Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Comcast To Launch Peacock, Netflix And Apple TV+ Bundle At A 'Vastly Reduced Price'
Friday, February 16, 2024
Development Alert: Paramount+ And Peacock Are Reportedly In Discussion For A Potential Merger
Monday, January 15, 2024
Reminder: Revamped Showmax Streamer Launches This February And Is Cheaper
Monday, December 18, 2023
Development Alert: Peacock To Cease Transmission In The UK By Next Year, Content To Launch Elsewhere
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
News Shorts: South African Artist Zahara Has Died At The Age Of 35, 2 Good 2 Be True Makes A Landing On Novelas E Plus And Becky G To Headline Upcoming Drama Series From Peacock
Friday, December 1, 2023
News Shorts: Ted TV Series From Seth MacFarlane Based On Movie Rolls Out On Peacock, Highly-Anticipated New Original Series FX’s “Shōgun” Makes Global Debut On Disney+ And Lionsgate Is Working On A Live-Action Adaptation To Naruto
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Development Alert: Showmax Pro To Go Dark Across Africa Ahead Of Peacock's Rollout Under The Streamer
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
MultiChoice And NBCUniversal Unveil First Official Logo For New Joint Venture Showmax Powered By Peacock
This emerged when the company today announced its financial results for the year ended 31 March (FY23).
According to the firm, the number of users of the group’s DStv app and Showmax services continues to grow, as online consumption increases, supported by rising broadband connectivity and more affordable pricing.
The group’s overall online user base increased by 12% year-on-year (YOY), with the growth rate for paying Showmax subscribers at a "strong" 26%.
Showmax Pro, which includes live sport, enjoyed strong growth and doubled its subscriber base in FY23.
In a statement, the video entertainment group says MultiChoice’s partnership with Comcast (owner of NBCUniversal, Sky and Peacock), announced in March, represents a significant step-up for the group’s future over-the-top ambitions.
“The new Showmax business will bring the world’s best local and international content to Africa and will be supported by Peacock’s scalable and feature-rich technology platform,” says MultiChoice.
The transaction successfully closed on 4 April, with MultiChoice Group now owning 70% of the new Showmax group, and NBCUniversal owning the remaining 30%.
New products and launch dates will be announced in due course, with the platform expected to go live in the second half of FY24.
On the product front, the group launched the DStv Streama, a device which allows for the streaming of DStv and other partner applications through a normal television in a connected environment.
To further expand its aggregation strategy, the group says it added Disney+ to its portfolio of products available for customers to add to their bill, while Universal+ increased the overall content offering available to premium subscribers.
During the year, the group also announced its partnership with Sky UK, to bring its Glass products and services to local customers in the coming years.
Friday, April 7, 2023
Recap To The Year: Days Of Our Lives Might Be Making It's Highly Anticipated Comeback On Showmax
In 2022, eMedia Investments in an attempt to boost their local offering halt distribution of Days Of Our Lives on e.tv after 5 years. Prior to that, SABC 3 held rights to the NBC soap currently in its 56th season and Vodacom's streaming service RED before it's untimely demise.
Last month, MultiChoice sold 30% of their stake in Showmax to Comcast's Sky and NBCUniversal which will bring some of the world's best content and technology to streaming customers across MultiChoice’s 50-market footprint in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Days Of Our Lives is eyed as one of the most anticipated shows for the new Showmax streaming service. After ending its 57 year run on NBC, the soap has bolstered it's offering with a spinoff titled Beyond Salem alongside a holiday film titled A Very Salem Christmas.
Both of which alongside the ongoing soap have yet to be viewed in Africa unless browsing torrent sites. Although, selected content from Peacock would be added to Showmax. Businesses often prioritise their most valuable assets or in this scenario, Days Of Our Lives.
Similar to Days Of Our Lives move from NBC to Peacock, the same outcome is expected for consumers in the African market leaving millions of households without access to the soap. If they were to add it on DStv my guess would be M-Net or Telemundo.
Details of the new Peacock streaming service
The streaming service will combine MultiChoice’s growing investment in local content with international content licensed from NBCUniversal and Sky, third-party content from HBO, Warner Brothers International, Sony and others, as well as live English Premier League (EPL) soccer matches. “The partnership will also provide access to all the best African content, such as Showmax Originals and local content from MultiChoice’s proprietary channels, including Mzansi Magic, Africa Magic and Maisha Magic.”
