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Showing posts with label Comedy Central. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedy Central. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

"New Paramount" May Be Looking To Discard Cable Networks Like MTV, Comedy Central, BET And Nickelodeon

The landscape of television is undergoing a seismic shift, with streaming services increasingly dominating the entertainment industry. This transformation is forcing media conglomerates to re-evaluate their strategies, and for Paramount, this means a potential downplaying, or even outright disposal, of once-iconic cable networks like MTV and Comedy Central.

According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, these networks, along with Nickelodeon and BET, are “simply not as high a priority” for the incoming Skydance regime following the anticipated merger with Paramount. This news raises serious questions about the future of these channels, which have played a significant role in shaping pop culture over the past few decades.

The report suggests that CBS is the only television asset considered completely safe under the new leadership. Incoming company president Jeff Shell has previously referred to CBS as a “crown jewel,” indicating its central importance to the merged entity. This prioritization of CBS comes at the expense of other networks within the Paramount portfolio.

The signs of this shift have been evident for some time. Paramount has reportedly entertained numerous bids for BET, including offers from prominent figures like Tyler Perry and media mogul Byron Allen. This willingness to consider selling BET demonstrates a clear shift in priorities away from these formerly key cable assets.

Perhaps the most alarming indicator of this deprioritization was the recent wiping of digital archives for networks like MTV News and Comedy Central. This erasure of digital history suggests a lack of commitment to preserving the legacy of these channels, further fueling speculation about their future.

The current strategy of bringing established sitcoms like “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory” to MTV raises further questions. This move suggests a reliance on established, syndicated content rather than investment in original programming, potentially signaling a decline in the network’s focus on creating new, cutting-edge content. This is a far cry from MTV’s earlier days as a trendsetting music and youth culture channel.

The Hollywood Reporter cites a December 19 Bank of America research report from Jessica Reif Ehrlich, which predicts a trend of media companies divesting their cable TV network assets. The report suggests these assets would be “better positioned as a consolidated, linear-focused vehicle with scale benefits that can drive affiliate and advertising negotiation as well as synergies.” This analysis points towards a potential consolidation of remaining cable networks as a way to maintain some level of competitiveness against the streaming giants.

The potential decline of MTV and Comedy Central raises broader questions about the future of cable television as a whole. As streaming continues to gain momentum, traditional cable networks are facing an existential crisis. The convenience and on-demand nature of streaming have proven highly attractive to viewers, leading to widespread cord-cutting.

Whether these legacy networks can survive independently or face extinction remains to be seen. However, the winds are clearly blowing in the direction of streaming, and media conglomerates are adapting accordingly. The anticipated Skydance and Paramount merger is likely to accelerate this trend, potentially marking the beginning of the end for some of television’s most iconic cable brands. The focus on “synergies,” as mentioned in the Bank of America report, suggests that any remaining cable assets may be bundled together or sold off as a single entity, further diminishing their individual prominence in the media landscape.

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Comedy Central Will Stop Airing In Ukraine By 1st January 2025 Due To Low Ratings

After shutting down in Russia in 2022, Comedy Central was made available through the Ukrainian media group 1+1 replacing Paramount Comedy. The channel is aimed at viewers aged 18-49 and reaches around 300 million households in more than 150 countries with shows like Two And Half Men, Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory.

Commenting on its launch in Ukraine, Oksana Petryshyn, general producer of the TET TV channel and Comedy Central, said: “The content of the Comedy Central TV channel has been proven over the years and has made Ukrainians fall in love with it. Therefore, the launch of the TV channel is a response to the request of viewers who, more than ever, need positive and life-affirming content”.

Now the channel is said to be going dark in the region by January 1st 2025 with sources siting poor reception which has led to its downfall. This was one of the few services to have been offered by Paramount Global following Russia's invasion into the Ukrainian market by 2022.

Although Comedy Central would cease to exist in the Ukraine, the channel is still available in Latin America, United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, India, Middle East and Africa.

Paramount Global which serves as the parent company for Comedy Central is in the process of being acquired by Skydance Media which is awaiting approval with the deal set to be finalised in the first half of 2025. The company is looking to form "New Paramount" which ventures into revenue streams while winding down on costs.

Monday, June 17, 2024

The Reboot Of "Ren and Stimpy" Makes Its Global Premiere In July On Comedy Central, Including Latin America, CIS, Africa And Romania

Ren and Stimpy are back. After almost four years since its announcement and several setbacks in its production, the long-awaited (and controversial) reboot of one of Nickelodeon's most iconic animated series from the 90s will finally premiere this July. This news comes shortly after the original series left the programming of Comedy Central's Latin American channel due to a change in operations. Let's briefly review the production chronology of this series.

