DStv Quietly Added Two Channels Between June And July

DStv quietly added NHK World-Japan and Hilaal TV to its channel list over the past two months, and they are both available to subscribers on all packages.

NHK World-Japan launched on DStv channel 431 and covers a variety of programming, including arts and culture, dramas, documentaries, sports, and current affairs.

“We are excited to bring this channel to our DStv subscribers, we are focused on offering the best of local and international content, and this channel’s unique content offering aims to do just that,” said Gideon Khobane, MultiChoice Group executive for general entertainment.

“NHK World-Japan will give our DStv viewers a chance to explore international culture through entertainment.”

Titles aired on the channel include NHK Newsline, Dining with the Chef, A Cat’s-Eye View of Japan, Journeys in Japan, J-Arena, and Medical Frontiers.

The channel has been active on the DStv app since 2020 so would you consider it a new channel or at least to those without the DStv app.

Jun Takao, president and CEO of Japan International Broadcasting — the subsidiary responsible for the worldwide distribution of NHK World-Japan — said the company is “delighted to offer the content of NHK World-Japan to the people of South Africa for the first time”.

“It has been our long-awaited desire to distribute our programmes in this region,” he added.

DStv also added Hilaal TV — a replacement for the recently dropped Islamic community channel iTV — towards the end of June. It is available on channel 347.

“Coming from their studios in Johannesburg and Cape Town, this channel is set to deliver the highest quality of Islamic content to DStv subscribers,” it said in a statement.

“The channel is created for a Muslim-based audience with spiritual and lifestyle content specifically aimed at uplifting, and supporting the broader Ummah.”

DStv announced in May that it was dropping iTV based on a review process it undertakes to ensure the quality of the local and international content it screens for its customers.

“MultiChoice constantly reviews its channel offering to ensure we continue to bring our customers the best quality local and international content,” it said in a statement.

“We continue to look for fresh content that resonates with our viewers, and an announcement for a channel to replace iTV will be made in due course.”

Hilaal TV actually launched in April or at the pop-up counterpart known as Ramadan TV. Most of the content from the pop-up is available full-time under this brand.

DStv is also launching a pop-up channel — dedicated to the nine Sony Pictures Spider-Man films — for its Premium subscribers.

The movies will be available from 23 September until 2 October on channel 111.

The addition of NHK World-Japan and Hilaal TV brings DStv’s total channel changes for the year to nine.

The table below summarises the channels added and dropped from DStv’s bouquets in 2022.

DStv channel changes in 2022

New channels
Dreamworks — 18 March 2022
KIX — 31 March 2022 (DStv Access)
Hilaal TV — 23 June 2022
NHK World-Japan — 1 July 2022
Movie Room — 27 August 2022

Dropped channels
Tellytrack - 28 February 2022
RT – 2 March 2022
Lifetime – 1 May 2022
iTV Networks — 17 June 2022
FliekNET — 15 July 2022

Channels dropped and reinstated
eMovies – dropped on 1 July 2022; reinstated on 1 August 2022
eMovies Extra – dropped on 1 July 2022; reinstated on 1 August 2022
eExtra – dropped on 1 July 2022; reinstated on 1 August 2022
eToonz — dropped on 1 July 2022; reinstated on 1 August 2022

New Channel Alert: Celebrate Islamic Culture With MultiChoice's Latest Addition To The DStv Platform, INX Prime

Islam the religion of over 1 billion people hungry for content that resonates. Join Interactive Network Experience Prime (INX Prime) for the future in a rapidly changing world for the Islamic experience.

Africa was first to recieve Muslim historically and today 446 million people are adherent of the Islamic faith across the continent one of the highest in the world. The South African Muslim community forms part of the backbone of the country integral to its history and future contributing as artisans, business people and sensationals in all spheres of daily living and nation building.

Islam is a way of life, INX Prime reflects in the ethos with homegrown programming created in South Africa and carefully curated from across the globe with state of the art studios and houses in Johannesburg as well as links to studios in the major metropolitan areas and a commitment to sourcing stories from the lesser covered regions and communities we are the channel of choice for all face and cultures who seem to be inspired, appreciated and enlightened.

