Why Some Consumers Haven't Lost Hope On SABC And MultiChoice Just Yet?

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Through my years of online journalism, you do tend to come across criticism some of these are just troll comments while others come from a good place. This is something that SABC and MultiChoice has been battling with since their inception to the South African market.

As some may have already heard on several occasions, SABC is in financial turmoil relying on bailouts and sponsors to keep them afloat. With their money crisis, it has led to implement several cuts across SABC 1-3 with the government looking to change its funding model which could as well take several years to get into action.

For sometime, SABC has been trying to make an extra buck through MultiChoice by making them collect TV licenses or a household levy. This is because they offer the most watched channels in South Africa (including DStv) and MultiChoice opposes the deal as the broadcaster makes R500 million in advertising with just 4 channels.

MultiChoice is already going through a similar hurdle with its consumer base on DStv and are hoping to get a fresh start with Showmax and the Canal+ deal. Following its split from Vivendi, Canal+ and MultiChoice are hoping to complete this transaction in the beginning of a new financial year April 2025 to help them take on Netflix.

Although Netflix has over 200 million subscribers globally, MultiChoice has 19 million subscribers through DStv and Netflix doesn't have much consumers in Africa which reports estimating these consumers reside in 2 million households by 2023. 

With Canal+ having 8 million subscribers in Francophone Africa with MultiChoice's existing figures it ensures that they are ahead of the competition in Africa.

While some consumers may feel SABC and MultiChoice's services should be rendered redundant these are companies that are helping shape up the local industry and come with history. The unemployment rate is edging close to 50% with 80% of these individuals being youth and their demise will only worsen the problem.

SABC News, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika will be nothing without the funds coming from MultiChoice and although Netflix has been investing locally they're not expected to bulk up to such capacity. In the end, Netflix was only able to garner relevance for its content produced in other countries even with Africa on the map not much would change.

How MultiChoice Is Tackling LGBTQ Following Same Sex Ban In Namibia?

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Not long ago, a new bill has been making rounds in Namibia which prohibit same sex relationships basically LGBTQ after discussions were underway to legalize such as in South Africa. But unlike Namibia, some countries within Africa primarily Cameroon and Uganda had tightened restrictions to a point where legal action can be persewed.

This actions affected several channels on DStv particularly Telemundo in 2023 where Nurses was unexpectedly yanked from the channel leaving only reruns. According to Telemundo, it was due to a change in legislation although not mentioning Uganda and Cameroon led to the temporary suspension of Nurses.

Since last year, MultiChoice has been working closely with channel providers with localized feeds to TLC and Disney Channel launching in Southern African countries. These feeds resided in the Western and Eastern parts of Africa and with their inception has led Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur and The Owl House to get exempted.

In previous years, MultiChoice had excluded such content from the Western and Eastern parts of Africa with Southern Africa being conjoined due to transponders. With these endeavours now making waves in more African countries, it has led to confusion amongst DStv consumers particularly in Southern Africa.

Some DStv consumers are wondering why Disney Channel suddenly appears on channel 315 and what's mind boggling is that Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur was announced as a new show for this channel despite it only being offered on channel 303.

Aside from TLC and Disney Channel, MultiChoice had been distributing localized feeds for M-Net, Nickelodeon, BBC Lifestyle and E! Entertainment. We can only assume that more of these feeds will likely integrate to Southern Africa with some exceptions like Zee World and SuperSport.

Could StudioCanal Africa Also Be On The Pipeline For MultiChoice Suitor Canal+?

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StudioCanal serves as the production arm for the French broadcaster offering original films and series in US, UK, France and several parts of Europe and Africa. It is home to franchises like Paddington and Bridget Jones and also has co-produced films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Free Willy.

With its parent company Canal+ looking to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice plans are underway to stretch StudioCanal's expertise through this transaction as seen with M-Net's Spinners. Last year, production began in Cape Town on a new film titled Huntington starring American actor Glen Powell.

They plan to utilize MultiChoice's resources to build on intellectual properties (IPs) to better combat against Netflix that too has curated local content such as Blood And Water. Prior to MultiChoice's inclusion, Canal+ already owned ROK Studios (Nigeria) and Zacu Entertainment (Rwanda) with Marodi TV (Congolese) likely to join the ranks.

Should this transaction with MultiChoice progress we can only imagine that StudioCanal Africa would be formed from all this. It would consist of MultiChoice/M-Net Studios, Zacu Entertainment, Marodi TV, ROK Studios and any future investment Canal+ plans to pursuit in Africa.

Right now, ROK Studios and likely Zacu Entertainment are part of StudioCanal's global operations but we have seen them launch regional versions in the UK and Australia. It would only make sense to have one situated in Africa considering that MultiChoice would make them a giant in the region.

