts explores a new set of British towns but this time looking at towns that have a radical edge. Although kings and queens inevitably play a role, this is essentially the people’s story, as Alice unpicks each era with a focus on riots, disasters, strikes and rebellions that shaped Modern Britain. the expulsion of Lincoln’s Jewish community at the end of the 13th century, to Manchester’s role in shaping Communism, to the way the Restoration helped London let off steam again through bawdy comedy and new sexual freedoms, Alice wants us to think afresh about Britain’s turbulent past. Repeat: Next Day 13:25

Brand New & Exclusive 

WORLD WAR II WITH TOM HANKS

26 May

Tuesdays 21:05

Over 20 episodes, World War II with Tom Hanks presents a sweeping and defi niti ve retelling of the Second World War, drawing on rarely seen archival material, powerful, evocative storytelling, and insights from leading historians. Spanning the origins of the conflict, its decisive turning points, and the human stories at its heart, the series offers a panoramic and emotionally resonant perspective on the war that reshaped the modern world. Repeat: Wednesday 13:25

Development Alert: The Loud House Will Be Returning To Nicktoons For Viewers Across Africa

During the year, Paramount shuttered it's door for consumers in Africa affecting the distribution of BET and MTV Base. MultiChoice had since then sought out Base Pulse to fill up the gap left by MTV Base while certain BET shows found its way to MTV.

Paramount had also restructured it's feed for Nickelodeon with consumers outside of Africa now able to watch The Loud House. As some viewers can recall, the show was banned in Kenya by 2015/6 even though Nickelodeon offered censorship.

The KFCB was also responsible for the ban of Gravity Falls and Steven Universe but in recent years these shows had resurfaced so it's likely the ban was removed. Of course, these shows continue to be censored for viewers outside of South Africa.

Nicktoons, an animation channel that features shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. will also be airing The Loud House. This wouldn't be the first time it appeared on the channel as it aired back in 2021/2 but never got to complete season 1.

We can only assume that Paramount is now making The Loud House available on Nicktoons as a means to align the channel with it's European counterpart.

Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. formed part of these endeavours for sometime which is why their ads remain text less as they're shared across regions. With Nickelodeon operating under two feeds known as Global Unlimited (SA) and Global Limited (ROA).

Nick In Your Language and NickMusic served as the variations from other global feeds for Nicktoons. But with Paramount Africa that shuttered its doors it appears these endeavours had been wind down I mean MTV doesn't air any local programming.

NickMusic had not been seen on the channel it's likely the decision to close MTV's music channels affected the show indirectly. While Nick In Your Language remains on the air there's been zero advertising about it by the company.

The Loud House is eyeing a debut on the channel in June following it's return to Nickelodeon in other parts of Africa earlier in the year.

eToonz And ePlesier Are Believed To Have The Least Amount Of Viewers

eToonz is a South African based children's channel that offers a mixture of animated and live-action shows alongside films. This includes MasterChef Junior, Hank Zipzer, DreamWorks Dragons: Race To The Edge and Angelina Ballerina.

ePlesier serves as a dedicated channel to older shows viewed on e.tv and eExtra's Kuiertyd. These would include Kelders Van Geheime, Annekan Die Swa Kry, Doodsondes and Stiletto Vendetta.

As mentioned, eMedia Investments had published it's ratings cards for all of its 8 channels. It's through this where one can get some pointers on how these channels are performing overall and things aren't looking for eToonz.

It serves as one of the company's longest running channels alongside e.tv, eMovies and eNCA through a separate agreement with MultiChoice. But in terms of investment and marketing the channel is lagging behind its other comrades.

Even ePlesier despite only serving reruns and only packaged on Openview has more viewers than eToonz. You can only conclude this as eMedia Investments charges advertisers more money for ePlesier than they would with eToonz.

This news doesn't come as surprise as Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery were in a dispute last year regarding the carriage of their 12 channels including Cartoon Network and Cartoonito.

Warner Bros. Discovery revealed Cartoon Network was responsible for 50% of kids viewing on DStv. This would mean eToonz formed part of the other 50% alongside Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.

eToonz is a channel that is also distributed on DStv so viewers are going to expect that the channel is getting it's money's worth but for ePlesier to rack more dough is kinda depressing.