 

We will celebrate the modern Muslim while honouring and remembering the stories of those who brought us here. Our editorial direction is based on the Islamic values and commandments. As it is enshrined in the holy quran and prophetic teachings and examples of Prophet Mohammed.

INX Prime creates and showcases the Islamic identity of our diverse South African Muslim society while also benefitting from world-class international programming from other channels that share our vision. We are committed to empowering women throughout our programming and production department with emphasis on youth development and enabling indigenous African media and on-screen talent.

We are an Islamic lifestyle channel focused on creating an holistic approach to experience and living the Islam in the modern age.

 

Our programming schedule features a breakfast show with community news and happenings, trending items, health and mindfulness speeches, media reviews to entertainment.

Mid afternoon programming is dedicated to children's content with an array of popular animation series and a tailor made local magazine show which gives our young viewers their own platform to showcase their talent and happenings.

A range of women talk shows and magazine shows features late mornings on weekdays and caters for all hosts and guests across all African languages.

 

Evening primetime keeps the mind edutained with current affairs and local and international Islamic talk shows, reality and documentaries. Other key programming deliverable sent outside live broadcasts of community events, local dramas series and telenovelas with morals and values that they core while providing a platform for performers, young talent and media graduates to sharpen their skills.

Also in our programming is creative programming aimed at showcasing talent, feature films Friday which follows on the M-Net's Sunday Night aimed at getting families around the TV after ending the prayer of the day.

Format shows that feature weddings, cook offs, cars and reality TV concepts and live crossings 5 days a week to holy cities with our very own reporters on the ground. Journey with us as we realise an Islamic channel with something for everyone.

New Channel Alert: As Predicted, Hilaal TV Makes Its Way To The DStv Platform As A Replacement To ITV Networks

ITV Networks is set to go off air on the DStv platform by the end of this week and unlike certain channels where viewers have it to wait a couple of months or a year for them to be replaced, ITV's replacement arrives in a few days.

Hilaal TV was reported earlier this month after MultiChoice put up Ramadaan TV but this time as a permanent addition and Hilaal TV operating the brand alongside a promo lead us to believe that the pop-up will undergo a name change.

 

Hilaal TV is said to be the best Islamic channel in Africa heck there's even speculation that the Ramadaan TV was experimental or a trial to permanent channel which we now know as Hilaal TV and that ITV's demise was destined long before its presence on DStv.

As mentioned previously, some of the content available to the channel includes Tafseer Of Surah Kahf By Sheikh Suliman Moola and Live Crossing For Zohr From Madinah Munawwarah basically the same batch of shows from Ramadan TV.

Hilaal TV will be made available to the same customers that had access to ITV Networks which was DStv Premium, Compact+, Compact, Family, Access, Easyview Indian + Add-on packages from 18 June.

New Channel Alert (Rumour): Hilaal TV, The Best Islamic Channel In Africa Is Coming Soon To DStv

In April, MultiChoice operated a Muslim based pop-up channel Ramadan TV which was open as part of a celebration of the same name to all their DStv customers showcasing live and melodious recitations from the Quran alongside other content.

Last month, MultiChoice announced the discontinuation of ITV Networks which came at a time consumers lost e.tv's 4 channels and Lifetime with fliekNET set to join the following month. They also promised to announce a portion of these channels in due course.

With only a few weeks left of ITV, it looks as if MultiChoice already found a candidate to the supposed channel which most assumed would be the UK based Islam Channel which ITV took over in 2008 for viewers in South Africa.

But it turns out that a permanent version of the Ramadan TV might be launching on the DStv platform as MultiChoice list a bunch of content formerly seen on the pop-up including Tafseer Of Surah Kahf By Sheikh Suliman Moola and Live Crossing For Zohr From Madinah Munawwarah.

This pop-up won't be called Ramadan TV but instead Hilaal TV likely the ones responsible for this pop-up channel which kind of brings several theories into question.

Is it possible Ramadan TV was just an experimental channel for Hilaal TV and was ITV Networks demise planned close to the launch of Ramadan TV?

Judging by the info presented I'm guessing that Hilaal TV will also be accessible to viewers outside South Africa unlike ITV Networks which was region based and will likely take up the channel number 346 and 347 is already occupied by Islam Channel in the rest of Africa.