Reminder: Soos Dag En Nag, eExtra's First Series From The Czech Republic Debuts In March

eExtra, a South African based TV channel operated by eMedia Investments that distributes a variety of content from Asia, India and Turkey is to expand its catalogue with Soos Nag En Dag. It hails from the Czech Republic and will be Kuiertyd's first show from the region.

Soos Nag En Dag (Kukačky) follows two families whose lives become impossibly complicated when they discover that their 6 year old sons were switched at birth. Emotional family drama where the investigation throws up surprises for both families.

It starred Viktor Sekanina as Jakub Kadlec, Marek Adamczyk as Martin Kadlec, Marta Dancingerová as Tereza Kadlecová, Jiří Štrébl as Libor Kadlec, Veronika Freimanová as Klára Kadlecová and Luboš Veselý as Rudolf Býček.

The series debuted on Czech Republic broadcaster ČT1 by 8 January 2021 and had since then produced two seasons with 26 episodes each with a 52 minute duration. It was made with praise within the region averaging 1.5 million viewers over the age of 15.

Soos Nag En Dag is set to replace Wie Laaste Lag from 4th March on eExtra on weekdays at 20:00. Prior to this, eMedia Investments will be rolling out a new Turkish drama to the eVOD streaming service titled Gelukbringers.

New Series Alert: Katti Batti Coming This March To eExtra Followed By Sister Wives In April On Zee World

After failing to launch on Zee World in 2023, the Hindi drama Ribb Se Hai Dua is set to be making a landing to African shores in April as Sister Wives. Prior to this, eExtra will be rolling out a Marathi based drama from Zee Yuva titled Katti Batti in March.

Katti Batti follows an unusual first meeting for an arranged marriage, Parag and Purva's parents have a major showdown and walk out on each other. However, this doesn't deter the young couple and they decide to meet again and eventually fall in love.

Based on the film of the same name, the Marathi series starred lead couples Pushkar Sarad as Purva and Ashwini Kasar as Parag. It is currently unknown how many have been filmed for the drama but from what we can gather between 150-190 episodes with a 21 minute duration.

Sister Wives revolves around, Haider Akhtar, a wealthy businessman, and his kind wife, Dua, encounter a transformative shift when they befriend outspoken Ghazal. Despite Haider’s clashes with Ghazal, they offer her shelter after an earthquake. 

The Hindi drama starred Aditi Sharma as Dua Haider Akhtar, Raymon Singh as Old Dua Haider Akhtar and Richa Rathore as Ghazal Haider Akhtar. Since it's inception, Sister Wives has produced at least 2 seasons with over 400 episodes having been aired so far.

Katti Batti will air from 4 March on eExtra and Sister Wives is slated for April on Zee World with more info on a date awaiting confirmation.

New Series Alert: A Family Affair Launches On Novela E Plus In The Coming Weeks, Bitter Sweet Love And Titli Coming This March On Star Life

Novela E Plus, a general entertainment channel offering series from Latin America, Turkey and Asia alongside the Bollywood based channel Star Life had announced the launch of new series A Family Affair with Titli and Bitter Sweet Love only set to debut in March.

A Family Affair tells the story of a woman and four brothers are mysteriously entangled in a complicated relationship that tests the loyalties and love they have for one another. The Philippine drama series aired in 2022 under ABS-CBN Entertainment.

It starred Ivana Alawi as Cherry Red Magwayen, Gerald Anderson as Francisco "Paco" Estrella, Sam Milby as Dave Estrella, Jameson Blake as Andrew "Drew" Estrella and Jake Ejercito as Sebastian "Seb" Estrella.

Based on the Bengali series Irabotir Chupkotha, Bitter Sweet Love (Baatein Kuch Ankahee Si) follows Vandana, a family-oriented woman, and Kunal, a practical man, have contrasting personalities but both like music. As they cross paths, a series of ups and downs ensue in their lives.

Debuted on StarPlus by 2023, the Hindi series starred Sayli Salunkhe as Vandana "Vandu" Karmarkar Malhotra, Mohit Malik as Kunal Malhotra, Karanveer Mehra as Vaibhav Joshi and Jazlyn Tanwani as Tara Malhotra.