NBCUniversal and Sky will provide ongoing support through the licensing of both technology and content, the partners highlighted.
They will form the new Showmax group, which will be 70 percent owned by MultiChoice and 30 percent owned by NBCUniversal. “It will build on Showmax’s success to date and aim to create the leading streaming service in Africa,” the companies said. “Powered by Peacock’s leading, globally-scaled technology, Showmax subscribers will have access to an extensive premium content portfolio, bringing African audiences the best of local and international programming.”
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Peacock To Rollout In The African Market Through MultiChoice's Showmax In A New Partnership With NBCUniversal
African pay TV giant MultiChoice Group and Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky on Thursday unveiled a partnership that “will bring some of the world’s best content and technology to streaming customers across MultiChoice’s 50-market footprint in sub-Saharan Africa at a time when Africa is approaching an inflection point in terms of broadband connectivity and affordability.”
They will form the new Showmax group, which will be 70 percent owned by MultiChoice and 30 percent owned by NBCUniversal. “It will build on Showmax’s success to date and aim to create the leading streaming service in Africa,” the companies said. “Powered by Peacock’s leading, globally-scaled technology, Showmax subscribers will have access to an extensive premium content portfolio, bringing African audiences the best of local and international programming.”
Further details about the new Showmax service, including launch date, content and pricing will be announced at a later date.
The streaming service will combine MultiChoice’s growing investment in local content with international content licensed from NBCUniversal and Sky, third-party content from HBO, Warner Brothers International, Sony and others, as well as live English Premier League (EPL) soccer matches. “The partnership will also provide access to all the best African content, such as Showmax Originals and local content from MultiChoice’s proprietary channels, including Mzansi Magic, Africa Magic and Maisha Magic.”
NBCUniversal and Sky will provide ongoing support through the licensing of both technology and content, the partners highlighted.
“We launched Showmax as the first African streaming service in 2015 and are extremely proud of its success to date,” said Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice. “This agreement represents a great opportunity for our Showmax team to scale even greater heights by working with a leading global player in Comcast and its subsidiaries. The new business venture deepens an already strong relationship.”
Dana Strong, group CEO of Sky, said: “This new collaboration in streaming and content with MultiChoice, NBCUniversal, and Sky takes our partnership to the next level in one of the world’s most vibrant, fastest-growing markets. Last year, we announced MultiChoice as a customer of the Sky Glass platform, and now we are excited to help innovate its Showmax streaming service.”
Matt Strauss, chairman, direct-to-consumer & international at NBCUniversal, added: “This partnership is an incredible opportunity to further scale the global presence of Peacock’s world-class streaming technology, as well as to introduce millions of new customers to extensive premium content from NBCUniversal and Sky’s stellar entertainment brands.”
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Evoultion Of Kids TV: Barney's Horrifying Childhood All Documented In Peacock's I Love You, You Hate Me
For anyone who was a kid in the '90s, the lyrics "I love you, you love me/We're a happy family" probably hold a special place in your heart.
The mantra made famous by an in-costume Barney the Dinosaur on the super-popular children's series Barney & Friends preached love, acceptance and positivity. While the set was a joy-filled space for all who worked on the show, not everyone outside the TV studio was a fan of the eternally optimistic purple dino.
Peacock's new documentary series I Love You, You Hate Me dives deep into the sub culture of Barney haters who formed a community that revolted against his message of kindness.
Originally created by Texas mother Sheryl Leach as a companion for her only child, Patrick Leach, Barney eventually took off in popularity, with the PBS series becoming the network's most-watched kids' show in the '90s. And while there were many who loved the character, the show also had its share of detractors, including critics who literally bashed versions of the dinosaur and parents, fed up with that earworm of a song, who formed a not-so-secret society.
Celebs Who Appeared on Barney & Friends
From "Barney bashing" to actual death threats sent to some cast and crew, Barney became a target for hate. The success of the brand even took a toll on the Leach family and Patrick would eventually have a shocking run-in with the law no one saw coming.
Read on for the biggest bombshells and shocking revelations about the Barney backlash in I Love You, You Hate Me, now streaming on Peacock.
1. Barney Bashing Becomes a Trend
During the early '90s, critics who bonded over their hatred for the eternally optimistic children's dinosaur started a trend called "Barney bashing" in which they'd destroy dolls and toys of the character's likeness, take their rage out on Barney piñatas and even call for Barney's death.