At the moment, Canal+ had been distributing Africa Magic Epic and select content from M-Net onto their platforms in french overseas. With their stake in MultiChoice, we can only imagine that they'll seek to unite these markets and give their French endeavours more scale as seen in parts of Africa with Africa Magic and Zambezi Magic.

MultiChoice Zambia Dumps Camnet TV From The DStv And GOtv Platform

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MultiChoice Zambia is set to claim it's first victim by the end of January as a channel termination noticed has been sent to various consumers watching Camnet TV on channel 274. 

Camnet TV was launched back in 2017 alongside Prime TV on the platform and served as Christian based channel and was one of the few local channels on the platform with such genre. The channel was founded by Mrs. Pastor Victoria Chiluba who is married to the former president of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba.

Although the channel didn't have much controversy the founder embroiled in a scandal where she sought help from Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia's current president) in an attempt to save Camnet TV. And this was what prompted Camnet TV to lose credibility and also have a controversial history.

MultiChoice Zambia in a statement has attributed low viewership and possibly other strategic considerations regarding channel content and profitability. Camnet TV would basically be the third religious station to have gone off air on the platform and the second within this month.

A year ago, Emmanuel TV decided to exit various platforms across Africa after the channel's founder T.B. Joshua was involved in a sex trafficking/cult scandal. Prior to this, the founder was embroiled in numerous other scandals with one notable figure deeming him "the son of a devil".

Before that was ITV Networks, this was the only Islamic channel to have been distributed by MultiChoice in South Africa and also the only non-troublesome channel on the list. If anything, the channel's demise was part of an ongoing review between companies attempt to enhance viewer's offering. 

Could 1Max Be Over And Out On DStv As Canal+ Edges Closer To MultiChoice?

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Based on the Showmax streaming service, 1Max serves as a promotional window to various originals and international content from the streaming service alongside reruns from M-Net. Despite Comcast holding a 30% stake in Showmax, 1Max is handled entirely by MultiChoice/M-Net who serve as a majority shareholder.

Last year, MultiChoice and M-Net decided to do away with Me and 1Magic with their deaths that were partially exaggerated as the offering merged to form 1Max. This received very little buzz from MultiChoice even for a repeats channel they would have been some type of promotion but not in this case with 1Max.

Since then, speculation had been going around that 1Max could be done and dusted once or if Canal+ managed to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice. Firstly, the French broadcaster doesn't like this idea of Showmax posing as a threat to DStv and has even hinted at the two serving as contenders.

What I think this could mean is that Showmax gets spun off amongst shareholders within MultiChoice. Rumours had been making the round that MultiChoice had considered dividing DStv and Showmax and this grew further to even suggest a potential sale in their assets particularly DStv.

If this does happen to be the case, it would put 1Max in a very precarious position as this is the lifeline for Compact+. Most other channels like Comedy Central, BBC Brit and Universal TV are already viewable on much lower bouquets and with its cancellation there wouldn't be much value on the package.

What Was Me And 1Magic Replaced With On Canal+'s DStv English Plus Add-On?

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Last year, MultiChoice decided to axe Me from the DStv Compact and Family packages as it merged with the premium channel 1Magic to form 1Max. The channel would comprise of shows viewed on the revamped Showmax streaming service which forms as part of a joint venture with NBCUniversal.

After Canal+ acquired a stake in MultiChoice and this was before the hostile takeover which is expected to conclude within the first half of 2025. The French broadcaster was able to license content from M-Net with DStv offering Africa Magic Showcase, Discovery and Telemundo through their platforms as an Add-On in French markets.

M-Net City and VUZU formed part of this lineup before merging to form Me alongside 1Magic. As seen with DStv's lower bouquets, these channels were ousted from Canal+ platforms and wasn't replaced by 1Max despite distributing 1Magic.

But rather Canal+ opted to distribute Universal TV in place of Me with E! taking over the spot formerly reserved by 1Magic. These channels are owned by NBCUniversal and as we mentioned sometime ago select content from Me and 1Magic can be seen on these brands including The Real Housewives, S.W.A.T. and NCIS: Los Angeles.

Of course, M-Net didn't think that the decision to remove Me will have rippling affects as Mzansi Magic exempts itself local shows like Recipe For Love And Murder and Legacy. Expanding on Me, it was also home to international franchises like The Amazing Race, Survivor and MasterChef now consumers have to turn to SABC or Showmax.

Despite the rippling affects of linear TV overseas there's still a lot of dependency for such platforms in other countries as Canal+ seeks to grow its operations with the acquisition of MultiChoice following its split from Vivendi. But in some way, the actions depicted by MultiChoice had been seen through rival broadcasters.

eMedia Investments' at one point had e.tv distributed a majority of programming from NBCUniversal, Disney and CBS Studios before folding that under Openview. SABC made a similar move with SABC 3 which proved to be controversial it even led viewers and content distributors to flee the channel.

How The MultiChoice Acquisition Might Worsen Things For DStv?