Titli tells the story of an orphaned girl who is raised by her uncle and aunt that was traumatized after the events of her first marriage. Later, she meets Garv who hired her as a decorator for his sister's wedding, ends up falling in love with her and devotes himself to God to impress her.

Debuted on StarPlus by 2023, the Hindi series starred Neha Solanki as Titli Mehta, Avinash Mishra as Garv Mehta, Rinku Dhawan as Koel Manikant Mehta and Yash Tonk as Manikant Mehta.

A Family Affair launches on Novela E Plus daily at 20:40 from 20 February. This will be followed by Star Life's new series Bitter Sweet Love which airs at 21:30 from 26 March and Titli which airs at 19:30 from 29 March with Zee World's Vani Rani also airing in the month.

News Shorts: SABC 2 Acquired Rights To Football Themed Anime Series Inazuma Eleven, A Rebroadcast Of Queen Of Miami Launches On Telemundo Africa And KykNET & Kie Unveils New Afrikaans Drama Skemergrond

SABC 2 enters the football field

Following SABC's financial constraints, the public broadcaster had been struggling to obtain new content. As such anime on SABC 2 had been on limbo often featuring repeat broadcasts of Yu-Gi-Oh and now the channel is offering new content with Inazuma Eleven.

It follows a talented young goalkeeper tries to revive his school's lackluster team in this anime series based on the hit manga and video game. Currently streaming on Netflix and formerly seen on Nicktoons and Toonami, the series airs weekdays at 17:00 replacing Yu-Gi-Oh.

Another rebroadcast enters the month of romance

After launching rebroadcasts of My Heart Beats For Lola, The Chosen Granddaughter and A Woman Of Steel. Telemundo is set to be recruiting yet another series, Queen Of Miami ahead of the final season of Queen Of The South both of which star Kate Del Castillo as lead.

Synopsis for Queen Of Miami

Traumatized by the events of a difficult life and driven to avenge the betrayal of a husband, Anastasia Cardona will find, in the illicit business of her husband, the wealth which she has always desired. Her thirst for power overrides any limits when choosing her victims.

It replaces Prisoner Of Love from 26 February.

KykNET & Kie announces a new drama series

A new telenovela Skemergrond, set in a small Western Cape town will replace the popular Arendsvlei from July on kykNET&kie (DStv 145) with the new Afrikaans show also produced by Penguin Films and filled with characters "all carrying dark secrets".

Once the cancelled Arendsvlei ends, Skemergrond will also broadcast four episodes weekly from Mondays to Thursdays in the 19:30 timeslot on kykNET&kie. Casting that will include veteran actors as well as new faces is still to be announced.

The new telenovela is set in Gemoedsdrif, a small town in the Western Cape where the Louw family has a flower farm. 

Development Alert: Shadows Of The Past, The Last Telenovela To Have Aired On FOX Life Returns To Africa After 4 Years On TLNovelas

FOX Life was home to various telenovelas viewed in Latin America and Turkey alongside reality shows and drama series. It debuted in 2016 across Africa featuring various shows like the Turkish drama Matter Of Respect alongside Portuguese shows like Along Came Love.

As seen by September 2020, Disney had opted to discontinue carriage of the FOX Life brand across Africa and since then several content from the channel had resurfaced on TLNovelas such as Roads To Destiny, Secrets At The Hotel and The Candidate.

During the week, it was revealed that Shadows Of The Past (La Sombra Del Pasado) will be returning to Africa therefore completing the set of Portuguese shows from TelevisaUnivision to have aired on FOX Life.

Based on 2001 telenovela El Manantial, it follows Two very different families live in the village of Santa Lucía who are involved in a whirlwind of passion, pain, and revenge. From those opposite sides, Aldonza and Cristóbal meet and a bond that will face hurdles is formed.

Michelle Renaud and Pablo Lyle stars as the protagonists, while Alexis Ayala and Alejandra Barros stars as the antagonists. There is a special participation of Susana González and René Strickler, with Alfredo Adame, Cynthia Klitbo and Manuel "Flaco" Ibáñez.

The series will start airing on 22nd April replacing Crown Of Tears once it ends.

New Series Alert: Forever My Sunshine Coming Soon To Novela E Plus

Novela E Plus, a dedicated telenovela channel tailored for StarTimes which features various English dubbed shows from Latin America, Turkey and Asia had acquired broadcasting rights to the Asian based drama series Forever My Sunshine (Trab Fah Mee Tawan).