As Travis Fox, a former University of Nebraska student, stated in the documentary, "I was the originator of a Barney bashing event at U of N at Lincoln in 1993...I think the reason we specifically went after Barney was it was the replacement to our Sesame Street. He was encroaching on our childhood. So we decided that we would kind of push back."
According to Lori Wendt, the Leach family's former babysitter, "Sheryl had a hard time understanding why someone could be so hateful and so angry over something that was made with such good intentions, with such pure heart."
2. Gay Rumors Emerge
After conservative activist Rev. Jerry Falwell accused Teletubbies character Tinky Winky of pushing a gay agenda on children in 1999, some started wondering about Barney the big purple dinosaur's sexual orientation.
The topic became material for comedians and Jon Stewart even joked once on The Daily Show, "Barney the singing dinosaur, who also happens to be purple and allegedly likes to hang out with his pals Tyrannosaurus Rex, Tyrannosaurus Lance and Tyrannosaurus Bruce."
3. The "I Hate Barney Secret Society" Is Created
Interviewee Rob Curran claimed in the doc that his daughter became "transfixed" by Barney as a toddler, much to his annoyance. "Barney only appeals to a 3-year-old mentality," he stated. "Barney just drove all the parents crazy. I realized I had to do something." So, he created "The I Hate Barney Secret Society," a newsletter and community for anti-Barney parents like him. "We are a support group for parents who have a Barney addict in the family," he explained. "I just gave a voice to all the fears of all the parents."
In just a few weeks, the newsletter got 7,000 sign-ups.
4. Barney Haters Form a Jihad
Like Curran, Sean Breen found community as the former leader of "The Jihad to Destroy Barney," an online group in which Barney haters created fan fiction with the goal of defeating fictionalized Barney villains. "Our criticism of Barney was it was all about conformity and consensus," Breen explained, "and that's a very ‘90s attitude."
Regular Nick:
- Wonder Pets revival might be in the works for Nickelodeon
- Peacock greenlights two new animated series
- Boomerang to go dark on the DStv platform next month
- Disney Junior and Disney+ to debut new Star Wars series in May
5. Barney Bashing Gets Physical
In 1993 haters took Barney bashing to the next level. Citing a news report, the documentary explained how, "In a Galveston, Texas K-Mart, three boys aged 10, 11 and 12 attacked a man dressed up as Barney. They punched Barney and tried to tear off the dinosaur's head."
David Letterman even poked fun at the backlash during a Late Show episode, adding "Beat the crap out of Barney in a Texas shopping mall" to his segment "Top 10 Things That Will Get You on the Evening News."
6. Death Threats Begin
Former Barney & Friends music director Bob Singleton recounted his first experience with the Barney backlash, "The first time I really heard about Barney bashing was when I was nominated for a Grammy." While doing a radio interview about the achievement, he recalled, "There were people saying, 'His music drives me crazy. I'd just love to get my fingers around that guy's neck.' I was surprised that they felt like they wanted to do me physical harm. And it wasn't just one or two phone calls."
Singleton later unlisted his phone number. "I was in fear," he said. "I got actual death and dismemberment of my family emails. I really don't want to revisit it, that was a terrible time. It hurt so bad."
7. More Cast Members Get Threatened
Bob West, the original voice of Barney from 1988-2000, said he received similar threats. "I started getting emails, from middle school kids especially," he shared. "And some of them were very nice and some of them were absolutely hateful. They were very explicit and very violent. There was one email that asked, 'Are you the Barney that I stabbed and shot outside of New Orleans?' Then they went on to say they were going to come and find me and they were going to kill me."
8. Chicken Controversy & Lawsuits
Ted Giannoulis, the man behind famous San Diego sports mascot The Chicken, began incorporating Barney bashing into his game day comedy acts. "I decided to do a dance-off contest with Barney the Dinosaur," he recalled in the doc. "Suddenly he breaks into this great break dancing that puts me to shame." A "ticked off" Giannoulis would then tackle Barney on the field and rough the dinosaur up as fans cheered him on in the stands.
Sheryl Leach's company sued Giannoulis in 1998 for copyright infringement and asked for payment for using Barney's likeness. Unfortunately for team Barney, the law was on Giannoulis' side as he recounted from the court's dismissal of the case that his use of the character "clearly qualifies as a parody," a form of protected speech.