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DStv serves as the largest entertainment entertainment platform in Africa by MultiChoice despite seeing a loss in consumers in recent years with its parent company undergoing a takeover by Canal+. It offers a variety of local and international content from Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and BBC alongside the best in sports.

As reported in 2024, Canal+ is in the process of completing it's acquisition of MultiChoice with South African regulators. Should this deal move ahead, it would give the French broadcaster access to almost 50 million households with close to 30 million residing in Africa which would help them take on giants like Netflix.

Prior to the MultiChoice takeover, Canal+ already offered services in Europe through SPI International, Viaplay, Platforma Canal+ and the M7 Group with V+, VIU and Canal+ Myanmar residing in Asia. With Canal+ facing constraints in France viewed these markets as potential outlets for growth. 

Similar to MultiChoice, most of these properties listed served as start ups for Canal+ before being placed under French control. That was because Canal+ didn't have the expertise or necessary resources to compete in these markets so the other way would be through corporate buyouts or partnerships.

In Francophone Africa, a market in which Canal+ remains the dominant player very similar to DStv has very little to be desired. When it comes to France and Europe, Canal+ has plenty to compare with DStv but in Africa that is all on MultiChoice if Canal+ is dominant in one area it would be local content.

A tie-up with MultiChoice would make Canal+ a  dominant player and give them the scale as seen in France and parts of Europe. Canal+ has licensed numerous channels from DStv such as M-Net Movies, Africa Magic Epic and Zee World for these consumers in french markets and this transaction could lead to more content sharing.

As for DStv, there could be cuts when Disney+ was I  pre-development stages Disney didn't have much content for adults and the FOX acquisition gave them that. But things didn't improve for FOX as the Disney takeover led to numerous FOX channels across the world and studios to close.

On the DStv side, some outlets had stressed about that 20% cap put on foreigners even if Canal+ acquired MultiChoice it's voting rights in SA are minimal. Majority of MultiChoice's services come from South Africa and some fear that part of these services could as well be reduced if not closed even with a third party managing it's licenses.

If you look at Canada, a majority of MultiChoice's content providers are handled by local businesses Corus Entertainment manages Paramount Global with Bell Media handling Comcast. Channels that have still been exempted from this lineup in the region include MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Nicktoons, DreamWorks Channel and E!.

Corus through the Disney Channel has been importing Canadian shows while the global part is still Disney. This could be the case for DStv, where Canal+ the employee or as the stake in South Africa handles various licensing agreements while it's partner handles the financial aspect and whoever handles the finances has more power.

 

This is what happened when StarTimes acquired a 20% stake in TopTV (now StarSat) even though On Digital Media held the 80%, StarTimes decided who they should do business with. On Digital Media in this regard would turn down some businesses that wound up being licensed to other parts of Africa.

Another hurdle awaiting DStv with this takeover is consolidation, when Discovery acquired Warner it was very similar to Disney they were only cuts nothing new or beneficial came out of this deal. Even with their Max streaming service, what they did was use it as a promotional window for Discovery+.

This is where DStv could be heading, Canal+ curated local content in Francophone Africa and with this takeover they'll probably try to give that more exposure. MultiChoice had already done that with Africa Magic and SABC News so it only seems fair if the French implement similar mechanisms.

Who knows maybe this takeover will see M-Net curate and license more content from StudioCanal as this was outlined in the company's prospectus. 

The Eclipse Of Traditional TV: eMedia And MultiChoice Navigate The Streaming Tide

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With Comcast looking to offload its cable networks we turn our sites to both MultiChoice and eMedia Investments whose 2024 was somewhat dismal or dramatic at least for one of the two. MultiChoice ousted 11 channels while undergoing a takeover by Canal+ which is awaiting approval from South African regulators.

eMedia Investments has rounded another year with no additions despite promises to add a few more channels as Ultraview's future is being questioned after OUTtv and FUSE reverted to eVOD.

Let's face it, consumers don't prioritise TV as much in recent years as Netflix has become the hangout spot for shows like Squid Games and Wednesday. MultiChoice has been focused on everything from streaming, insurance and cybersecurity but saving the once dominant DStv platform.

Even the financially challenged SABC's top rated soaps are grasping through straws as their viewership continues to plummet. Uzalo that serves as the dominant player amongst the foe stood at 4.8 million in October 2024 which is a 21% drop from 6.1 million in October 2023.

This is the reason MultiChoice has been selective when it comes to sourcing content take for instance Zee Zonke. The only reason this channel was able to stay afloat is due to Zee TV's existing footprint in the market same goes for SuperSport Schools that established it's presence on YouTube as School Sports Live.

If anything things haven't been greener for eMedia's Ultraview offering as part of its offering had been merged with eVOD, consumers are curious on what's next for the brand. Since it's rollout, it was met with heavy criticism for its pricing and content offering while being compared to DStv so a majority are expecting for it to be dismantled.