In August 2020, Comedy Central, owned by Paramount Global and Nickelodeon's sister channel, announced the green light to produce a reboot of "Ren and Stimpy." From the beginning, it was confirmed that John Kricfalusi, original creator of the franchise, would not participate in the new series nor receive financial compensation due to accusations of workplace mistreatment and sexual abuse against two minor women at the time: Robyn Byrd and Katie Rice , who worked at Spümcø, Kricfalusi's animation studio, becoming involved in the production of the original series and Adult Party Cartoon, its canceled successor for a more mature audience. Following the announcement of the reboot, Robyn Byrd started a petition on Change.org to cancel it, although it was apparently unsuccessful and the petition was eventually withdrawn, despite considerable support. Later, it was discovered that Byrd was participating in the production of the reboot. Initially planned as a collaboration between MTV Entertainment Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studio, with animation handled by the latter, production moved to Awesome Inc. (which made other series such as "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" or "Squidbillies") in October 2021. A month earlier, it had been confirmed that Billy West would reprise his voice roles as Ren and Stimpy.

Throughout much of 2022, there was a dearth of news about the reboot, leading many to speculate that it might have been quietly canceled. However, in September 2022, Snipple Animation Studios ("New Looney Tunes", "Jellystone!") announced its involvement as an animation provider. In turn, Billy West explained that development was significantly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thus denying cancellation rumors. And so we arrive at December 2023, the month in which Paramount Global suffered a series of security breaches, leaking fragments of what appears to be the first episode of the reboot. This includes the "Screentime / All About Log" segments. Later, last May, a complete episode, the sixth, was leaked, containing the "Aw Hell No! / Squatters" segments, with clapperboard included and full credits.

Thanks to these episodes, we can confirm that John Kricfalusi is not mentioned in the credits as the creator of the characters, unlike other productions where the creators continue to be credited after facing accusations, such as Chris Savino with "The Loud House" or Justin Roiland with "Rick and Morty." Plus, Vanessa Coffey, the woman behind the ingenious idea of ​​Nicktoons in the early '90s, is back as an executive producer, which is a nice surprise. However, it is unfortunate that much of the series' original team, including Bob Camp (who was initially planned to participate but left the project due to creative differences), is not involved. This means that the reboot has primarily been developed by people with no prior experience with the franchise or the characters. We also do not know if, for the Latin dubbing, Ren and Stimpy will have some of the voices that have given them life over the years (including Alfonso Obregón or Igor Cruz as Ren and José Luis Orozco, Martín Soto or Jorge Ornelas for Stimpy), or if there will be recasting.

But returning to the main topic, Comedy Central Latin America will premiere in its programming the new iteration of "Ren y Stimpy" with the segments "Renhattan / Table for Human / Clear Toilet" this Friday, July 12, around 10:30 p.m. MEX | 22:50hrs BRA | 23:30hrs COL/PER | 00:30hrs CHI/VEN | 01:30 hrs ARG. This date also applies to most of Comedy Central's international signals managed by Paramount Networks EMEAA, including the CIS countries, South Africa (at 10:50 p.m.) and Romania (at 10:00 p.m.). Because the premiere has not yet been officially announced by Paramount Global, it is worth clarifying that the date is subject to last minute modifications. New episodes will continue every Friday, at 10:00 p.m. BRA/MEX | 23:00hrs COL/PER | 00:00hrs CHI/VEN | 01:00 hrs ARG. The titles for Friday, July 19 are "Screentime / All About Log / Milk Pulp", and for Friday the 26th "Bad Stimpy / The Mother of all Yaksmases / Yucky the Mudman" will air. Additionally, starting Friday the 19th, each episode aired the previous week will be repeated right after that night's premiere.

At the moment, there is no set date for its release in the rest of the world, including the United States, its country of origin. Curiously, prior to this long-awaited premiere (except in Romania), Comedy Central will also present on its screens "South Park: The End of Obesity", the most recent Paramount+ original special of the successful adult animation franchise. In the same way, the channel will undergo a new change in its programming for Latin America that will bring back local programs. More details soon. The official synopsis for the reboot reads: "You may have thought you caught them during a misremembered fever dream when you were home sick in first grade, but misfit jester Ren and innocent jester Stimpy are back in an animated series! brand new full of laughter, screams and disturbingly grotesque frames that you can't miss! With new and delicious nightmares to burn into your retinas! In this season, Ren and Stimpy take on human skin, meet a genie, get scurvy, They join a cult, discover the wonders of hair removal, shoot a movie, undergo plastic surgery in a mall, go to hell, discover the true meaning of laquetal, and MUCH MORE! With the return of fan-favorite characters, as well as new characters voiced by actors you probably like."

This article was originally published by TVLaint

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Skydance Media Plans To Merge Their Operations With Paramount Global, Could This Have An Everlasting Affect On Nickelodeon And MTV?

As some readers are aware, Shari Redstone is looking to sell her shares in Paramount Global home to MTV and Nickelodeon. Currently, Skydance Media and Sony Pictures Television in a joint bid with Apollo Global Management are battling it out.

The Sony-Apollo deal has garnered a lot of media scrutiny as insiders report a possible dismemberment of their linear portfolio. With Paramount Studios being merged onto Sony Pictures Television current offering and studio lots auctioned off.

Skydance Media proposal is said to be favorable because unlike Sony-Apollo they wouldn't go through any regulatory hurdles for foreign ownership. Their plan would be to merge their operations with Paramount Global of course the finer details haven't been outlined. 