It followed Paeng, a girl with a tragic life after losing her father, she has to go live at Artit's house. The only way for her to be able to stay at this house is to be with him. But no one expected that her approaching Artit nearly costs him his life.

It starred Mark Prin Suparat as Arthit Suriyakkul, Kao Supassara Thanachart as Wanfahmai Warawit / Paeng, Punjan Prama Imanothai as Thanon / "Non", Lingling Sirilak Kwong as Ling, Freud Chatphong Natthaphong as Korakot / "Kot" and Prawfar Karanchida Khumsuwan as Nang.

Forever My Shine aired on Thailand broadcaster Channel 3 (C3) from November 19, 2020 and concluded with 19 episodes each with a 1hr 30min duration on December 15, 2020. It has a score of 8.2 through MyDramalist and ranks at #1334 with popularity at #2030.

The series premieres 27 February on Novela E Plus.

New Series Alert: Pad Na Die Hart Currently Streaming On eVOD With Gelukbringers Coming In March

eVOD, a South African based streaming service operated by eMedia Investments that distributes a variety of international and local productions had acquired rights to Turkish dramas Pad Na Die Hart (currently streaming on eVOD) with Gelukbringers airing in March.

Firat works as a Kebab Master with his aunt and friends in their shop in a modest neighborhood of Istanbul. Blind, his fiancee left on their wedding day and filled with anger wants to know why until a name comes up Taylan Günebakan aka Doctor Love, the famous life coach.

Produced by NTC Medya in 2021, Pad Na Die Hart (Aşkın Tarifi) starred Kadir Dogulu as Fırat Karasu, Serra Arıtürk as Naz Soyluer, Cem Davran as Hazım Soyluer, Alper Saldıran as Taylan Günebakan and Yasemin Baştan as Sultan Yılmaz.

It has been available to stream from February 5th.

Gelukbringers (Elimi Birakma) revolves around a girl named Azra whose dies in a fire accident, leaving his greedy wife in charge and her autistic brother. Determined to follow in her father's steps, Azra goes abroad to become a skilled chef and meets a rich boy named Cenk.

Based on the 2009 Korean drama Shining Inheritance, it starred Alp Navruz as Cenk Çelen, Yiğit Kağan Yazıcı as Mert Güneş, Alina Boz as Azra Güneş, Seray Gözler as Feride Çelen, Gökçe Yanardağ as Hülya Akgün and Ebru Aykaç as Serap Çelen.

It serves as an upcoming show to the streamer sign the program slated for March 4th.

Development Alert: The Search For Frida To Stream February 12th On Showmax, A Rebroadcast Of My Heart Beats For Lola, A Woman Of Steel And Loli's Luck Launches On Telemundo

In the coming weeks, MultiChoice and Comcast's NBCUniversal are set to officially unveil the rebranded Showmax service. This would include content viewed from Telemundo Studios so it kind of made sense that some content would resurface on Showmax with The Search For Frida.

Already seen on on Telemundo in 2022, The Search For Frida (Buscando A Frida) follows a teenage girl who loves doing video of her life goes out with her cousins who've gotten some fake id's on the night of her fathers birthday party for a night of clubbing, she is kidnapped.

The series will start streaming on Showmax from February 12nd and is anticipated to launch on Telemundo later in the year - more details on a date will be announced.

Other repeats set to join the channel later in the month includes My Heart Beats For Lola (Mi Corazón Insiste En Lola Volcán), The Chosen Granddaughter (La Nieta Elegida), A Woman Of Steel (Senora Acero) and Loli's Luck (La Suerte De Loli). 

Loli's Luck will replace The Scent Of Passion once it ends from February 21st at 18:00. Weirdly enough, the latter replaces Cennet: The Power Of Destiny with The Chosen Granddaughter on February 16th at 22:00 CAT followed by A Woman Of Steel at 00:00 and My Heart Beats For Lola at 17:00.

Could Telemundo also be going dark in Africa perhaps? They were reports that the channel had temporarily suspended production of original content. Aside from Queen Of The South and Come Back To Me, there's not much OG coming to Telemundo in 2024.