9. The Beginning of the End
In 1998, Sheryl decided to step away from her role at Barney & Friends. As Sloan Coleman, former SVP of Live Events, said, "Once Sheryl departed, it really was never the same again."
Then in the early 2000s, two more pivotal crew members left. Bob West walked away after more than a decade of voicing Barney ("I was bored," he explained) and David Joyner, the man inside the costume from 1991 to 2001, left to pursue other acting opportunities.
Soon after, Barney was sold to a giant media conglomerate for $275 million, and was later cancelled in 2010.
Insidus Games:
- Transformers
- Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit
- Looney Tunes
- The Powerpuff Girls: Mojo Jojo A-Go-Go!
10. Kid Actors' Troubled Teens
Several child actors who appeared on Barney & Friends shared how they faced hardships after their time on the show. Pia Hamilton, who played Min from 1992 to 1996, and Hope Cervantes, who portrayed Tosha from 1992 to 1996, recalled being bullied in school and getting called names like "Barney lover" and "Barney girl." Cervantes added, "I did turn to drugs and alcohol to cope, to deal."
Ricky Carter, who played Derek from 1990 to 1995, admitted he began hanging around the wrong crowds and doing drugs after Barney. In 2004, he said he found himself in a potentially fatal situation when a supposed friend pulled a gun on him and asked for everything he had. "I jumped out the car and that's when he shot me in the spine," Carter explained. He said he was initially told he would be paralyzed for life, but after extensive therapy he was able to walk again.
11. Patrick Leach's Troubled Childhood
In a 2001 Katie Couric interview, Sheryl admitted her only child, son Patrick Leach, was bullied over his connection to the famed dinosaur.
Patrick would later have a violent run-in with a neighbor that landed him in prison, and the commutation application to shorten his prison sentence shed light into his troubled childhood. "Mr. Leach faced significant challenges as a child and entering early adulthood," Charles Mittelstadt, a Criminal Defense Investigator, quoted the commutation application document. "When he was young, his mother was busy building a successful career and his father struggled with depression. Mr. Leach's parents separated when he was 14 years old and divorced three years later. During that time Mr. Leach developed a brain tumor—benign—that was surgically removed."
12. Jim Leach's Tragic End
When Patrick was just 18, his father Jim Leach died by suicide several years after his and Sheryl's divorce.
13. Patrick Leach Shooting
By 2013, Patrick was 27 and living in Malibu. That January, Patrick shot his neighbor Erick Shanks on Shanks' property after accusing him of trespassing on his. (Shanks survived.) Patrick fled but was soon arrested with multiple firearms in his possession, according to L.A. deputy district attorney Brenda Lee.
Patrick plead no contest to assault with a deadly weapon and in 2015 was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but ultimately only served five years after a commutation.
Criminal Defense Investigator Charles Mittelstadt shared his own insight into Patrick's mental state at the time, "By him own admission he became essentially almost addicted to marijuana to where it was coping mechanism as a way to numb his emotions...It sort of amped up his anxiety and amped up his paranoia."
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Roundups #123: DreamWorks To Rollout New Local Production Inspiration Station, The Kelly Clarkson Show To Make It's Free-To-Air Debut On SABC 3 And Till Jail Do Us Apart Still Not Accessible In The African Market
DreamWorks investing in its first local production for the market
INSPIRATION STATION
Bringing local youth talent to the screen.
Opportunity for children to connect more deeply with DreamWorks on DSTV.
Aimed at kids ages six to 12, the series (six x 22 minutes) is hosted by two boys, Tanaka and Aaron, who discuss topical issues with other children from Johannesburg and Cape Town. The hosts will also explore the stories behind award-winning DreamWorks Animation series and films. Inspiration Station Africa will premiere from 13 January 2023, with a new episode airing weekly on the Universal+ SVOD in Latin America and on the DreamWorks channel available via African broadcaster DStv.
Broadcast: Friday 13th of January 2023 to Sunday 19th of February
Times: Fridays at 5.05pm, Saturdays at 8.35am, 4.35pm, Sunday at 9.05am, 7.35pm
Regular Nick:
- CBeebies picks up second season to Tish And Tash
- Best & Bester coming soon to Nicktoons
- We Baby Bears currently the only original program on Cartoon Network
- January on Cartoon Network and Boomerang
- January on Disney Channel
- January on Da Vinci Kids
Kelly Clarkson is coming to S3
A few years ago, the public broadcaster cancelled The Real Talk With Anele since then S3 has been funneling the schedule with rebroadcasts. As seen in their showcase, the SABC transitioned to video entertainment and is looking to reinventing their offering.