From what several sources uncovered, Skydance Media is planning to merge/bundle Paramount+ with another streaming service. It is no secret that Netflix and Disney+ have been edging out the competition so it's likely they're looking after Paramount’s interests. 

Skydance Media has worked with Paramount Global on several projects such as Mission: Impossible, Transformers, Top Gun, Jack Reacher and Star Trek.

If anything, we presume a possible merger between Skydance Media and Paramount Global could lead to a reduction of content or at least for its linear portfolio. As mentioned, Skydance wants to merge Paramount+ with another streaming service. 

On top of that they've got several projects in development and with Paramount Pictures they'll expand on that. Prior to acquisition talks, Netflix had licensed various content from Nickelodeon like Saving Bikini Bottoms: The Sandy Cheeks Movie and Fairly OddParents: A New Wish.

Although Sony-Apollo would lead to the purging of TV channels outside of regulatory confinement. These channels could lose credibility under Skydance Media and serve as second fiddle to the endeavors licensed to Netflix or even Apple TV+.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

June 2024 On Comedy Central Across Africa | New Movie Alert: Out Of Office | Returning Shows Including Ren & Stimpy | More

Beavis & Butthead S2 continue from March 
Fridays @22:00
Premiere – 29th of March @22:00 
Episodes: 201-212
The triumphant return of Beavis and Butt-Head (both voiced by creator Mike Judge), two teenage boys who like things that are cool and don't like things that suck.

Out of Order continue from May
Mondays @23:50
Premiere – 6th May@23:50
Episodes: 101-106
Host Rosie Jones pits Katherine Ryan and Judi Love's teams against each other in judging 'Rosie's Regulars'. Comedians compete in hilarious rounds, before a twist sees one of the regulars play for a cash prize.

The Daily Show S29
Tuesday-Friday at 23:50
Hosted by Jon Stewart on Tuesdays (Monday US)
Black out June 20th

Rules of Engagement S1-5
continue from April
Premiere - April 29th
Mon-Fri 16:00
Two couples and their single friend, all at different stages in their relationships, deal with the complications of dating, commitment, and marriage.

Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains S5
Mondays @23:50
Premiere – 17th June @23:50
Episodes: 101-110
Rhod Gilbert is joined by a trio of famous guests to roll back the clock and delve into their
adolescent years. What will they learn about each other - and whose will turn out to be most embarrassing?

Out of Office 
Saturday 23nd of June @22:00
A wunderkind boss who, in an effort to ensure his staff's connectedness and productivity, asks them all to virtually interact and work face-to face all day.

Ren & Stimpy
Fridays @22:00
Premiere – 28th June @22:00
Episodes: 101-110
This slapstick buddy comedy centers on a skinny, temperamental chihuahua Ren, and his trusting feline sidekick, Stimpy. Together, this twisted twosome find themselves in crazy absurd adventures.

Friday, April 19, 2024

Channel Closure: Comedy Central Family Will Stop Airing In Hungary On July 6th

Comedy Central Family is a general entertainment brand operated by Paramount Global and also a sister network to Comedy Central. It focused on humorous and family oriented shows such as See Dad Run, Mike & Molly, Young Sheldon and The Middle.

According to Hungarian website Media1, Comedy Central Family is set to end its run in Hungary from July 6th. This news comes after the channel had ceased operation in Poland and Dutch territories years prior making it the last feed to offer such brand. 

It is believed to be part of a strategic approach within Paramount Global as the closure was described as something beyond the pay-tv service's control. With further content from Comedy Central Family set to be integrated with Comedy Central. 

Consumption is said to have contributed to the decision to terminate Comedy Central Family similar to the likes of M-Net's Me and 1Magic on DStv. 

Earlier in the year, VH1 was shuttered in the remaining parts of Europe as the latter integrates with MTV and NickMusic. This was followed by a possible rebrand of the TeenNick channels to Nickelodeon Teen and an alignment of some MTV Base African feeds.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

News Shorts: Twilight Animated Series In Development With Daria Spinoff Jodie Cancelled, And Avatar: The Animated Series Renewed On Netflix For Season 2 And Season 3 With Monsters At Work Moving To Disney Channel For Season 2

Twilight Animated Series In Development 

Michael Burns, vice chairman of Lionsgate, shared the news during a Q&A at the Morgan Stanley media conference on Tuesday, revealing, “We’re going to go out with the ‘Twilight’ series, an animated series, I think there’ll be a lot of interest in that.”

The animated series would be based on the Stephanie Meyer book series of the same name, which was previously adapted into a film franchise, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.

There were four “Twilight” novels — “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn” — published between 2005 and 2008. In 2015, Meyer released the book “Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined,” which gender-swapped the two main characters, Bella and Edward. Meyer then released “Midnight Sun” in 2020, which told the story of the first book from Edward’s perspective rather than Bella’s.
Jodie axed on MTV

The long-gestating project first began as a series that would feature Daria and Jodie, and then was narrowed to just focus on the latter character. In 2020, Comedy Central picked up the adult animated show from creator and head writer Grace Edwards and MTVE Studios with hopes to pair it with South Park.

