Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Development Alert: AMC Networks To Rebrand UK Channels, What Fate Awaits The CBS Channels Across Africa?
Friday, July 7, 2023
Recap To The Week: AMC Networks International Launches New Content Group Across UK & EMEA
Monday, June 27, 2022
CBS Justice Is Out For The Count While CBS Reality's Future Remains Up In The Air On DStv
During the week, it was announced that Paramount and AMC International the party in charge of CBS Justice and CBS Reality in Africa will be scrapping the CBS branding from their products by shortening (CBS) Reality and killing off CBS Justice for the male skewed channel, Legend.
As it was the first time this news was announced no one could expect what possible outcome awaited the CBS channels on DStv but through a promo for CBS Justice's replacement you can clearly get a clear perspective to the whole situation.
Legend is said to not only incorporate CBS Justice but offer content with sci-fi, horror and adventure and I won't go over the details with the programming as some viewers may not recognise anything from there but by looking at it you can clearly see where this channel stands in Africa.
CBS Justice in the UK offers drama series like Walker, NCIS: Los Angeles and CSI while the feed in Africa carries a lot of factual content some I might add are better than what's seen on Investigation Discovery like Forensic Files, Killer Couples and Snapped.
If anything I wouldn't be surprised if CBS Justice merged onto CBS Reality to form something else or for both of them to get discontinued to its entirety as seen in some regions but here's why I think merging would be the likely outcome.
Alternative names for the supposed channel: Zone Reality and Reality (E)Xtra.
Alternative names should it remain as two channels: Zone 1 & 2, Reality 1 & 2, Reality and Reality (E)Xtra.
Before CBS Justice was added in Africa, CBS Reality was the main home to all the content seen on there if anything the downside was the timeslots as most crime or detective stuff aired in the early hours of the day (5am or 6am) down to the night (8pm to 11pm).
The merging of these brands would bring more comfort to those on CBS Reality who once had access to this content and who knows it might even reduce amount of Judge Judys or escalate onto another program but who knows really as it was repetitive by then.
But if other channels can't fix that issue why burden that onto CBS Reality. The important thing is that there's plenty to watch outside Judy or Cheaters. The only burden at this point would have fallen onto DStv customers.
As seen in the last couple of months, MultiChoice has lost at least 8 channels and not much replacements are on the cards. If CBS Justice doesn't get replaced by the supplier (Paramount and AMC), will the distributor (MultiChoice) seek alternatives or continue leaving empty gaps.
Friday, June 24, 2022
DStv Is Set To Lose CBS Reality And CBS Justice In Revamped Channel Offering By Paramount Global And AMC International
2022 brought a whirlwind of changes for viewers on the DStv platform as MultiChoice scrapped e.tv's 5 channels, ITV Networks, fliekNET and Tellytrack. They where those brands that went out unexpectedly and beyond anyone's control like Russia Today and Lifetime.
As the world continues adapting viewers should expect more changes I mean not all changes are good (e.g. Me) but the point one would have for these changes is survival which is where CBS Reality and CBS Justice reside in.
By the end of June, the British counterpart of these channels which also manage the channels in Africa will be revising their channel offering by scrapping CBS Justice for Legend while as CBS Reality is shortened to Reality.
Due to the launch of Paramount+, AMC and Paramount are eliminating the CBS branding from all their products or at least on their linear channels and shocking turn for these two channels is the programming.
CBS Justice's replacement Legend will not only cover the crime but the supernatural section of their portfolio while the UK had CBS Horror viewers in Africa relied on CBS Reality for this offering. On top of paranormal, they'll offer thriller and sci-fi.
Reality will likely focus on softer programming such as Judge Judy, Animal Hoarding, Cheaters, Three Day Nanny and Shocking Emergency Calls, as consumers likely lose out on shows like Haunted Case Files and Scariest Night Of My Life to Legend which is technically a premium channel.
The change is expected to be completed by the end of June and it hasn't been stated exactly when this format will rollout in other regions or or look identical to the main feed.
As seen in Poland and several Portuguese speaking regions, the channels were given alternate brand names or shuttered down as there's rumours going around that Paramount Global and AMC International are disbanding due to the rollout of Paramount+.