DStv Shorts: Warner Bros. Discovery Announces The Launch Of TLC In France, Emmanuel TV Goes Off The Air On YouTube And MultiChoice In Angola And Mozambique Silently Change Channel Numbers

Discovery Science is getting the boot

Warner Bros. Discovery announces the launch of the TLC channel on February 26 in France. The brand that replaces Discovery Science offers “a selection of medical programs, paranormal investigations, dating shows and family programs”, specifies the press release. 

"We are happy to launch TLC in France, a channel that celebrates diversity and inclusion. We are thus completing our portfolio of brands with a new destination for a female audience aged 25-49", comments Clément Schwebig, president of Warner Bros. Discovery Western Europe and Africa. 

The entertainment channel is broadcast on Free, SFR, Parabole Réunion and via the Warner Pass at Prime video. The channel is also deployed in Belgium at Proximus and Telenet, in Switzerland at Swisscom, Net+ and Sunrise and in Monaco at Monaco Telecom.

Emmanuel TV suspended on YouTube

YouTube has taken down Emmanuel TV, the main channel run by TB Joshua’s megachurch empire, amid allegations the late preacher had for decades groomed and raped multiple former leaders of his ministry.

openDemocracy identified and reported more than 50 abusive videos amplifying abuse against Joshua’s accusers on the video platform. This comes after the controversial TV channel opted to exit various pay-tv platforms across Africa and switched to free-to-view. 

It is the second time in three years that openDemocracy’s reporting has led to YouTube suspending content from the late preacher’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN). In 2021 the Google-owned tech company took down another channel controlled by the church after deciding that it was violating its user guidelines due to broadcasts of anti-LGBTIQ hate speech. As a result, the ministry lost the ability to broadcast to its then 1.8 million subscribers.

DStv's silent descent

Last month, it was reported that MultiChoice will be adjusting the channel numbering for most of their channels. It is currently unknown on the reason these changed but below is the new numbers for each channel which is applicable to consumers in Angola and Mozambique.

National Channels: 501-TPA 1, 502-TPA 2, 505-Kwenda Magic, 507- TV Zimbo and 508- Girasol TV

Novelas: 510- Telemundo, 512-My Channel África, 513-TLN, 514-TL Novelas and 517-Miramar

News: 530-TPA Noticias, 531-Euro News and 533-TV Record News

Movies: 540-DStv Pipoca, 542- AXN Movies, 544- Cine Mundo, 546-Star Movies, 550-TVCine Top, 551- 

TVCine Edition, 552-TVCine Emotion and 553- mmmmmmTVCine Action

General Entertainment: 555-RTP África, 556-RTP Internacional, 558- AXN HD, 559-Banda TV, 560-TV Mozambique, 562-FOX, 563-Mundo FOX, 564-FOX Crime, 565-FOX Life, 566-FOX Comedy, 569-CBS Reality and 570-E! Entertainment

Documentary And Lifestyle: 575-Nat Geo Wild, 576-National Geographic, 577-Food Network and 579-TV Mundial

Music: 580-Afro Music, 581- TRACE Toca, 582-Gloom Channel, 583-Best Brazil, 584-TRACE Brazil, 585-MTV, 586- MTV Base, 587- HIP TV, 588-TRACE Naija, 589-Afro Music, 590-SoundCity and 592- Qwest TV

Sports: 599-SPORTS Pop-up, 600-SS Máximo 360, 601-SS Máximo 1, 602-SS Máximo 2, 603-SS Máximo 3, 610-WWE Channel, 618-ESPN, 619-ESPN 2 HD, 620- SS Blitz HD, 621-SS Grandstand, 622-SS Football Plus, 623-SS Premier League, 624- SS LaLiga, 625- SS Football, 626-SS Variety 1, 627-SS Variety 2, 628-SS Variety 3, 629-SS Variety 4, 630-SS Action, 634-SS Tennis and 635- SS Motorsport.

Children: 640-Canal Panda, 641-JimJam, 643- Disney Junior, 644-Cartoon Network, 645- Cartoonito, 647- BIGGS, 648- Disney Channel, 650- TXILLO, 651-Nickelodeon, 655-CBeebies, 656- Nick JR, 567- Nicktoons, 659-DreamWorks, 661-Nickelodeon  and 662-Moonbug. 

Channel Termination Notice: Emmanuel TV Will Exit MultiChoice's DStv And GOtv From January 17 And Subsequently All Other Pay-TV Platforms

Just a few hours before the new year, DStv consumers were very alarmed to see a termination notice put up on Emmanuel TV. A christian television channel founded by the former TB Joshua is set to go dark various DStv and GOtv platforms across the country from January 17.

Emmanuel TV is currently one of the most subscribed christian channels on YouTube with over 250 000 active subscribers and nearly two million followers on Facebook. Emmanuel TV’s numerous videos online have amassed well over 200 million views.

Since its beginning in 1993, Scoan has grown to become one of the most sought after christian ministries across the world. The church’s television network, Emmanuel TV, was established in 2006 and has been broadcasting worldwide with a viewership of over 100 million.

In recent years or at least from what several outlets had uncovered, the channel went on a downward spiral telecasting old services. Basically, Emmanuel TV's entire existence revolved on TB Joshua and with his passing there's not much left of an Emmanuel TV.

Management had opted to rather leverage of his legacy instead of trying to restructure Emmanuel TV and look at other means for survival. Aside from MultiChoice, it had also been confirmed that Emmanuel TV will exit StarSat and other pay-tv platforms.

As to whether MultiChoice or affected pay-tv platforms will look into replacing Emmanuel TV. That has yet to be seen but if we had to guess both providers will likely focus on the existing bouquet of religious channels.

Although, Emmanuel TV will cease to exist on most major platforms across the world. The channel will remain on free-to-air HD decoders and put more emphasis toward its online presence through Apple TV or App Store, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Google TV and soon Google Play Store.