Two years later, it morphed into a movie.

“Jodie will not be moving forward at MTVE Studios,” said an MTVE Studios spokesperson. “We have loved working with Tracee, Grace and the whole team on creating a film that is full of joy and genre-bending fun with an inclusive, diverse, and incredible cast.  We are fully supportive of them finding a home elsewhere and look forward to partnering with them in the future.”
Avatar: The Last Airbender cancelled on Netflix

Netflix announced that it has greenlit Albert Kim’s take on Avatar: The Last Airbender for another two seasons that will “bring The Legend of Aang to its proper conclusion.”  Netflix also shared a new teaser image suggesting that, like the animated series, the live-action show’s second and third seasons will focus on Team Avatar’s adventures in the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, respectively.

There’s no word yet on when production on the new seasons will begin or when we might expect to see them on Netflix.
Monsters Inc. coming to Disney Channel 

The second season of the animated series “Monsters at Work” will premiere April 5 on the Disney Channel, and begins streaming on Disney+ May 5 in the United States. With the first reason rolling out in Africa by March 25 on Disney Channel. 

Based on Pixar’s “Monsters” franchise and a sequel to Monsters, Inc., the series follows a maintenance crew at the monsters factory as it transitions from scaring kids to making them laugh to generate energy for the city of Monstropolis.

The first season won an Emmy for Individual Achievement in Animation.

Sunday, February 25, 2024

DStv Shorts: Death Reckoning Launches On Real Time Alongside More Beat Bobby Flay, Comedy Central Celebrates April Fools With More South Park And Trinayani To Make Her Pay-TV Debut On Zee World Across Africa

Real Time starts the next month with premieres

Beat Bobby Flay S18
NEW TO CHANNEL
Talented chefs battle for the chance to take down Chef Bobby Flay. One is picked to compete against Bobby in his own arena and challenge him with a surprise signature dish.
First TX: 1 March 
TX Day: Weekdays 
TX Time: 11:15

Dead Reckoning
NEW TO CHANNEL
Some of America's most puzzling murder investigations are recounted as police methodically and meticulously reconstruct events. After studying all the clues the victims left behind, investigators put the pieces together to crack the case and get justice.
First TX: 25 March 
TX Day: Weekdays 
TX Time: 22:30
South Park continues its antics on Comedy Central

In April, Comedy Central will be continuing the South Park antics with an April Fools stunt tiled South Park: Joysticks and Jokes at 22:00. This will be followed by another stunt which comes in celebration of Weeds Day with the film Pretty Stoned alongside a South Park marathon from the 22nd in the same timeslot.
More Zee One shows load on DStv

After launching on Zee One back in 2023, it has revealed on several social platforms that Trinayani will be making her premium debut on Zee World in April. It would join another upcoming show Sister Wives that is also set to rollout in the month.

Trinayani follows the titular character's ability to foresee the future and the past often lands her in trouble. Despite the setbacks, she strives to use her gift to protect the people around her from harm. It stars Sri Satya Sumana and Aashika Gopal Padukone in leading roles.

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Byron Allen Looking To Make MTV, Nickelodeon And Comedy Central "Cost Efficient", How Does This Impact Paramount Global's Linear Channels?

Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global were reportedly in talks for a potential merger. Fast forward to the present, Shari Redstone is looking to sell her shares at Amusement Park with Skydance that has collaborated with the company on various films making their bid with Byron Allen topping them.

As reported sometime ago, Allen Media Group made a proposal to acquire Paramount Global for $30 billion (R562 billion) part of which helps them cover up pending debts. Should this deal move forward, they would keep TV channels and the Paramount+ streaming service intact while selling off film studios and other intellectual properties.

The impact on TV channels in the United States

Byron Allen, the founder of Allen Media Group is looking to make these brands cost effective. Selling off "film studios and other intellectual properties" is another way to minimise expenses. It's not really known whether Allen will look to retaining various content from Nickelodeon and MTV.

Similar to CW, it's likely that we'll be seeing Nickelodeon and MTV relying more on third party content and possibly distributing even lesser originals. As mentioned, he was looking to run them on a more "cost-efficient basis". Nickelodeon has garnered popularity for shows like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House, MTV on the other features shows like Teen Mom and Ridiculousness.

The impact on TV channels on a wider spectrum

With Nickelodeon and MTV getting less content, Paramount will likely look into closing channels across the country. This was likely implied when they mentioned selling off "film studios and other intellectual properties" I mean the company in question doesn't have much international presence.

There's always chances that they could retain a portion of channels such as Comedy Central and BET while secondary networks like Nicktoons and MTV Base cease to exist as they won't be much content to supplement the existing line-up of channels.

But then again Sony once offered linear services across the country before closing down most feeds while a few such as the UK were put under different management. Disney had been reducing the carbon footprint for Disney Channel while it continues to operate in the United States.

The future of SpongeBob SquarePants and Ridiculousness

As mentioned, Allen is looking to sell their film studios and it's possible that they could retain the more relevant brands such as Nickelodeon Animation Studios and sell majority of Paramount Pictures. There's been various companies that had their eye on their studios such as Netflix, Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney perhaps one of them could look into acquiring.