But from what was understood about Cartoon Network, a percentage of these viewers are adults. You can understand why ePlesier might have gotten the upper hand because kids prefer YouTube and TikTok while a majority on linear TV are adults.

ePlesier likely factored in what led to kill off primetime in the afternoon for daily repeats of Sout Van Die Aarde, Yosef and Bittersoet. Reruns can draw a decent amount of viewers and potential revenue it's like that with e.tv and Mr. Bones. 

eExtra Killing Off Primetime In The Afternoons Explained

eExtra is a South African based entertainment channel that offers telenovelas from Turkey this includes shows like Bittersoet, Sout Van Die Aarde and Soete Wraak. It also offers other shows like Ouma Sarie, Voetspore and Twist Of Fate.

As some viewers recall, eExtra also offered Asian and Bollywood dramas like Naagin, High Society Scandal and Empresses In The Place. Since then, the latter had gradually been phased out or reduced on the channel to just late nights.

Thanks to the rating cards provided by eMedia Sales, viewers get a glimpse into how much the channel charges it's advertisers.

From what is understood here, the timeslots to accumulate the most dough here is the ones where the most viewers reside. eMedia Investments hadn't disclosed how many viewers these shows have but it could be around 100,000+.

These cards also put a damper to shows like India: A Love Story and Naagin as it's clear here that daily repeats of Bloedspoor, Kelders Van Geheime and Yosef dominate the channel's overall viewing.

Despite eMedia Investments already packaging ePlesier for such content on Openview. It's clear that eMedia Investments can re-coperate the costs of ePlesier with just Bloedspoor reruns on eExtra.

We can only assume after eMedia Holdings had acquired the remaining stake in the company. Some restructuring was likely underway for eExtra and this led to reruns (particularly Kuiertyd) taking over afternoons as it made them the most income.

If you combine the potential earnings Naagin's weekday timeslot with that or Sout Van Die Aarde. You can see that eExtra can make almost double of Naagin's earnings with Sout Van Die Aarde.

SuperSport Announced That It Will Broadcast All 104 matches Of The FIFA World Cup 2026

The announcement was made during a sudden mid-game interruption while Kaizer Chiefs was playing Magesi FC, in a short ad starring Idris Elba.

DStv will broadcast the matches live across SuperSport on DStv, DStv Stream, GOtv, and GOtv Stream. Viewers can watch on mobile phones, laptops, and smart TVs.

Coverage will be available in English and Portuguese, as well as local African languages including isiZulu, Sesotho, Kiswahili, and Pidgin.

The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026 on DStv, with the opening ceremony in Mexico City broadcast live on SuperSport.

The first match will see Bafana Bafana take on Mexico.

Coverage will run from pre-match build-up to the final whistle, bringing Africa together to watch.

May 2026 On Nickelodeon and NickToons Across Europe And Africa | Returning Shows Including Pinky Malinky And The Loud House | More

Nickelodeon

-- Brand new episodes of The Loud House season 10:

- 2026-05-04 10:00 10x03a Spy Dames

- 2026-05-05 10:00 10x03b Cupid's Harrow

- 2026-05-06 10:00 10x04a Clyde Can't Decide

- 2026-05-07 10:00 10x04b Shred of Evidence

- 2026-05-08 10:00 10x05a One False Move

- 2026-05-11 10:00 10x05b Personal Train Wreck

- 2026-05-12 10:00 10x08a My Phony Valentine

- 2026-05-13 10:00 10x08b Man Of My Schemes

- 2026-05-14 10:00 10x12a Student of the Jeer

- 2026-05-15 10:00 10x12b Bean Dreams

-- Brand new episodes of The Marsupilamis:

- 2026-05-25 09:45 1x06a The Heat is on

- 2026-05-26 09:45 1x06b Dig disaster

- 2026-05-27 09:45 1x07a Stan's showtime

- 2026-05-28 09:45 1x07b The Truth is Out There

- 2026-05-29 09:45 1x08a Howling Hope

- 2026-05-31 14:45 1x08b Mar-Smoothie-Lami

- 2026-05-31 14:55 1x09 Party Party / Mica's Robot

Nicktoons 

* Channel premiere for viewers outside Africa

-- The brand new show Pinky Malinky (channel premiere):

- 2026-05-01 14:30 1x10 Sensei / Hangout

- 2026-05-02 11:10 1x09 Fun / Brother

- 2026-05-03 11:10 1x11 Sock / Count

- 2026-05-05 14:30 1x12a Phone

- 2026-05-06 14:30 1x13 Friend / Gym

- 2026-05-07 14:30 1x14 List / Double

- 2026-05-08 14:30 1x15 Sight / Grounded

- 2026-05-11 14:30 1x16 Bestie / Smile

- 2026-05-12 14:30 1x17 Search / Individual

- 2026-05-13 14:30 1x18 Cranky / Weeds

- 2026-05-14 14:30 1x19 Song / Trophy

- 2026-05-15 14:30 1x20 Man / Eraser - season one finale

-- New episodes of *Rusty Rivets:

- 2026-05-05 02:40 1x15 Rusty Learns to Skate / Rusty's Rustic Adventure

- 2026-05-12 02:40 1x16 Rusty's Mechanical Animal / Rusty's Spaceship

- 2026-05-19 02:40 1x17 Rusty and the Bit Police / Rusty's Jam at the Dam

- 2026-05-26 02:40 1x18 Rusty's Botafort / Rusty's Bull Dozer

-- New episodes of *Shimmer and Shine:

- 2026-05-05 02:20 4x17 Sneaky Squeaky Chicken / Adara's Bracelets

- 2026-05-12 02:20 4x18 Nazboo Come Home / Surfing the Skies

- 2026-05-19 02:20 4x19 Journey to Zahramay Oceana

- 2026-05-26 02:20 4x20 The Sea Enchantress / The Dance of the Jellyfish

-- New episodes of *Top Wing:

- 2026-05-02 02:20 1x24 A Turtely Awesome Adventure / Brody Goes Home

- 2026-05-02 02:40 1x25 Birthday Bandits! / The Mystery of the Haunted Cave

--New episodes of *Winx Club (The Original Series):

- 2026-05-06 02:40 6x14 Mythix

- 2026-05-13 02:40 6x15 Mystery of Calavera

- 2026-05-20 02:40 6x16 Zombie Invasion

- 2026-05-27 02:40 6x17 The Curse of Fearwood

Nickelodeon and NickToons Global is available in Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland, France, Germany, Africa, Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Adria countries (Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia), Turkey, Arabia, France (as Nickelodeon Toon), across Asia.

Possible Canal+ Victims: SuperSportBET, SuperSport Park, SA20 League And SuperSport Schools

During the week, it was announced that MultiChoice ended it's sponsorship for the DStv Delicious Festival after 13 years. This forms part of Canal+'s cost cutting measures after acquiring the company by late 2025.

This news doesn't really come as a surprise to some outlets as Canal+ had been trying to exit services which has been deemed non-core to its strategy. And DStv Delicious Festival served as an unnecessary expense for the French broadcaster.

Other assets also at MultiChoice that could be under review come from SuperSport and this ranges from SuperSport Park, SuperSportBET, SuperSport Schools and SA20 League. 

SuperSport Park is a cricket stadium located in Centurion, It is the home ground of the Titans cricket team and hosts international Test, ODI, and T20 matches. This comes with a lot of physical expenses that the company doesn't need.

Because Canal+ can't retrench anyone for three years that doesn't block them from selling SuperSport Park. In the event of a sale, workers would fall under the new owner's jurisdiction and not that of MultiChoice and SuperSport.

SuperSportBET is an online sports betting and casino platform launched in January 2024 by MultiChoice Group in partnership with KingMakers (Betking). It still operates at a loss compared to established brands like Betway and HollywoodBet.

If it's situation doesn't improve there's a strong chance that Canal+ will discontinue its services.

The SA20 (officially Betway SA20) is South Africa’s premier domestic T20 franchise cricket league, launched in 2023 as Cricket South Africa’s (CSA). It forms part of a venture with MultiChoice and SuperSport with them having minority stake.

The reason this comes under the microscope is due to the stake as Canal+ serves a distributor of sporting events. They're not the type to offer grassroot events or sponsorships which is where SuperSport Schools also factors in.

Not that Canal+ also owns SuperSport Schools, if they were to be paying for a separate production facility, travel costs for some of the players and other accomodations. Those could form part of the cost cutting measures at MultiChoice.

Sporty TV Secures Rights To The Upcoming FIFA World Cup Games

Sports broadcasting service SportyTV has announced it has secured the rights to show all 104 matches of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in South Africa on a pay-TV basis.

SportyTV inked the deal one year after launching in the South African market, and it said all World Cup matches will be streamed on its streaming platform.

It has apps for Android and iOS, as well as support for major TV brands. Currently, accessing SportyTV requires creating a SportyBet account.

SportyTV also has a channel on Openview, which it launched in 2025. However, Openview is a free-to-view satellite TV platform, and SportyTV has secured the pay-TV rights to the FIFA World Cup.

The company has made no explicit announcement about whether it will or will not show the matches on eMedia’s Openview platform.

“Having entered South Africa with a bold statement through the broadcast of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, the platform now acquires the biggest sporting event on the planet,” SportyTV announced.

“This move firmly establishes its dominance in one of Africa’s most competitive media landscapes.”

SportyTV said the production will match the scale of the rights and that it will deliver comprehensive pre- and post-match coverage from its studios in Cape Town and Madrid.