When it was introduced, Eskom was going full force with power cuts although that withered DStv hasn't recovered and as for Ultraview it never had a fighting chance. Remember eMedia Investments hadn't disclosed consumer numbers for Ultraview but it's assumed to have under 500 subscribers.

In general, adding new channels has been more riskier in recent years MultiChoice had done that with One Freestate Televisual and NWTV which lasted for about 3 months. Even if the plan were to restructure, SABC has done that numerous times with SABC 3 and it still hasn't saved its fallen viewership.

M-Net's Linear Offering Could Undergo Further Streamlining Once Canal+ Takeover Deal Is Completed

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M-Net serves as a division of MultiChoice which comprise of shows like Carte Blanche, Summertide, Battleground and Umkhokha: The Curse. They also offer TV channels viewed across various markets such as Africa Magic, Mzansi Magic, KykNet, Maisha Magic and Pearl Magic.

As some may have heard, Canal+ is looking to complete it's transaction to acquire MultiChoice following its split from Vivendi in 2023. The deal is subjected to various regulatory approvals with both companies giving themselves until April 2025 to complete this transaction.

Should this deal move forward, we anticipate for MultiChoice to lose its license as broadcaster outside of South Africa it's likely that the remainder of MultiChoice could be focused on driving growth to Showmax. As for M-Net, SuperSport and DStv, those will all be under French control.

Despite being a French broadcaster, Canal+ has expanded its operations through Viaplay in Nordic countries, VIU in Asia and as already mentioned MultiChoice in Africa. With this transaction, there has been a lot of fear amongst the media that Canal+ will seek to scale back on content.

Vivendi already abandoned the broadcaster and left the window open for new investments meaning similar to Naspers abandonment of MultiChoice the money is limited. With MultiChoice already facing losses within DStv, cuts are inevitable and Canal+ had hinted on this.

With them already having operations in Francophone Africa, Canal+ could seek to reduce commissions coming to Africa Magic and replace them with imports from Zacu TV. Maybe even look to separate MultiChoice Studios from their cable networks and have cheaper programming filter their schedule.

Worst case scenario is folding Akwaaba Magic under Africa Magic as it minimises exposure and again reduces commissions. That's what happened when MultiChoice decided to axe ITV Choice it was only Coronation Street and Emmerdale that carried it on M-Net.

In the end, most sources are anticipating cuts to await this transaction cause from everyone's understanding Showmax is the main priority for MultiChoice and they can't be spending excessively. With DStv's current performance, it would make sense to shift the goalpost to Showmax and have DStv promote.

Could KykNet And Mzansi Magic Undergo Further Restructure As Canal+ Edges Closer To MultiChoice?

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For those who haven't heard the news already, VIU which serves as one of the various streaming services competing with Netflix, Showmax, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ now offers Afrikaans programming. After announcing plans to curate content in local languages original and dubbed programs like Eerste Liefde Laaste and Trom.

This isn't the first time that VIU has curated local content as they've licensed numerous projects from the SABC such as Skeem Saam, Uzalo, Muvhango and uBettina Wethu.

VIU aside from being a subsidiary of Canal+ who is currently in the process of completing it's acquisition of MultiChoice is very much like Showmax when it comes to scale and content. Should this deal move ahead, DStv consumers are likely to be seeing more imports on Mzansi Magic and KykNet.

Although from everyone's understanding, Canal+ would retain a 20% stake in MultiChoice SA there is ways to navigate those restrictions. KykNet has become a Southern African brand by filming content in Namibia and Botswana where this restriction wouldn't apply and another as we already mentioned is VIU.

VIU would continue curating content from the market with KykNet and Mzansi Magic serving as imports to select shows as seen with Showmax. For someone who uses Showmax wouldn't this render the mentioned brands obsolete as most of their shows would be accessible elsewhere.

That's what already seen with 1Max as its confined to premium package despite consumers on the mentioned offering getting Showmax at no extra charge. This is also a meant to serve as a placeholder to Me but seeing as it's not a lower tiered channel it's basically redundant.

Canal+ Shuts Down It's Pay-TV Operations In Ethiopia

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Last year, it was reported that Canal+ would be shutting down its pay-tv operations in Ethiopia after 3 years siting poor consumer growth. Another may have to do with its ongoing transaction to acquire MultiChoice with them also offering services in Ethiopia seek to revamp their operations and ease restrictions.

Canal+ Ethiopia comprised of several channels including Canal+ Gebeta, Canal+ Discover, FilmBox Africa and Love Nature with KIX, Real Time and Cartoon Network already distributed on DStv. With the platform already shuttered, part of this offering has since then been merged with Canal+ Afrique.

Should the takeover move ahead, Canal+ would gain access to M-Net, SuperSport, DStv and GOtv which are viewed as core brands for the broadcaster. Besides that, MultiChoice substitutes most of the local offering viewed by the defunct Canal+ Ethiopia with Abol TV (local content), Zee Alem (telenovelas) and SuperSport Liyu (sports).