As for the content in general, Paramount's remaining offering could be licenced to various local broadcasters I mean should these channels not have much of a presence globally.

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

News Shorts: Secrets Of Sulphur Springs Cancelled After Three Seasons On Disney Channel, A Rebroadcast Of The Chosen Granddaughter Launches On Telemundo Africa And Beavis And Butthead Returns With A New Season On Comedy Central Africa

Disney axes another show

There will be no fourth season for Disney Channel‘s Secrets of Sulpher Springs. The network has canceled the time-travel mystery-adventure series after three seasons, it had been confirmed.

Created, written and executive produced by Tracey Thomson (The Young and the Restless), Secrets of Sulpher Springs followed 12-year-old Griffin Campbell (Preston Oliver), whose world had been upended by his father, Ben (Josh Braaten), after he moved the family from Chicago to take ownership of an abandoned hotel property, The Tremont. The family—which also includes Griffin’s mother, Sarah (Kelly Frye), and his younger twin siblings, Wyatt (Landon Gordon) and Zoey (Madeleine McGraw)—lived in The Tremont in hopes of restoring it to the lively vacation destination it once was. On his first day at his new school, Griffin heard rumors that the hotel was haunted by the ghost of Savannah (Elle Graham), a girl who disappeared decades ago. He soon meets and befriends Harper (Kyliegh Curran), a thrill-seeking classmate, and they discover a secret portal that allows them to travel back in time and uncover clues about the town mystery.

This is the second Disney Channel series to be canceled in less than a month. As we previously reported. Jessie spinoff Bunk’d is ending with the conclusion of its seventh season.
Telemundo hits the snooze button with The Chosen Granddaughter

The Chosen Granddaughter's storyline is about a young woman whose life is controlled by her father. He intends to use her to take revenge on a rival family. However, his plans come to an unexpected halt when her supposed grandmother becomes overly protective and caring towards her. She also meets a young man charmed by her beauty, and they immediately spark a romantic relationship.

The series replaces Cennet: The Power Of Destiny from February 15 making Game Of Lies the only primetime show. Season 3 of Queen Of The South is slated to air sometime in the year after it was delayed for the second time first due to changing legislation and second Game Of Lies.
Beavis And Butthead is coming to Comedy Central

 The triumphant return of Beavis and Butthead (both voiced by creator Mike Judge), two teenage boys who like things that are cool and don't like things that suck. The new season of Beavis And Butthead airs Fridays at 22:35 CAT. Joining the lineup is a Woman's Day stunt for South Park titled The Power Of Her: Celebrating Women In South Park from 4 to 8 March at 22:00 CAT.

Monday, January 22, 2024

News Shorts: Paramount Unveils First Look At Daria Spinoff Jodie, Wizards Of The Waverly Place Prequel In Development For Disney Channel And The Fairly OddParents To Get A Sequel Series On Netflix

Jodie: First Look at 'Daria' Spin-Off's Logo

Comedy Central announced back in August 2020 that it had commissioned Jodie, a spin-off film based on Daria starring Tracee Ellis Ross, as part of the network tapping into IP across Paramount Global to build an original animated slate of adult comedy around stalwart South Park. Although not much has been said about the new movie since the original announcement, it looks like that's all about to change!

Paramount Global, the parent company of Comedy Central, has started to apply for trademarks for the film with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including for "Education, entertainment, sporting and cultural services" and "Clothing; footwear; headgear", the latter giving us a first look at the Jodie logo!.

"We are excited to reinvent this iconic franchise with a new creative team and our partners at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio," Chris McCarthy, President of ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, shared in a statement back in 2020 when the news was first announced. "Ren & Stimpy joins our rapidly expanding roster of adult animation, including South Park, Beavis and Butt-Head, and Clone High, as we continue to reimagine our treasure chest of beloved IP for new generations."

Selena Gomez and David Henrie reunite for Wizards Of The Waverly Place

One of Disney’s signature comedies, Wizards of Waverly Place, is getting a sequel. Disney Branded Television has ordered a pilot for the follow-up, which is executive produced by original stars Selena Gomez and her small screen sibling David Henrie. Gomez will guest star in the pilot for Disney Channel as the character that helped launch her career, Alex Russo, with David Henrie reprising the role of Justin Russo as a series regular. He is joined by new cast members Janice LeAnn Brown (Disney’s Just Roll with It), Alkaio Thiele (Call Me Kat) and Mimi Gianopulos (American Princess).

The revival pilot comes from writers and executive producers Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas who are behind another Disney Channel comedy spinoff, Raven’s Home. It picks up after a mysterious incident at WizTech, where an adult Justin Russo has left his wizard powers behind, opting for a normal, human life with his wife and two sons. But he gets a surprise when a powerful young wizard in need of training shows up at his door… and Justin must embrace his past to ensure the future of the Wizard World.
The Fairly OddParents is getting another reboot

It's been reported that a new series is in development at Netflix called The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. Though the show has not been officially announced, the report claims that its existence was uncovered by way of a leaked video. The news also follows original Fairly OddParents voice actor Daran Norris mentioning in July 2023 that he was working on a new project for the franchise, though he didn't share any additional details at the time.