As such the team acquired the talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show where the singer brings her gift of connection to a fun and funny hour each weekday, offering heartwarming stories, live musical performances, games and surprises.
M-Net acquired the show when it broadcast in 2018 and offered an open window to other consumers but didn't bother to give consumers a chance to view the Emmy Award winner now leaving consumers to flee to SABC 3 by January 2023.
DStv Flex:
- What to expect this January on Curiosity Channel?
- What to expect this January on The Home Channel?
- Reyka renewed for season 2 on M-Net
- What to expect this January on Qwest TV?
- Reviewing major changes coming soon to the SABC
- What to expect this January on TNT?
Kate Del Castillo stars in this female led drama
Ángela, Viri, Esme and Sofía hate each other. When their husbands wind up in jail for stealing millions from the biggest drug lord in Miami, the foursome ends up on the street at his mercy. As they adapt to their new lives, the wives must work together to survive.
The show is currently streaming on NBCUniversal's Peacock which still hasn't been made available in South Africa and the rest of Africa but the DStv friendly version of the service Universal+ launched a while back.
As seen with Paramount+ and HBO Max, several content have been made for available for linear viewing and questions amount to how Till Jail Do Us Apart would rollout on a brand like Telemundo or pass down to Universal since it's more short form.
Everyday Novelas:
- Televisa's Fall Into Temptation rolls out in Nigeria
- Prediction: What to expect on Telemundo by next year?
- Prediction: eBolly to rollout on the Openview platform
- Prediction: What to expect on TLNovelas by next year?
- Laxmi and more content awaiting launch on Star Life
- Daai Crazy Somer coming soon to e.tv
Monday, November 14, 2022
John Aniston, Father Of Jennifer Aniston Who Played Victor Kiriakis On "Days of Our Lives" Has Died
Jen said in her emotional post that her father passed away on Friday, November 11. She says, "Sweet papa ... You were one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew. I am so grateful that you went soaring into the heavens in peace - and without pain."
John famously played Victor Kiriakis on "Days of Our Lives" for nearly as long as his daughter's been alive. He joined the soap cast in 1970 and remained on the show right up until his death. In fact, his final credited show is listed as Friday.
Noting that he passed on 11/11, Jennifer says, "You always had perfect timing. That number will forever hold an even greater meaning for me now. I'll love you till the end of time "
After 52 years with 'Days,' he earned the Daytime Emmy Awards' Lifetime Achievement trophy in 2022. He also won Soap Opera Digest awards in 1986 and 2001.
John was born in Greece, and before his TV fame, he acted in several dozen theater productions. He's also had roles in "The West Wing," "Star Trek: Voyager," "Mission: Impossible" and "Kojak."
He and "Kojak" star Telly Savalas were best friends, and John even picked him to be Jennifer's godfather.
John is survived by Jennifer, his son Alexander and his wife Sherry Rooney.
He was 89.
RIP
Monday, November 7, 2022
Hallmark Channel Possibly Making A Comeback To Africa As Peacock Becomes Official Home To All Its Content
Peacock has closed a pact with Hallmark Media to stream live and on-demand programming from Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama. It’s a first-of-its-kind linear plus SVOD deal for the network.
Hallmark Channel was once available in Africa and across the world but following it's acquisition by NBCUniversal the feed was replaced by Universal TV, Studio Universal, 13th Street Universal and Diva Universal.
Now Hallmark has a hub on Peacock’s home page which features live simulcasts of all three channels with current-season programming available live and on-demand next day as well as a library of movies within the Hallmark library, which includes holiday titles.
“As we continue to make Peacock a premium streaming destination, Hallmark is exactly the type of brand we want to align with,” said Kelly Campbell, President of Peacock, and Direct-to-Consumer, NBCUniversal, in a statement. “Through this groundbreaking partnership, we’re giving Hallmark viewers a unique viewing experience while continuing to grow our audience, boosting engagement across both brands.”