Canal+ could restructure this services and perhaps integrate some content from their defunct linear offering. Of course, it is just speculation worst case scenario would be shuttering DStv's services in the region as South Africa remains a highly profitable market for MultiChoice.

It could be that similar to Canal+ Ethiopia, Canal+ looks to close or integrate some of DStv's services within Africa. Aside from MultiChoice, Canal+ is looking to acquire another African pay-tv provider MC Vision after increasing its hold of the company to 75%.

Is MultiChoice Still Planning To Remove eToonz, eMovies, eMovies Extra And eExtra From DStv?

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As some of you may have already heard, eMedia Investments had settled things with MultiChoice regarding eToonz, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eExtra by September of last year. There was very little buzz or press from both parties particularly eMedia Investments that made several attempts to retain these channels.

This led to them even going through a 2 and a half year carriage battle with MultiChoice but this didn't end because one party decided to retain these channels but rather eMedia Investments realised the money wasted on legal fees was putting a damper in their money bin so where does this leave DStv consumers if you may ask.

Well as it stood, eMedia Investments' channels were slated to go dark on DStv by August 2024 as ongoing legal action is what prompted these 4 channels to stay onboard. The year is drawing to a close and if these channels are still seen on DStv we can only assume one of several outcomes.

Firstly an extension had been reached between both parties and MultiChoice had a change of heart as seen with the relaunch of WildEarth which some are prompting to the takeover by Canal+. Of course, the duration to such agreement, settlement, obligation or however they want to put it is what's keeping eMedia Investments quiet.

Could it be that these channels aren't out of the woods yet?

MultiChoice made a similar deal with the SABC back in 2017/8 that SABC Encore would be axed on their platforms by May 2020 and this was something neither party addressed when renewing their agreement. Maybe MultiChoice just gave these channels an extended vacation and are planning to remove them later.

This whole process could take months into 2025 maybe March which is when the current financial year period ends or May which would date back to when these channels were officially removed. In general, all I'm saying here is this agreement doesn't sit well with me why the secrecy particularly with eMedia Investments.

Maybe I'm wrong or partially and MultiChoice just looks into retaining a few channels on their platforms alongside e.tv and eNCA. But then again, Disney and BBC Studios had announced extensions to their contracts yet eMedia Investments doesn't and retaining them on DStv was a priority.

How Google Is Becoming Another DStv?

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Not long ago, I reported that Google blacklisted thousands of independent and small sites prioritising big brands, affiliate links and forums such as Quora and Reddit. Insidus forms part of those sites that were affected by Google's core updates but alas they don't owe us anything in the end.

Remember when eMedia Investments was fighting to retain their 4 Openview channels on DStv. Think of it like this we were eMedia we made several changes to try and enhance reader's experience but in the end MultiChoice who is Google haven't acknowledged these updates.

MultiChoice has stated in court that eMedia has Openview for those looking to watch Elif and Teletubbies but the reality revenue wise would lead a company to scale back on content. This is what happened in Insidus, although all keywords I ranked on were axed the only search queries are those linking back to our website.

Simple terms: User A would type "eExtra" or "SABC" then several pages from my website would come on now that's been reduced to the website name and link which BTW made up a fraction. While some users would discover a brand by name a majority rely on content which is what Google killed off.

When a user types "Bloedspoor eVOD" in the search engine the first thing to pop-up will be videos of Isitha: The Enemy and Kelders Van Gehieme. Although all three are distributed by the same company it has nothing to do with Bloedspoor.

Now the next results are very accurate with the search term but the problem this comes from social accounts two of which are mine but the reality how many Googlers will even click those links. There has been a talk amongst publishers about zero click results.

In recent months, Google has filled it's pages with ads, affiliate links and sponsored content that there has barely been much visibility for actual content outside Quora and Reddit. This is what consumers have felt about DStv's entertainment offering as MultiChoice cuts channels and continues inflating costs.

Similar to how various outlets had stated DStv is losing its prestige as Netflix banks on NFL and WWE with DAZN that acquired FIFA. Google is facing competition from ChatGPT and TikTok as these platforms have found simpler ways to distribute information and aren't clustered with ads.

Even X (Formerly Twitter) could be branded as off as a Google competitor as it's the top platform for micro blogging a sector which Google is destroying and following Musk's takeover offers monetisation features and Grok that would rival with AdSense and Gemini.

DStv's Linear Offering Reaches A Time Of Uncertainty

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For those who have been following DStv's journey through the year would have noticed the lack of additions so far there was only 1Max which substituted 1Magic. Then followed by Arise News for Southern Africa with further expansions of La Liga to DStv Access with Nickelodeon on DStv Compact but was 2024 really the year of DStv???

MultiChoice removed about 12 channels from their platforms most of which were local and now with the company looking to complete it's takeover by Canal+ by April 2025. Former Telkom CEO, Sipho Maseko is also in talks to join the transaction either in a managerial position or a shareholder.