The fresh report also noted some plot details for The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. It is said that the sequel series will introduce a 10-year-old girl named Hazel Wells as the new protagonist, the role Timmy Turner played in the original series. Despite the change in protagonists, however, it's reported that Norris and Susanne Blakeslee are reprising their roles as Cosmo and Wanda from the original series, as the characters are "coming out of retirement to grant Hazel her wishes." 

Sunday, December 24, 2023

News Shorts: Telemundo Africa Enters The New Year With More Decisions, Noah's Park To Make A Landing On Play Room And Celebrate Valentine's With Mpho Popps And South Park On Comedy Central

Decisions enters the new year

During the month, Telemundo unveiled the highly anticipated series Game Of Lies after failing to launch it in 2023. As reported already, the series will replace Lord Of The Skies by January 15 although the late night series would come to a close by 31 December 2023.

With that in mind, Decisions would take up the timeslot for Lord Of The Skies and later Law Of The Heart. We assume Game Of Lies will take up one timeslot of Law Of The Heart which had been distributed as a double bill while we wait on the follow up series.

Queen Of The South was initially set to replace Lord Of The Skies and if I had to guess the series will most likely replace Prisoner Of Love once it ends in February 2024 and another series slated to end in that time is Cennet: The Power Of Destiny.
Play Room rolls out it's first new show in the year

Last month, MultiChoice added Play Room as a brand new multilingual children's channel offering fun and learning with a mixture of locally produced and international content. It serves as eMedia's eToonz first ever rival as it too is based from South Africa.

According to media outlets, Play Room will be rolling out Noah's Park this January after failing to rollout in the channel's launch line-up with Akili And Me taking up its position. The show might air in a different timeslot seeing as it's former timeslot is proven favourable by viewers.

Dreamer the rhinoceros, Honk the camel, Stretch the giraffe and five of their animal friends left Noah’s Ark and set off on a great journey to find a new home. The live-action puppet show consists of 14 episodes which have been weirdly been divided between 2 seasons.
February on Comedy Central

MOST RIDICULOUS WITH MPHO POPPS
5 FEBRUARY @ 21:00 WEEKDAYS
South African celebrities join Mpho Popps for a laugh-filled adventure as they share their reactions, stories, and banter about the funniest clips from the internet.

South Park Valentine Stunt
Wednesday 14th February @10pm
Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy
Tweek x Craig
Proper Condom Use
Bebe's Boobs Destroy Society
Raisins
Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset
Follow That Egg
Cartman Finds Love

Thursday, December 21, 2023

How The Possible Merger Of Warner Bros. Discovery And Paramount Global Could Dismantle MTV And Comedy Central?

MTV and Comedy Central are general entertainment brands operated by Paramount Global that distribute a variety of content ranging from reality shows, sitcoms, films and animation. They have garnered traction for productions like Ridiculousness and South Park.

As seen in the last decade, their linear counterparts had been reduced to waste. If you tune into MTV, the youth oriented brand airs Ridiculousness for most of the day which serves as the Teen Titans GO! of the network while Comedy Central is slumped over shows like The Big Bang Theory and Two And A Half Men.

During the week, it was reported that Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery were exploring a potential merger. For now, Warner Bros. Discovery can't look at merging with another entity until April 2024 and talks are said to be in the early stages so it's not known whether they'll go through with the plan.

Ideally, if a merger were to happen MTV could be dismantled or revert back to being a music oriented brand and take up the identities of the current MTV Base and MTV Hits channels across Europe. Award shows and live performances could remain intact on this restructured brand.

Warner Bros. Discovery doesn't offer a music brand or at least not on cable or streaming and MTV would be one way to sort of expand on that. They operate a number of TV channels most of which could be purged if not sold if this merger moves forward.

Then shows like Catfish: The TV Show and Ridiculousness could fold under HBO adult centred line-up while The Challenge could compliment Discovery's existing portfolio. TLC could inherit Ex On The Beach, Jersey Shore, Love And Hip-Hop and Teen Moms.

Comedy Central had become the Adult Swim of Paramount Global with South Park laying out most of the punches. All of this could as well be folded under Adult Swim and Cartoon Network with live-action residing on HBO leaving the linear component to serve only reruns to sitcoms.

HBO could even give the brand a dedicated block and use it as a trademark for sitcoms produced under their brand.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

News Shorts: Nickelodeon Silently Rebrands The Nick Jr. Instagram Page To Nick Family, Annekan Die Swa Kry Takes Up Primetime On eExtra Amidst Season 2 Debut On e.tv And Comedy Central Unveils Its Festive Lineup For Fans Across Africa

Another brand bites the dust

During the week, Nickelodeon rebranded it's Nick Jr. Instagram page as Nickelodeon Family (stylised as Nick Family). Following the move, any attempts a user makes with the handle @nickjr will lead consumers to "sorry, this page isn't available" message.