“We’re proud to enter this partnership with Peacock and bring our widely beloved Hallmark content to their subscribers,” said Wonya Lucas, President and CEO, Hallmark Media. “The opportunity to provide our devoted fanbase access to all three of Hallmark’s linear networks will allow our audience to continue to grow and connect in meaningful ways.”
In addition to the live Hallmark channels, Peacock subscribers will have access to Hallmark content on demand, including live and next-day access to series such as When Calls the Heart, as well as the new series Ride and The Way Home coming in 2023. The hub will also include a VOD collection containing new premiere movies and Hallmark movie classics as part of a Peacock Premium subscription.
Friday, October 14, 2022
Roundups #103: Blake Shelton To Exit The Voice On NBC, Thomas And Friends Scores Two Seasons Renewal On Cartoonito, Glee Docuseries Is Currently Underway On Discovery+
The Voice to lose yet another Judge
Season 23 of “The Voice” will welcome some new faces and say goodbye to the hit show’s longest-tenured coach.
Next season will be Blake Shelton’s last on the show, NBC revealed in a statement on Tuesday, and Chance the Rapper and former One Direction member Niall Horan are set to join as first-time coaches.
Kelly Clarkson will round out the coach lineup in the new season, set to debut next spring,
“I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from ‘The Voice,’” Shelton said in a statement via the network. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me.”
Thomas the tank engine is coming
Mattel, Incorporated announced that it has renewed Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, the highly successful animated series based on Thomas the Tank Engine, for two additional seasons. Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studios has begun co-production with Mattel Television on the two new seasons which are set to deliver in 2023. Building upon the emphatic reception to Season 26 and the introduction of the series’ first autistic character, Bruno the Brake Car, seasons 27 and 28 will continue to broaden the global viewership of the celebrated series and are comprised of 26 11-minute episodes; each series also includes its own 60-minute special.
Season 27 finds the Number One Engine and his Sodor squad more ready than ever, as surprises await them around every turn. From cleaning up the muddiest of messes to the grand opening of a bakery-café, Thomas, Percy, Kana, Nia, Diesel and Bruno are all aboard for more memories and hijinks. No matter how big the delivery or impossible the task, there is nothing that Thomas and his friends can’t accomplish together.
“The global impact of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is as strong as ever and has been reinforced through the franchise’s recent introduction of Bruno,” said Fred Soulie, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mattel Television. “Alongside our global broadcast partners, we’re excited to maintain the Thomas & Friends legacy by continuing the beloved adventures of Thomas and the Sodor crew, all while allowing audiences to revel in the playful nature of the series and further connect with our characters.”
Glee documentary in the works
Discovery+ and ID are exploring the real story behind Fox’s hit series Glee.
The streamer has ordered a three-part docuseries from Ample Entertainment, the company behind HBO docuseries The Invisible Pilot and Facebook’s 9 Months with Courteney Cox.
The series will have access to key cast and crew members, who will share first-hand stories of their time on the comedy drama series that ran for over 100 episodes between 2009 and 2015.
It will lift the curtain to reveal the highs and lows of the production and the on-set community and will also feature testimonials of close family and friends with never-heard-before stories.
Thursday, September 1, 2022
MultiChoice To Rollout Exclusive New Streaming Service, Universal+
NBCUniversal and DStv today have announced that the Universal+ video streaming service will be available to DStv subscribers in South Africa and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa next month.
From 14 October 2022, subscribers will be able to access Universal+ via Catch Up on the DStv app or on the Explora Ultra decoder.
The companies said the service offered a huge selection of full boxsets and new shows and movies from popular linear channels Universal TV, E!, DreamWorks, Studio Universal and Telemundo.
“We’re thrilled to launch Universal+ with our long-standing partners DStv, giving their customers a brand-new way to enjoy a vastly expanded catalogue of our best content,” said Lee Raftery, NBCUniversal International Networks and direct-to-consumer managing director for Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
“As Africa’s most-loved storyteller, we are always looking to offer top entertainment to our DStv customers, and the addition of Universal+ aims to do just that.”
MultiChoice South Africa chief operating officer Simon Camerer said the broadcaster was excited to bring the “best of international content and the widest possible choice of great shows” to satisfy its viewers.
The companies did not specify on which DStv packages Universal+ would be available.