There's been a lot of fear for sometime about Canal+'s next steps should this deal moves ahead one of which includes existing agreements with Disney, BBC and Warner Bros. Discovery. In France, Canal+ has lost exclusivity to the Disney Channels as the content integrate with Disney+ in 2025.

Another Canal+ already offers it's ROK channels on DStv with, Marodi TV, Zacu Entertainment and France24 that reside in Africa. With this transaction, wouldn't they want to give these brands more exposure within the African market as seen with Africa Magic and Mzansi Magic.

Speaking of Africa Magic, ROK has been rivalling with the broadcaster since it's inception in 2016 and Akwaaba Magic when it launched in Ghana by 2021. What is to become of these entities once Canal+ claims the crowns of supposed rivals does ROK become an import of the two as seen with Magic Showcase.

If DStv's matters doesn't worsen, Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast are shifting away from their cable networks and we're only left with questions about what could be left of Discovery Family. If TLC and Discovery have been serving as imports for the bulk of channels ranging from HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet and Food Network.

Then there's Telemundo, how is Comcast's upcoming spin-off going to retain the channel in Africa because the company has a history of discarding their cable networks e.g. Style Network. SpinCo has been the one calling the shots in Africa now this one will be not be affiliated with Comcast.

Comcast has NBC Studios, Universal Pictures, Telemundo Studios and DreamWorks Animation. From what I can recall, M-Net, SABC and eMedia Investments have been licensing select content for consumers in South Africa and this part has only been focused on these regional networks for  growth.

2025 could shape up one of DStv's most dramatic years as MultiChoice faces a lot of uncertainty not only with the arrivals of new owners but some corporate changes. It could be like analysts have said on various occasions MultiChoice will now unrecognizable in the coming years.

Important Notice: ROK Can Also Be Seen On DStv Family And Access Packages In South Africa Alongside WildEarth On Easyview

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MultiChoice has silently added the ROK channel to DStv Access customers after being made exclusive to Compact customers. The channel is owned by ROK Studios that serves as a division of Canal+ who is currently looking to acquire MultiChoice ahead of their split from Vivendi in the coming weeks and only time can tell what awaits Africa Magic.

ROK has become a profilic producer of original content with shows like Festac Town, Khutam, Banks Chronicles and Bloodline alongside Nollywood films like Man Pikin and Strings Of Love. Considering Africa Magic Family is viewable on Access in other African markets we can only assume ROK holds that position in South Africa.

Maybe it won't be over and out for the channel just yet it could as well be restructured into some repeats channel for imports from Africa Magic.

Another development comes from the Easyview package as WildEarth also forms part of their package after being exclusive from Access to Premium consumers. Some tabloids even marked WildEarth as a "new channel" when in reality it only counts if you're an Easyview consumer while others its seen as a relaunch.

Easyview consumers had already lost 4 channels within the year including People's Planet, NWTV, One Freestate Televisual and Emmanuel TV. If anything, WildEarth could as well be interpreted as a replacement to People's Planet as the channel in question had already been distributing content from WildEarth.

This would leave the higher paying consumers being Compact to the full library of children's shows as MultiChoice added Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. to their lineup. According to a statement, the launch on DStv Compact is there to help commemorate SpongeBob Squarepants' 25th anniversary. 

SURPRISE!!! Paramount Africa Is Making Nickelodeon And Nick Jr. Available To DStv Compact Customers In South Africa

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Get ready for a playful and fun festive season filled with joy, laughter, and one last 25th anniversary hurrah from SpongeBob SquarePants! From 6 December 2024, Nickelodeon (DStv 305) and Nick Jr. (DStv 307) will both be available on DStv Compact permanently, gifting more children and families across South Africa access to the very best in family entertainment.

 

As part of this exciting move, Nickelodeon, the number one entertainment brand for kids, invites everyone to celebrate SpongeBob SquarePants’ 25th anniversary with a festive extravaganza like no other. From exclusive new episodes and Nickelodeon favourites in isiZulu and Afrikaans to Zee Nxumalo’s Amapiano remix of the SpongeBob SquarePants theme-song! This holiday season promises something for everyone.

Nickelodeon (DStv channel 305) December Highlights

SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas Special – 21 December | Saturday at 12:30

The Loud House Christmas Special – 21 December | Saturday at 14:10

Young Dylan Christmas Special – 21 December |

Saturday at 18:30

The Patrick Star Show from 2–13 December at 15:00

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 23 December, weekdays at 19:45 

Nick Jr. (DStv channel 307) December Highlights

Rubble & Crew (new episodes) from 02 December, Monday-Friday at 17:30

DORA (new episodes) from 09 December, Monday-Friday at 18:00

Nick Jr’s Holiday Stunt Premiere episodes: Paw Patrol, Rubble and Crew, Hamsters of Hamsterdale, The Adventures of Paddington, The Tiny Chef Show from 21 December at 12:00

Nick in Your Language Continues to Shine

Nickelodeon’s commitment to inclusivity continues with the Nick in Your Language initiative, offering local language episodes of beloved shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, DORA, Rubble & Crew, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PAW Patrol in local languages. Catch these dubbed favourites on Nicktoons (DStv channel 308), weekday mornings at 7:30–9:00, and afternoons at 15:00–16:00. 