The company also operate Nickelodeon Parents, the network's resource website that features activities and information for kids, families and teachers. That too had been folded under the Nick Family brand with the domain NickFamily.com being redirected to NickelodeonParents.com.
Another Kuiertyd rebroadcast for eExtra

Last year, eMedia Investments had cutback on their Bollywood primetime offering leaving consumers to repeats of Twist Of Fate, Blue Venom Girl and The Heir while the Asian and Turkish section of the channel continued to bolster their offering on Openview.

In the coming weeks, those roles are going to be reversed but with the Asian offering taking a dump on primetime as the Korean drama Home For Summer reaches its climax on eExtra from 13 November at 17:10 it's timeslot will be allocated by Annekan Die Swa Kry.

Which begs the question, could Annekan Die Swa Kry be moving to eExtra as well as seen with Roekeloos Dade as both shows were initially slated for the channel before heading to e.tv or are plans still underway to replace Home For Summer with another Korean drama.

Here's a synopsis to season 2 episode 1 which airs 16 November at 17:00 on e.tv:

While Kadir is waiting with hope for the day when his innocence will be revealed behind bars and he will be reunited with his siblings, the siblings, who are scattered all over the place, are doing their best to get their brother out of prison. When Doruk learns the bitter truth about his father Akif, his life is shaken to a great extent, and his relationship with Asiye enters an irreversible path.
December on Comedy Central

Sunday Movie Nights 
Office Race - 3 December
Pretty Stoned - 10 December
Binged To Death - 17 December
Sundays at 22:00 CAT

South Park Holiday Stunt
18 - 25 December at 22:00 CAT
Watch all the South Park Christmas Classics during this South Park Stunt.

The Daily Show
1 - 15 December
Weekdays at midnight
The Daily Show (TDS) is an American late-night talk and satirical news, television program. The Daily Show draws its comedy and satire from recent news stories as well as political figures, media organisations, and often uses self referential humour.


Monday, October 23, 2023

Paramount, Home To MTV And Nickelodeon Reportedly Up For Sale or Merger

Recently, Paramount, the parent company of Nickelodeon and Paramount+, has been looking to sell some of its assets and make cuts to others. Now, according to a report from CNBC, Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements and controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, is open to a merger or selling the company if the price is right.

Shari Redstone owns roughly 80% of Paramount Global voting stock and was reportedly the main force behind merging CBS and Viacom back in 2019. That merger resulted in the company we now know as Paramount.

Paramount holds a lot of assets that would attract many potential buyers. Its local affinities and the CBS network alone are highly attractive, especially for their NFL contract. However, the company has a lot more to offer, including Nickelodeon, Paramount+, MTV, Pluto TV, Comedy Central, Showtime, and more. This also includes popular shows and franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Star Trek, South Park, and more.

In recent years, most media companies, including Paramount, have been struggling with the growth of  cord cutting. Paramount’s market capitalization has reportedly dropped to $7.7 billion as 2023 hit many media companies hard. That is the lowest level it has been at since the 2019 Viacom and CBS merger. That drop could make the company a target for a merger or a sale.

According to CNBC’s sources, any potential deal for Paramount would have to be at a good price or the Redstone family wouldn’t accept it. Exactly what that price is was not disclosed in the report.

Paramount has a lot going for it right now, with Paramount+ hitting 61 million subscribers, a number that other major streaming services could only dream of. It also has very lucrative sports deals, including the NFL, March Madness, and a new deal with the Big Ten that will see more college football and basketball games on CBS. This could help Paramount outlast any further drop in the market, but it also makes it very attractive to potential buyers.

Some outsiders have said they believe Paramount is too small in the long run, though, to compete with Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and a growing number of streaming companies like Amazon along with Apple. Even with its large catalog of shows and networks Paramount is facing massive companies like Disney and the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery.

For years we have heard predictions that there would be consolidation in the market because of cord cutting. Disney’s deal to buy 21st Century Fox was likely only the start of what could be a number of big mergers. We also saw Discovery and Warner Media merge recently. Now, there are rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery and even NBCUniversal could be interested in buying up some or all of their competitors. Could that mean they are looking at Paramount? For now, we will have to wait and see.

Thursday, October 5, 2023

News Shorts: Reno 911 Returns With A Season 7 Across Africa On Comedy Central, SABC Lehae Has Been Uploaded On SABC+ And uMbali To Make Their Linear Debut On e.tv

Fan favourite series returns to Comedy Central

This partially unscripted comedy brings viewers into the squad car as incompetent officers swing into action, answering 911 calls about everything from speeding violations and prostitution to staking out a drug den. Within each episode, viewers catch a "fly on the wall" glimpse of the cops' often politically incorrect opinions, ranging from their personal feelings to professional critiques of their colleagues.

It starred Cedric Yarbrough, Niecy Nash, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Mary Birdsong, Ian Roberts and Joe Lo Truglio.

Local news in your language on SABC+

Through a brief press release, SABC News was spun off onto a multilingual news channel, SABC Lehae. Resigning exclusively on SABC's DTT, the channel is said to cater for non-DStv or paying consumers which resulted in the abrupt cancellation of SABC News.