A Woman Of Steel follows the life of Sara Aguilar Bermúdez, an exceptionally happy woman who has all she could wish for in life, although her life changes forever when her fiancée Vicente Acero is killed on their wedding day. It was the first super series to be rolled out in Africa.

Based on the telenovela Yo Amo A Paquita Gallego, My Heart Beats For Lola follows the love story of Lola and Andrés, two young people who have loved each other since they were children. The series served as one of their initial offerings on Telemundo and proved to be a popular addition.

Loli's Luck follows an independent and successful woman who works as the executive producer of Global Radio Group. While Loli's career is on the rise, her love life goes into the background as she enjoys her freedom and life without compromises. 

New Series Alert: Vani Rani, A Tale Of Estranged Twins Is Coming Soon To Zee World

Zee World, a general entertainment channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that distributes a variety of English dubbed Bollywood drama series and movies is set to rollout a new family drama in the coming future titled Vani Rani (also known as Vaani Rani).

Synopsis for Vani Rani

Sometimes, two people fall apart only to realise how strong they can be together. Such is the story of 'Vani Rani , twin sisters by birth, sisters-in-law by marriage and estranged by choice.

Though the two are married in the same family and live under one roof, they haven’t spoken to each other for 20 years. And while twins are believed to be alike, Vani and Rani are as different as chalk and cheese.

Produced by Zee Studios, Vani Rani premiered on January 1st, 2017 on &TV and produced 148 episodes each with a duration of 22 minutes. Tanvi Azmi stars as the sibling duo Vani and Rani with Premnath Gulati as Radhe Shyam Dwivedi and Paras Arora Ishpujani as Bawa.

Similar to Zee One's upcoming series Devoted Daughter, Vani Rani was also produced by & TV as mentioned already and was also made available on Zee Family when it launched on Openview in 2023. The series is expected to Meet In Love once it ends on Zee World.

Press Release: Zee One Launches New Series Devoted Daughter + Movie Line-up For The Month Of February

Zee One launches premiere drama Devoted Daughter a compelling series that delves into the life and principles of the legendary king, Agrasen Maharaja.

The show revolves around Genda, a devoted girl from a humble background, navigating the challenges of her marriage into a business family. Devoted Daughter beautifully portrays the relationship between Agrasen Maharaja and Genda, highlighting her unwavering faith in him as her philosopher, guide, and friend. As Genda faces various obstacles, she triumphs over each one by adhering to Agrasen Maharaja's guiding principles.

The heartwarming narrative explores themes of faith, family, life, making it a must-watch for viewers of all ages. Devoted Daughter premieres on 24 February at 6 pm on Zee One, channel 111 on Openview.

 

Exciting Movie Festivals with Premieres on Zee One This February!

Zee One is all set to enthral this February with a series of blockbuster movie festivals featuring a star-studded cast that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.  The channel also offers premiere movies, Satyaprem Ki Katha and Kanoo’s Makkichoos.

 

Satyaprem Ki Katha - Premiers 4 February @ 3pm

In Satyaprem Ki Katha, join Sattu, an LLB fail dreamer, in his quest to win the heart of Katha, the IT girl of Ahmedabad. Fate takes a twist as they end up married, leading Sattu on a journey of self-discovery and proving himself as a worthy husband. Don't miss the laughs and love in this heartwarming tale.

Starring: Kiara Advani, Kartik Aaryan and Arjun Aneja

 

Kanjoos Makkichoos - Premiers 18 February @3pm

Experience the misadventures of Jamnaprasad, a notorious miser, in Kanjoos Makkichoos. His quest to fulfil his father's wish for the Char Dham Yatra takes an unexpected turn when his parents go missing during heavy floods. It's emotions and laughs all the way!

 

MOVIE FESTIVAL - THE KHAN EFFECT

RAAES - Premiers 2 February @ 10pm

Experience the rise and challenges of Raees, a street-smart bootlegging king in Gujarat during the 1980s. Raaes is a gripping tale of crime and redemption.

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny Leone and Mishra Khan

 

DANGAL - Premiers 3 February @ 3pm

Follow Mahavir Singh Phogat's journey as he trains his daughters for the Commonwealth Games, challenging societal norms and breaking barriers in "Dangal."