January 2025: Start the New Year with Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.!

  

Transformers: EarthSpark S3 (new season) on 11 January at 11:00 on Nickelodeon (DStv channel 305), Baby Shark’s Big Movie! 5 January at 12:20 on Nick Jr. (DStv channel 307), Baby Shark’s Big Show S3 (new season), weekdays at 16:30 on Nick Jr. (DStv channel 307), starts 6 January. 

Dance in to the holidays with SpongeBob and Zee Nxumalo

To make this holiday season even more exciting, Nickelodeon has partnered with Amapiano sensation Zee Nxumalo for a special Amapiano remix of the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song, soon to be available on Spotify. Fans can join the #DanceLikeASpongeChallenge on TikTok and be part of the fun.

Follow @Nickelodeon_Africa for more information.

“At Nickelodeon we put kids first and we believe in the power of fun to bring families together. What better time to celebrate fun than during the holidays? As we mark SpongeBob SquarePants’ 25th anniversary, we’re thrilled that Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. content is now accessible to even more families, solidifying our mission to provide inclusive, world-class entertainment.” says Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Paramount Africa.

 

“We’re thrilled to make Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. available to DStv Compact viewers,” says Melusi Sibisi; Acting Head of 3rd Party Channels and Partnerships for the Multichoice Group. “This move underscores our commitment to ensuring that more families across South Africa have access to premium kids’ entertainment. With Nickelodeon’s rich line-up and beloved characters, this holiday season will undoubtedly be one to remember.”

 

This holiday season, Nickelodeon promises a Nicktastic Festive! Soak up the fun! Join SpongeBob, Patrick, the Ninja Turtles, and more as they bring endless joy and adventure to your screens.

Sipho Maseko, Former Telkom CEO Is Also Reported To Be Joining Canal+/MultiChoice Deal

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Canal+ is currently engaging with local regulators over the proposed transaction to acquire the remaining shares in MultiChoice of which they hold 45%. Vivendi, who serves as the parent company for the broadcaster is looking to spinoff Canal+ with a meeting of a proposed split being held in the coming weeks.

Canal+ is using this proposed transaction to increase its consumer base with them and MultiChoice looking to scale up over giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. For several months, they've been trying to navigate restrictions over foreign investors and other exclusive undertakings.

It was previously reported that South Africa's richest black man Patrice Motsepe was in talks to join the bid to help meet the country's black ownership requirements. Since then, it was stated that the French broadcaster was looking for someone else other than Patrice to help them finalize the deal.

According to another report from Africa Intelligence, Sipho Maseko who served as the former chief executive officer at Telkom could be joining in Canal+'s pursuit over the pay-tv company. Sources familiar with the transaction say he could become a shareholder taking up a stake or a director of the merged entity.

Both companies have given themselves until April 2025 to finalize the transaction and meet all the necessary requirements to get this transaction approved. Should it be greenlit, Canal+'s consumer base would extend to over 40 million households making Africa it's largest market with over 27 million subscribers.

Why Disney Channel's Move To Channel 315 Is Bad News For DStv Customers?

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During the month, MultiChoice Africa announced that Disney Channel would be moving from channel 303 to 315 on DStv and these changes were applicable to consumers in Southern Africa. This is most likely due to a change in legislation in some countries if some remember Cameroon and Uganda instilled some very rules over LGBTQ.

This is what prompted Nurses to suddenly get yanked from Telemundo only for it to make a name a comeback with censorship. The laws in these countries were so severe that broadcasters like Telemundo would have lost their licenses to operate in these regions while some could be fined or detained.

MultiChoice may say that Disney Channel had moved to a new channel number and that consumer's viewing experience would remain unhinged. But that's not the case here at all, they took what you know as channel 303 and restricted it's access to consumers in South Africa where the restrictions are lighter.

They acquired Disney Channel's feed used in the East and Western parts of Africa and launched that on channel 315. For those who aren't aware, MultiChoice has two transponders one that covers Southern Africa and another the rest of Africa so they can basically make local variations with channels.

Considering South Africa shares their feeds with other countries residing within Southern Africa including Malawi and Zimbabwe they had to launch duplicate feed but block certain consumers from particular regions from seeing it. Similar to what you have with Moja 9.9. as consumers would have viewed the content on its premium counterpart.