Now the channel is currently streaming on SABC+ alongside existing brands such as SABC 1-3, SABC Sport and SABC Education. As mentioned, SABC News is exclusive to DStv meaning that SABC Lehae is now the leading destination for local and global news on the platform.

Mbali is a beautiful township girl with boundless ambition who gets caught on the wrong side of the law

A former teen beauty queen, she has the looks to drive men crazy. But, she is poor and lives in a small backroom in Diepkloof with her mother Phindile, her sister Phumla and daughter Khethiwe.

The family lives off Siya, Mbali’s boyfriend, a criminal who sells Mbali dreams of a lavish life. But when he gets arrested, the family is plunged deep into poverty as their main financial support is lost.

uMbali debuts Thursdays at 10PM from 12 October replacing the second season of Housewives.

Saturday, September 2, 2023

What To Expect On Comedy Central Across Africa In October 2023?

RENO 911
SEASON 5 & 6
WEEKDAYS @ 22:00
This partially unscripted comedy brings viewers into the squad car as incompetent officers swing into action, answering 911 calls about everything from speeding violations and prostitution to staking out a drug den. Within each episode, viewers catch a "fly on the wall" glimpse of the cops' often politically incorrect opinions, ranging from their personal feelings to professional critiques of their colleagues.

EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
SEASON 4
WEEKDAYS 4 SEPTEMBER @ 16:00
Chris lives with his family and siblings in a house. While his parents are busy working, he has to take care of the house and his siblings who are more confident than him.

THE SOUTH PARK HALLOWEEN STUNT
STUNT
WEEKDAYS @ 23:00 16 – 31 OCTOBER
Are you looking for a satirical Halloween to get you through the last week of October, Comedy Central is where you'll find it! Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman will provide some inspirational Halloween costumes and and will make sure you are horrified by their tricks and behavior.

THE DAILY SHOW
SEASON 28
TUESDAYS – FRIDAY @ MIDNIGHT
The Daily Show (TDS) is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program.



Friday, August 11, 2023

What To Expect On Comedy Central Across Africa In September 2023?

PRETTY STONED
MONDAY 25 SEPTEMBER @ 21:30
A stoner with no commitments and a type-A over-achiever join forces when they find themselves in trouble after one of them disposes of $20,000 worth of pot from a drug queen pin and her henchwomen.

CHAPELLE’S SHOW
SEASON 1 & 2
WEEKDAYS 4 SEPTEMBER @ 22:30
Renowned comedian Dave Chappelle hosts a comedy sketch which parodies various topics like race, entertainment industry, violence and culture.

KEY & PEELE
SEASON 1 & 2
WEEKENDS 9 SEPTEMBER @ 23:45
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, two comics, use sketches and live segments to perform jokes and entertain the audience.

EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
SEASON 1 - 3
WEEKDAYS 4 SEPTEMBER @ 16:00
The show is a family sitcom, patterned on Chris Rock's recollection of his teenage years growing up in the 1980s with a wholesome, tight-knit, African-American family, while living in drug-and-gang infested neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York , also attending a cross-town, racist-dominated, public high school.

THE DAILY SHOW
SEASON 28
TUESDAYS – FRIDAY @ MIDNIGHT
The Daily Show (TDS) is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program.









Friday, July 28, 2023

What To Expect On Comedy Central Africa In August 2023?

CHAD

Season 1

12 AUGUST @ 20:00

A 14-year-old Persian boy desperately tries to fit in, cope with his mother's dating life, and figure out his cultural identity.

THE BIG BANG WEEKEND TAKEOVER

SATURDAY & SUNDAY9:30AM – 20:00PM

Join Sheldon and the gang as they take the weekend over on Comedy Central this August. With stunts and favourite episodes!

SUNDAY STAND UP

SUNDAYS @ 22:00

Every Sunday night we bring you International Stand Up, with the likes of T.J Miller, Patrice O’Neal, Jordan Klepper and Russel Brand!

UNITED STATES OF AL

SEASON 1

SATURDAYS @ 20:00

A Marine combat veteran struggling to re-adjust to civilian life in Ohio finds friendship in Al, the interpreter who served with his unit in Afghanistan and has just arrived to start a new life in America.

THE DAILY SHOW

SEASON 28

TUESDAYS – FRIDAY @ 23:30

The Daily Show (TDS) is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program.


Monday, June 19, 2023

What To Expect On Comedy Central Africa In July 2023?


AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS
SEASON 3
Saturdays 15th July @ 22:00
Nora and her family are trying really, really hard to find happiness in Awkwafina is Nora from Queens season 3. The next chapter of the series finds Nora juggling a variety of jobs searching for her dream gig while her cousin finds success in his acting, her grandma tries to keep busy with everyone gone and her dad gets fired right as he is about to propose to Brenda.

THE DAILY SHOW
SEASON 28
TUESDAY – FRIDAY @ 23:30
The Daily Show is an award-winning comedy news show featuring humorous takes on top stories. Looking at the day's top headlines through a sharp, reality-based lens. Along with the help of The Daily Show correspondents, the host covers the biggest news stories in politics, pop culture and more.

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