Starring: Aamir Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra

 

THE DRAMA WEEKEND FILM FESTIVAL

Immerse yourself in the intensity of human emotions with two powerful dramas.

Provoked - Premiers 9 February @ 10pm

Provoked tells the poignant story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who, after enduring years of abuse, takes a stand against domestic violence, leading to a riveting trial for murder.

Starring: Aishwariya Rai, Naveen Andrews and Nandita Das

 

GOLD - Premiers 10 February @10pm

Set in 1948, Gold narrates the historical journey of India's first Olympic medal post-independence, capturing the spirit of a nation.

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Mouni Roy and Kunal Kapoor

 

VALENTINES DAY 

Celebrate love with two heartwarming films.

DEAR ZINDAGI - Premiers 14 February @3pm

A young cinematographer learns the importance of balancing ambition with humanity in Dear Zindagi, a poignant exploration of life's complexities.

Starring: Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan and Ali Zafar

 

ZERO - Premiers 14 February @ 10pm

Zero explores the journey of a vertically challenged bachelor as he discovers his purpose through relationships with two extraordinary women.

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif

 

 

ACTION WEEKEND

Gear up for high-octane action with two adrenaline-pumping films.

RADHE: YOUR MOST WANTED BHAI - Premiers 17 February @3pm

Follow the fearless cop Radhe as he takes on the powerful drug lord Rana in a mission to clean up Mumbai's drug trade, showcasing unique and ruthless methods.

Starring: Salman Khan, Disha Patani and Sangay Tsheltrim

 

ANTIM: THE FINAL TRUTH - Premiers 17 February @ 10pm

Witness the transformation of a poor farmer's son into a fearless gangster, engaging in a riveting showdown with an upright policeman who doesn't back down easily.

Starring: Salman Khan, Aayush Sharma and Mahima Makwana

Catch this and so much on Zee One channel 111 on Openview.

News Shorts: MultiChoice Silently Adds SuperSport La Liga To DStv Access Consumers, Eureka! Cancelled After One Season On Disney Junior And Telenovela Channel Phillipines To Close By The End Of February

SuperSport La Liga on Access

Home of the Spanish La Liga & UEFA Europa League while also showcasing overflow matches from the UEFA Champions League. Several DStv consumers had spotted the channel on their package alongside Zee World, Star Life, and various others.

In an enquiry to MultiChoice, they mention that SuperSport La Liga will be opened until further notice (likely permanent) while all other channels will remain temporarily. Taking to account that NWTV and One Freestate Televisual had closed these channels are probably a distraction.

MultiChoice will be announcing their new annual prices which will come into affect from April. With these recent closures of channels, one has to wonder if MultiChoice has more developments up their sleeves aside from cost adjustments.

Another bites the dust

Eureka! is an American-Irish animated children's television series produced by Brown Bag Films. It premiered on Disney Junior in the United States on June 22, 2022. Set in the Stone Age within the location of Rocky Falls, it followed the eponymous girl Eureka who enjoys going on adventures and building gadgets.

According to Disney TVA News, Eureka! had been quietly cancelled after one season at Disney Junior, many members of the crew moved to Robogobo and non-Disney shows at Brown Bag Films. It would join The Ghost And Molly McGee, Secret Of Sulphur Springs and Bunk'd as shows to have been axed by the network.

Disney is focusing on building out its multicam strategy and that includes prioritising shows that are based on Disney-owned IP, and creating global tentpole programming.

Telenovela Channel Phillipines to go dark

Telenovela Channel served as the first and only telenovela channel in the Phillipines in 2011. Owned by Beginnings at Twenty Plus, Inc. with the partnership of Grupo Televisa would broadcast various Mexican dramas viewed on TLNovelas including Sortilego, La Rosa De Guadalupe and Las Amazonas.

After 12 years, it was reported the channel's website that Telenovela Channel Phillipines will end transmission after 12 years by the end of February which would coincide with the closure of Disney Junior in the Nordic market as further content integrates with Disney Channel.

New Series Alert: Devoted Daughter Coming Soon To Zee One

Zee One, a Bollywood channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that distributes various English dubbed series and films from India is reported to be rolling out for the second new series for the year, Devoted Daughter (Ghar Ek Mandir - Kripa Agrasen Maharaj Ki).