Similar to TLC Africa, this feed viewed outside of South Africa is kind of depressing remember Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur the show that DStv had advertised across their platforms for viewers in Africa for November 25. This managed to debut on the channel in South Africa alongside various European markets.

This has not been made available to consumers outside of South Africa and I would like to believe that MultiChoice Africa and Disney will try to air it at a later stage but heck even Walk The Prank is not airing. Instead in the slots where these shows would appear would be reserved for more Big City Greens or Phineas And Ferb. 

Disney Channel's moves to channel 315 as MultiChoice Africa wants to put it or the expansion of Disney Channel Africa which is what I'd call it is bad news for DStv consumers. Imagine this scenario already happened with Nickelodeon and The Loud House after Nigeria put up a ban Paramount opted to censor the show.

But when further complaints came from other African countries they took out The Loud House completely yet they're willing to air it's live-action counterpart and The Casagrandes. To top it off, Paramount+'s original film The Loud House: No Time To Spy wasn't made available for these consumers.

The results to these restrictions is more zombie TV which is what's seen on Nickelodeon and TLC with Disney Channel joining the ranks.

Despite the tight restrictions, there are consumers in these markets that wouldn't mind watching Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur or The Loud House despite them featuring same sex couples. Disney Channel separating it's operations within in Africa means more content is likely to be divided away from Africa like Andi Mack and The Owl House.

MultiChoice And SABC Settle Dispute With eMedia Investments Regarding Sports

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As some have already read, eExtra alongside eMedia's other Openview channels such as eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz won't be exiting DStv anytime soon as MultiChoice and eMedia Investments have come to an agreement. Although, the finer details of this transaction have yet to be known by the media.

Another topic that was addressed within eMedia Investments annual results for 30 September 2024 was the matter of the Rugby World Cup. This was something eMedia Investments had been battling to get onto Openview after MultiChoice denied other platforms aside from that of SABC's DTT the right to view the content.

This led SABC to change transmission for these channels once these games come on through platforms outside SABC's DTT and DStv which is what prompted this battle. MultiChoice accused eMedia Investments of free riding and wanting to broadcast the content without paying a cent.

eMedia Investments had pitched a sum in which MultiChoice deemed too low and from what other sources mention SABC's bid was a lot higher. It took local legislation to pressure these broadcasters into reaching an agreement which saw these games getting reduced even further.

When MultiChoice blocked other platforms from getting rugby it was so that SABC could pay less and get the bulk of content associated with a free-to-air broadcaster. Then after eMedia Investments came into the picture it has been theorised that MultiChoice had to reduce the amount of games given to the SABC.

Now all three parties have settled the matter of course it's not really known how they managed to settle the matter but it isn't something that they can keep secretive forever. MultiChoice has been in such disputes with both parties several times and this isn't something you'd expect to go away that easily.

eMedia Investments And MultiChoice Silently Settle Dispute Over e.TV's 4 Channels On DStv

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As some readers may have remembered from the last time we had posted eMedia Investments' 4 TV channels namely eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz were all slated to be removed from DStv by August 2024. Several months had already passed and these channels continue to distributed on DStv.

MultiChoice made the decision by March 2022 that they didn't want to include these channels on any of their platforms which led to the discontinuation of e.tv's African feed eAfrica. At the time, eMedia Investments had stated that they're changing their distribution strategy for these consumers while in South Africa they took the matter to court.

According to MultiChoice, eMedia Investments 4 TV channels had a lot of duplicate content and also the matter of transponder constraints led to the decision to terminate these services. The free-to-air broadcaster stated otherwise as they showed 2 out of the 4 channels had local content and that MultiChoice had plenty of space for more channels.

To top it off, MultiChoice forged ahead and allocated several placeholders on each DStv package: Movie Room (Access), DreamWorks (Compact), PBS KIDS (discontinued, Easyview) and KIX (Access). They even ramped up a rival offering to eExtra's Kuiertyd with the addition of Turkish dramas on KykNet & Kie.

In the financial year results ending 30 September of this year, eMedia Investments had confirmed that they've reached a settlement with MultiChoice after two and a half years. This means eExtra, eToonz, eMovies and eMovies Extra will remain on DStv but what's odd about this is the lack of engagement by both parties.

eMedia Investments didn't want these channels removed now they're getting what they asked for but still you'd think they'd be a celebratory mood. But questions amount to what prompted MultiChoice to suddenly join hands as eMedia Investments mentioned paying significant costs in legal fees.

In a couple of days, MultiChoice will be reinstating WildEarth to their platforms which served as one of the 12 TV channels to exit the company's platforms in the year. If one had to guess maybe the transaction to have Sanlam acquire majority stake in NMIS Insurance Services helped them build up their capital.

Another could as well be the onslaught of TV channels to have exited their platforms during the year with One Freestate Televisual, NWTV and People's Planet being based in South Africa. Maybe eMedia's 4 channels are being used as leverage for the fallen either that or the drastic takeover by Canal+ which is awaiting approval.