Monday, August 15, 2022
Roundups #17: DreamWorks Animation Preps Up Four New Series, Obi-Wan Streaming May 22nd On Disney+, WWE Replaces 205 Live With NXT: Level Up And New Documentary Film KungFu Stuntmen Coming Soon To KIX Africa
DreamWorks Junior expands with two animated series on Netflix
Based on the book of the same name, Not Quite Narwhal dives into the daily adventures of a narwhal named Kelp, who discovers he’s part-unicorn and must learn to navigate life in the sea and on land.
Dew Drop Diaries pulls back the curtain
on a group of pint-sized fairies who have been assigned to help city-dwelling human families with tasks such as organizing toys and placing lost teeth under pillows for the Tooth Fairy.
Both slated to air in 2023.
Source: Kidscreen
Also read:
- Paramount+ and Nickelodeon expand kids slate
- Possible channel closures from Warner Bros. Discovery
- ViacomCBS rebrands into Paramount
- Warner Bros. Discovery could terminate these channels
- NCIS: Los Angeles might get cancelled
- Cartoonito launches on Boomerang across Europe possibly as a trial run before scrapping the channel
- Could ESPN close alongside National Geographic and Disney Channel?
- February on ViacomCBS Africa channels
- February on TNT, Cartoon Network and Boomerang
Peacock greenlits Megamind and Abominable TV series
Megamind’s Guide To Defending Your City, follow-up to the 2010 film will see Megamind going from “being a supervillain and the scourge of Metro City to a superhero who’s learning on the job. He’ll be bringing the audience along for the ride, as Megamind’s trusty brainbots will be recording everything, making him the world’s first superhero influencer.”
Abominable and the Invisible City, a comedy adventure series that will continue the story of DreamWorks Animation’s film. “Through Everest, the yeti, Yi, Jin, and Peng know that there’s a whole magical world out there. “When they discover that their surroundings are teeming with magical creatures in need of their help, the kids will set out on extraordinary and heartfelt adventures throughout their city and beyond.
Source: Deadline
Disney+ Limited Series Obi-Wan Kenobi to Debut on May 25th
The series begins with Obi-Wan Kenobi watching over Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), and takes the character on a "rollicking adventure".
The new Disney+ limited series from Lucasfilm, will debut exclusively on Disney+ May 25. The series stars Ewan McGregor, reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master.
NXT is getting a spinoff, kills 205 Live
WWE has canceled 205 Live currently seen on SuperSport and the WWE Channel and will air a new series in its place called “NXT: Level Up.” According to reports, WWE will tape NXT: Level Up at the WWE Performance Center and the new show is expected to be 60 minutes long.
WWE 205 Live premiered on November 2016 on WWE Network and it primarily featured talent from the NXT and NXT UK brands and originally focused on the WWE Cruiserweight division. More recently, WWE began to phase out the weight limit originally in place for the show, and the Cruiserweight Championship was unified with the NXT North American Championship.
SuperSport's WWE Channel is available on DStv channel 128 and a ray of WWE content can be viewed on other SuperSport channels.
KIX continue their martial arts journey with a brand new documentary
The documentary features such martial arts legends as Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, filmmakers Tsui Hark and Andrew Lau, along with a number of other stuntmen in the industry.
“Many legendary stuntmen live hard lives and many are unknown. That’s why I decided to make a documentary film in tribute to their continued efforts and never-yielding spirit,” said director Wei.
KIX is available on DStv channel 114
Also read:
- Baby TV could be on the chopping block
- Curiosity Channel to launch St Patrick's Day special
- Disney closing multiple channels in Latin America
- Why VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- In March, E! will also be hosting the Oscars live from the red carpet and launch the cover bands
- Could G4 launch on DStv perhaps to replace a channel like Ginx Esports TV?
- Paramount+ greenlit Knuckle TV series and Seal Team movie
- Coroner and Tell Me Your Secrets coming soon to Universal TV
- AEW: Battle Of The Belts launches on TNT
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Friday, August 5, 2022
'Days Of Our Lives': Could The Sand In The Hourglass Be Heading To A New Era In South Africa?
NBC’s long-running soap opera Days of Our Lives will be leaving broadcast television after 57 years to stream exclusively on Peacock, the network announced on Wednesday. The change means that fans who previously have been able to watch the show for free on broadcast will now have to pay for a streaming service to learn what happens next in the show’s fictional town of Salem.
“With a large percentage of the Days of Our Lives audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show’s loyal fanbase on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers,” Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a press release.