It revolves around Genda, who is an ardent devotee of Agrasen Maharaj and belongs to a low-income family. She is married into a business family and faces a huge loss in their business after marriage. Meanwhile, Genda’s husband also suffers from epilepsy.

Produced under the banner Zee Studio, it premiered through &TV on 10 August 2021 and 139 episodes are reported to have been filmed soon so far. It starred Shrenu Parikh as Genda Agarwal, Akshay Mhatre as Varun Agarwal and Sameer Dharmadhikari as Agrasen Maharaj.

As reported through various media outlets, Devoted Wife will be making its freemium debut on Zee One after launching on Zee Family sometime in 2023.

Aside from Devoted Daughter, & TV had produced a number of productions to have been aired in Africa. That includes Begusarai, The Heir, Perfect Pati, Razia Sultan and Gangaa all of which are made available to Zee World and Zee One with Dayan, Destructive Beauty on eExtra.

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.

News Shorts: CNN Phillipines To Close Down With 300 Job Losses, Fourth And Final Season Of Die Put On eExtra And Final Episodes Of The Ghost And Molly McGee Season 2 On Disney Channel Release Dates Revealed

CNN to close

CNN Philippines is to close down on Wednesday, the company announced on Monday local time. The move means up to 300 jobs will be lost.

CNN Philippines was launched in 2015 under a brand licensing agreement between Turner and Nine Media Network, a Philippines company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ALC Group of Companies previously launched by the late Ambassador Antonio Cabangon-Chua.

“CNN Philippines will discontinue operations on all media platforms effective Wednesday, Jan 31, 2044,” the company said in a posting on social media. “A trusted source of news and information CNN Philippines is accessible on free-to-air TV, cable and digital platforms. To our staff, we thank you for your commitment and dedication. To our partners, including CNN Worldwide / Turner Broadcasting Corporation, we are grateful for your support. And to our viewers, our sincerest gratitude for your loyalty and trust over the past 9 years.”

Ramos axed on eExtra

Ramos was made available on eVOD Stream back in 2023 before launching on eExtra. With the season 1 finale on eExtra set for 28 February, eExtra will replace the eVOD Stream exclusive with another which was once exclusive to linear platforms, Die Put S4 from 29 February.

Synopsis for the final season:

With Arık Böke and Cengiz Erdenet joining the game, the Koçovalı Family begin the great war with the Erdenet Family. Cengiz, who will change all the balances in the war between the Koçovalı Family and the Erdenet Family, makes very important decisions about Yamaç. 

We are awaiting an update on the second season of Ramos on eExtra but it if we had to guess it will more likely surface once Die Put ends.

The Ghost And Molly McGee comes to a close

During the month, it was reported that Disney Channel axed both The Ghost And Molly McGee and Bunk'd with final episodes slated for 2023. Unlike Bunk'd, final episodes of The Ghost And Molly McGee was made available on some international Disney Channels before the United States.

Now we've recieved word from sources that these episodes will arrive in Africa from March 18 as a double from 16:05 CAT. Anticipated episodes for this season include Jinx Vs. The Human World and The End - we won't be sharing any spoilers.

SNOOZEFEST: Disney Renaming The FOX Channel In Turkey Home To Wie Laaste Lag And Dokter Ali To NOW TV

In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Studios and this various content like The Simpsons and Grey's Anatomy alongside the FOX branded linear channels and National Geographic. Within this agreement, they were able to retain the FOX trademark for a limited timeframe.

With this deal set to expire soon, Disney had been replacing the remaining FOX channels seen in Latin America and Europe with either Star or FX. For a while now, they had been various questions as to what fate await the branding in Turkey.

Unlike most international counterparts, FOX Turkey is home to original productions already viewed on eMedia Investments' linear platforms in South Africa. This includes shows like Dokter Ali (Mucize Doctor), Doodsondes (Yasak Elma) and Doodsondes (Sen Çal Kapimi).

According to Cumhuriyet, Disney will start to use the trademark NOW in place of FOX by February. It had been approved by National Television-Radio Broadcasting Regulatory Authority in Türkiye (RTUK) member İlhan Taşçı after filing the new name by mid 2023.

Although the FOX trademark is dead, NOW will continue to produce local content in the region and licence them to eMedia Investments. Even though there's not much familiarity with the name, NOW appears to be carrying the same font and dark theme as FOX.