A lineup of commentators and football pundits will be revealed soon, with the company adding that it will deploy crews in the United States, Canada and Mexico to follow the South African national team.

“Beyond live coverage, the platform will execute a fully integrated 360° content strategy, combining always-on digital output, social-first storytelling, and real-time fan engagement.”

Elias Gallego, SportyGroup’s VP of business development, marketing, and media, said that the 2026 World Cup is the perfect stage to showcase the company’s digital content ecosystem in South Africa.

“With this agreement, SportyTV is revamping the model for sports broadcasting in emerging markets, combining accessibility, premium production, and integrated monetisation at scale.”

Alongside the upcoming FIFA World Cup games, SportyTV also provides live content, original programming and digital-first experiences in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.

According to its website, the company’s programming is available on Openview’s channel 125. Its app has over five million downloads across its markets on Android and iOS.

SportyTV said that it wants to position itself as the “definitive home” of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in South Africa.

Could Canal+ Look To Discontinue GOtv As They Restructure DStv Packages?

As readers already heard, Canal+ is looking to restructure it's DStv packages because MultiChoice offered about 17 of that in SA. To top it off in other MultiChoice territories, they distribute GOtv which adds another layer of complexity in those plans.

Since 2023, MultiChoice had lost over 3 million subscribers and that the new owners have taken upon themselves to stop further price increases. They're trying to cut down on expenses and make MultiChoice's services affordable.

In Canal+ Afrique territories, their packages are a lot cheaper and it was revealed by the French giant that MultiChoice charges way too much.

Getting back to the packages, MultiChoice offers both DStv and GOtv, and now under French hands there's a strong possibility that one of the two likely GOtv will be put out of its misery.

If the plan here is to make DStv affordable to a point where inflation is very minimal as seen with Canal+ Afrique. There really wouldn't be much need for a GOtv as it was structured by MultiChoice as lightweight or lower budget version of DStv.

If you're folding this structure on DStv possible case scenario here is that Canal+ opts to consolidate the two under one brand if not also opt to keep either DTT or DTH onboard.

Like I mentioned, there is a lot of overlapping between these two.

Take for instance, DStv Compact Plus and GOtv's most expensive offering Supa Plus both carry the same sporting events. Then there's DStv Compact and GOtv Supa/Max that offers a mix of local and international content. 

Followed by DStv Access and Family alongside GOtv Jolli and Jinja which are all aimed at families and kids with a couple of local channels and kids stuff.

All these packages are priced similarly and in the event this restructure takes place it's less likely that Canal+ will try to make these packages rival each other. They've already decapitated Showmax after criticising MultiChoice for making it rival with DStv.

If I had to guess how this could as well pan out maybe Canal+ will merge DStv Compact+ and GOtv Supa Plus with DStv Premium. They've made a majority of channels on these packages accessible to DStv Compact and GOtv Supa customers.

Then there's DStv Family and GOtv Max maybe Canal+ will look to merge that with DStv Compact and GOtv Supa. Just like DStv Premium, MultiChoice has made a couple of channels viewable on there and I mean the entire kids and music lineup.

This would leave DStv Access and GOtv Jinja/Jolli I'm expecting for this to go unscatched considering the pricing and the fact there's minimal overlaps with other DStv and GOtv packages.

Canal+ Dumps DStv Delicious Festival Due To Aggressive Cost Cutting At MultiChoice

The Sunday World newspaper, citing sources, reports that Canal+ has decided to dump the DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival as part of Canal+'s drastic and aggressive ongoing cost-cutting at MultiChoice.

The DStv Delicious Festival, that's been often-criticised in past editions, started in 2013 and held its 12th one in September at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.

DStv Delicious as a subscriber retention, potential upsell and marketing event, focused on the DStv mass-market and combined music acts, including international artists, with a food marketplace as a culinary showcase, combined with a fashion display component that involved local South African fashion designers.

Canal+ is now removing DStv as naming-rights sponsor with multiple sources who said that MultiChoice is done with its sponsorship of DStv Delicious.

Canal+ said that "Since tak­ing own­er­ship of Mul­tiChoice last year, Canal+ has put in place a stra­tegic plan to ensure a sus­tain­able future for the com­pany, put­ting it back on a path­way towards growth. This is essen­tial to ensure that con­sumers are able to con­tinue to enjoy com­pel­ling local and inter­na­tional con­tent on lead­ing plat­forms and that we can con­tinue to sup­port South Africa’s cre­at­ive indus­tries."