Earlier in the year, Days Of Our Lives was swept out of e.tv's primetime offering as eMedia tries to boost their original offering with eMedia Investments expected to invest R100 million in their streaming endeavours which has seen success as the company was able to obtain half a million registrations and record breaking ratings.
Of course, Days Of Our Lives' absence still haunts a lot of consumers as they've been following the soap for half a century when it began on the free-to-air SABC 3 channel which was known at the time as CCV channel and after the SABC's controversial COO at the time Hlaudi Motsoeneng put up a ban for international series forcing the drama to air close to midnight.
As seen earlier in the year, the sand in the hourglass for e.tv has come to an end after almost 5 years of broadcast which has some feeling agitated over an outlet to this ongoing soap opera.
Peacock overseas decided to move Days away from cable as the ratings have been slipping on a year to year basis as direct-to-consumer becomes a top priority for international brands like The Walt Disney Company.
Before this news came into affect, Vodacom's defunct streaming service supplied Bold And The Beautiful another ongoing soap opera and rival to Days Of Our Lives after it was swept out of SABC's lineup due to the corrupt bold man thereafter MultiChoice's DStv as AMC International opt to not supply EVA channel which was the home of Bold on cable.
As it is a lot of long format or in other terms old timers like The Simpsons moved from cable to streaming for consumers in South Africa as The Walt Disney Company retracted the FOX channel as they plan to become a digital exclusive platform like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
Now Days Of Our Lives being a digital exclusive doesn't seem far fetched and on Peacock although not available in the region as yet wouldn't be far fetched a stretch as well seeing as Days Of Our Lives: Beyond Salem which is a spinoff to be the soap can be viewed on the platform.
Peacock on top of being a streaming service is owned by NBCUniversal the same people that own Days Of Our Lives and now the chances of it suffering the franchise getting swept on this platform is close to zero but questions amount to how this service will eventually rollout in South Africa
As it is, Peacock is just another Showmax holds a lot of third party content, limited original content and is not knowledgeable by a lot of consumers as seen with Netflix and Disney+. In some regions, the platform was able to fold under Paramount+ which is expected in Africa by early next year but that doesn't guarantee it will supply Peacock.
Peacock is a very complicated case as outlined there's not much to offer on the table that you would dump a hamburger for a salad while others found comfort on Paramount+ (also known to some as SkyShowcase). Others got it as standalone as seen overseas while others found comfort in a local provider to which I nominate Showmax.
Say what you want about their owners MultiChoice but NBCUniversal has a tight relationship to the company as they supply the only alternative to M-Net on the DStv platform as others were retracted due to content or management changes. On top of that, the movie offering on Studio Universal can come in handy when you're avoiding cartoons.
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
New WWE Network Series Premiering Amidst SummerSlam Weekend
WWE took to YouTube earlier today to release the trailer for their new upcoming show on the WWE Network and Peacock TV. The show is called “This is Awesome” and will focus on moments in WWE’s past that made fans shocked, totally speechless, and even brought to tears.
This is Awesome will be hosted by Greg Miller and different WWE superstars as they go back and check out moments throughout WWE history that made the WWE fans chant, “This is awesome!” Some potentially awesome moments were referenced in the trailer as we saw glimpses of Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, and Ms. Elizabeth’s wedding, TLC 2, and The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
This is Awesome will join shows already on the WWE Network and Peacock TV, such as WWE Evil, Ruthless Aggression, Table for 3, and Stone Cold’s Broken Skull Sessions. How many episodes we will see, how long each episode will be, etc., is unknown, as not much is known about the series beyond the premise.
For those who don’t know Greg Miller, he is an internet celebrity and voice actor, best known for his time in IGN, where he hosted some of their podcasts, most notably, Up At Noon. Miller also started his own YouTube channel, GamesOverGreggy, which he and a couple of his former IGN coworkers rebranded to Kinda Funny. Kinda Funny is also the name used for the company that Miller and his coworkers started in 2015. Miller also has voice-acted in many video games, namely the Lego games. He appeared in Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 as Howard the Duck, Lego DC Super-Villians as Polka-Dot Man, and Lego Marvel’s Avengers as the voice of Aldrich Killian. Miller has also provided voice work for Oddworld: Soulstorm and The Solitaire Conspiracy.
WWE’s “This is Awesome” debuts on Peacock TV in the US and the WWE Network everywhere else this Friday.