In other developments, Disney Junior is set to go dark in Denmark by the end of February with further content on Disney Channel. This is the only Disney branded channel in the region and it might affect surrounding areas like Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

How tvN Managed To Retain It's Presence In Africa?

tvN is a South Korean entertainment channel operated by CJ ENM that distributes various drama series and reality shows. Some of the content to have been produced by the channel includes Doom At Your Service, Cheese In The Trap, The K2 and Ice Adonis.

MultiChoice added tvN as a pop-up channel in March 2021 and by popular demand extended it for another few months. They weren't onboard with adding tvN as a permanent channel and since then the broadcaster was looking to continue their services through another platform.

During that time, tvN had garnered a following and through that were able to engage with viewers before quietly distancing themselves from social platforms with further accounts of tvN Africa directed to tvN international.

The outcome of tvN Africa

Although, tvN is not viewable as a linear channel several broadcasters including eMedia Investments, VIU, Netflix and StarTimes had all been distributing selected content from the brand. Best plausible option is that CJ ENM was only able to retain their programs in the market.

MultiChoice to date still doesn't feature any content from tvN on their platforms. They were able to retain an alternative offering to tvN and that includes NHK World Japan, CCTV-4, CGTN and KIX.

New Series Alert: Thinking Of You Coming This February To TLNovelas Across Africa

TLNovelas, a Mexican entertainment channel operated by TelevisaUnivision that is home to various Spanish language telenovelas is set to rollout a new musical drama, Thinking Of You (Pienso En Ti).

Synopsis for Thinking Of You:

Emilia, against her mother's wishes, confronts everyone and everything to pursue her dream of being a successful singer. When Emilia meets Ángel, her idol, she finds the strength to pursue her dream without imagining that it would be her voice, that would give Ángel back his illusion and his life.

Thinking Of You debuted on Las Estrellas from from 13 March 2023 and concluded on 23 June 2023 with a total of 75 episodes each with a 45 minute duration.

It starred Dulce María as Emilia Rivero, David Zepeda as Ángel Santiago, Alexis Ayala as Federico Pérez, Lore Graniewicz as Alicia Garibay, Brandon Peniche as Manolo Pérez, Jessica Díaz as Jeanine Loher, Yolanda Ventura as Daniela Avendaño and Henry Zakka as Alfonso Rivero.

Thinking Of You replaces The Rich Also Cry on TLNovelas from February 26. Prior to that, TLNovelas will be doubling up on the rebroadcasts as seen with rivals like Telemundo with Along Came Love replacing The Stepmother during that time.

News Shorts: A Rebroadcast Of My Identity And Along Came Love Launches On Star Life And TLNovelas Respectively, Skeem Saam On SABC 1 To Take On e.tv's Scandal This March And Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA Acquired Zig & Sharko Season 4 For Cartoonito

My Identity resurfaces on Star Life

The series explores the controversial life story of a child, Avni Ayesha, born out of wedlock. She is uncomfortable bearing the illegitimate identity that society has painted on her. As a result, Avni develops a strong determination to fight back and does not stop in her adulthood.

It will return to Star Life from 30 January replacing Sacred Relationships.

TLNovelas joins the snooze train with Along Came Love

After being deported and her father died, Luciana decides to return and meet again with the only family she has left: her mother and brother. That is why she travels to the US and shows up at the vineyard where both have worked for the past years, but when she arrives there and meets David, the landowner, she also bumps into an unexpected thing: love.

It will return to TLNovelas from 26 February replacing The Stepmother. This would serve as the first rebroadcast to have aired on the channel since Head Over Heels in 2022 so the channel is now rivalling Telemundo with their repeat padded offering.

Skeem Saam changing timeslots

For years, the SABC1 audience has made a plea, requesting to change the Skeem Saam timeslot, stating that the show timeslot is too early for some as the show broadcasts during the travelling time for a lot of the viewers.

The decision to move Skeem Saam to 19:30 is in line with SABC Video Entertainment's strategy to amplify its primetime local drama offering to its viewers from 19:30 to 21:30 with SABC1s Skeem Saam, Generations: The Legacy, Uzalo and SABC2s Muvhango.