"We are proud to work with a broad eco­sys­tem of part­ners, includ­ing SMES and local pro­duc­tion houses, which are crit­ical to our busi­ness and to the growth of the cre­at­ive sec­tor across Africa."

"We remain com­mit­ted to the under­tak­ings we made dur­ing the acquis­i­tion pro­cess and are focused on build­ing a strong, sus­tain­able busi­ness to the bene­fit of South African con­sumers and cre­at­ives alike.

CBS Boss Alec Botnick Has Been Named President Of Nickelodeon Animation Studios

A longtime CBS exec, Botnick will lead the studio into its next chapter while continuing to serve in his current role as Executive Vice President (EVP) of CBS Studios Comedy Development, Head of Animation and Alternative.

Additionally, after BET Studios in December became a label of CBS Studios, the same is now being done with Nickelodeon Animation Studios, which also will function as a label within the David Stapf-run TV studio going forward.

With that, all production units in Cheeks’ expanded portfolio after the Skydance merger are now being consolidated into one, CBS Studios.

As the head of Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Botnick will help the studio reinvent its approach to reaching preschoolers and evolve into a multi-platform brand. He’ll also take charge of Nickelodeon’s unscripted arm, which includes the Kids’ Choice Awards. Of course, he will also guide the development of new TV series while overseeing Nickelodeon’s most important franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol.

A former WME agent, Botnick joined CBS Studios in 2015 as Vice President (VP), Comedy Development and was upped to executive vp in 2021. 

While at CBS, Botnick has helped develop scripted series including for animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, Everybody Still Hates Chris and Digman!, along with live-action comedies Ghosts, The Neighborhood, and the upcoming vampire comedy Eternally Yours, as well as Paramount+’s Australian comedy Colin From Accounts. He also developed Dead to Me, and American Vandal at Netflix. He will continue to develop scripted comedies and alternative titles for CBS Studios while maintaining oversight of animated development across the CBS, Comedy Central and MTV brands.

In more executive news, Ashley Kaplan, who previously served as Nickelodeon’s EVP of Unscripted and Digital Franchise Studios, will shift into a consulting role on Monday, April 13, supporting the TV Media division on special projects through the end of the year.

Kaplan had been co-running the animated studio with Botnick for the past four months. Back in November, three months after former CBS President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cheeks added oversight of Paramount cable brands such as MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET in his new role as Paramount’s Chair of TV Media, he unveiled leadership for most divisions.

Kaplan and Botnick were tapped at the time to oversee Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Over her seven-year tenure at Nickelodeon, Kaplan has shepherded the company’s large YouTube output in form of short-form content, including Kid Cowboy.

Jules Borkent, EVP of Global Commercial Partnerships and Operations, will continue to oversee the business and strategy of Nickelodeon Kids & Family.

Read Cheeks' memo in its entirety below:

Team,  

I’m excited to announce that Alec Botnick has been appointed President of Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Alec will lead Nickelodeon Animation Studios into its next chapter, while also continuing his current role as EVP of CBS Studios comedy development, alternative & animation. Similar to BET Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios will now operate as its own label for television within CBS Studios.

For Nickelodeon, Alec will oversee the animation studio and its evolution across digital, TV and streaming as we reimagine how we meet today’s kids and families. Alec’s leadership will be essential in shaping our next phase as Nickelodeon reinvents how we reach preschoolers, starting where discovery happens first and evolving into a true multi-platform brand. He also will lead Nickelodeon’s unscripted programming for television, including the Kids’ Choice Awards, while also guiding the development of new series and overseeing our long-running hits, ensuring Nickelodeon remains home to the world’s most iconic kids’ franchises like SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, PAW PATROL and more.  

Alec will continue to develop scripted comedies and alternative projects for CBS Studios, as well as maintain oversight of animated development across the CBS, Comedy Central and MTV brands for owned and third-party platforms. Series and projects Alec has helped develop include GHOSTS and ETERNALLY YOURS for CBS, the critically acclaimed Australian comedy COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS for Paramount+ and the animated series “Odd Jobs” for Prime Video.  

I also want to share that Ashley Kaplan will transition to a consulting role beginning Monday. In this capacity, she will support the TV Media division on special projects through the end of the year. We are grateful to Ashley for her years of leadership and appreciate her continued partnership.  

Jules Borkent, executive vice president of global commercial partnerships and operations, will continue to oversee Nickelodeon Kids & Family’s business and strategy, working in partnership with Alec and other key stakeholders to maximize the Nick brand.  

Please join me in congratulating Alec on this well-deserved role. I’m excited for what’s ahead as we continue building the next chapter of Nickelodeon.  

All the best,  

George