For SABC1, we see this as an opportunity to make the channel edgier and braver and adapt to the audience's needs. The world of television is an exciting platform where we should not be afraid to adapt while upholding our responsibility to shape the youth and societal roles.

Zig & Sharko returns to Cartoonito

WBD (France, Africa), DR TV (Denmark), NRK Super (Norway), Markiza (Slovakia) and ERT (Greece) have bought Zig & Sharko season four (which premiered last fall on French broadcaster Gulli) to begin airing during Q2 to Q4 of this year. And season one is going to K+ Vietnam and Media Prima Malaysia.

Zig & Sharko launched in 2010 and revolves around a hyena’s endless attempts to capture a mermaid who is under the protection of a great white shark. 

The show is performing well on Netflix, according to an engagement report released by the streamer last month. Seasons one and two of Zig & Sharko racked up 40 million hours of viewing time in the first half of 2023 on the platform. 

Could The River Be Changing Channels On DStv As Champions Debuts On Mzansi Magic?

Mzansi Magic is set to rollout Champions a sports based drama starring Sello Maake ka-Ncube, Tumisho Masha, and Jo-anne Reyneke by early February. It brought various questions from consumers as the show will debut in the timeslot of The River.

As several readers are aware, MultiChoice will be axing both 1Magic and Me prior to Champions debut. For several days, media outlets had been wondering how MultiChoice plans to retain their black premium audience as 1Magic serves as the M-Net's BET channel.

In ongoing conversations with the pay-tv company, it had been mentioned a replacement channel for specifically 1Magic was in development but no word on Me. Leading us to believe that M-Net and MultiChoice could be looking to merge these two channels.

Compact+ has been declining in linear consumption for several years as MultiChoice moves channels like ESPN 2 and Comedy Central to lower tailored bouquets. If anything, it's only a matter of time till MultiChoice opts to discontinue or fold it onto premium.

Although the content for this rumoured channel has yet to be confirmed, we presume M-Net could try to make it a more independent tier from Me as seen with 1Magic at the time. This channel would be the exclusive home to The Real Housewives alongside Beat Shazam and Bel-Air.

If possible from what other outlets presume, they could burn off The River onto this channel making Mzansi Magic the premier destination for local content while brands like Mzansi Wethu serve as the backburner.

Showmax had been producing various content that would often fold under Mzansi Magic. Perhaps, MultiChoice will look at redirecting these shows should a replacement channel be in the works.

Early reception never mentioned a replacement, if anything fans of local dramas on 1Magic would migrate to Mzansi Magic with selected content from Me on Universal TV. But when you look at it doesn't seem far fetched as M-Net also offers content you won't find elsewhere.

Me despite how the channel was perceived is very much necessity to DStv consumers. How else are consumers going to view shows like Summertide or Kitchen Rules SA I mean they could as well transmit on Mzansi Wethu to give the channel purpose to the Compact household.

New Series Alert: Blue Cage And Hicran Also Rumoured To Be Making It's African Debut Soon Likely On Telemundo, Could eExtra's Kuiertyd Or kykNET Perhaps Get It?

Following the recent report that Telemundo will be further distancing themselves from original programming. The channel had acquired various shows from numerous international studios and broadcasters including Colombia's Caracol Televisión and RCN.

In October 2023, Telemundo debuted their first Turkish production across the African continent, Cennet: The Power Of Destiny. It proved to be a popular addition with consumers following the U.S. counterpart that had been sourcing content within the region years prior.

Inter Medya and Telemundo presented two Turkish dramas at MIPCOM within 2023, Blue Cage (Maviye Sürgün, 03 Medya) and Hicran to potential buyers. The two had been capitalising on Turkish dramas for Spanish language audiences and now the latter has folded in Africa.

Considering these two dramas were also co-produced/distributed by Telemundo, would it seem far fetched if the channel were to acquire them for consumers in Africa perhaps when Cennet ends in the coming months?

Synopsis for The Blue Cage:

Oguz has saved a young amnesiac woman, Defne, who he brings into his home. But when Defne recovers her memory, she realizes that she was a con artist who must remain in hiding.

Synopsis for Hicran:

Hicran, who wakes up to the new day with the nightmare she sees every night in which she tries to catch up with her daughter, who is said to have died at birth, is a young woman who is trying to hold on to life and who believes that her daughter is not dead, unlike everyone else.