Recap To Last Year: Could SABC Lehae Launch On Openview As A Replacement To e.tv's News And Sport Alongside SABC Variety?

In 2021, SABC and eMedia Investments extended their agreement which led to additions like SABC Sport and SABC's 19 radio stations on the Openview platform. There was also promises for two entertainment channels to accompany the existing SABC 1-3.

These channels were also slated to launch within that year but since then SABC and eMedia Investments had gone rogue that doesn't mean there wasn't any noteworthy material.

During that long arrival of more TV channels, SABC Lehae was born which serves as the second news channel by the public broadcaster following SABC News. It offers news in indigenous languages by that I mean similar to most channels rehash content from SABC 1-3.

This was followed by SABC Variety which serves as a revival/replacement to the defunct SABC Encore brand on DStv. Unlike its previous iteration, SABC Variety also serves as a catch-up channel especially with sporting events.

For a while now, there has been a lot of commotion as to whether these could be the long awaited channels for Openview consumers. As both explore the public broadcaster's archived material aka repeats as they clearly highlighted for these new channels.

SABC Lehae would prove to be somewhat useful following the cancellation of News And Sport. Consumers were left without without a decent local news channel while SABC Sport fills up the sports and the channel would basically be rivalling with eNCA and Newsroom Afrika.

SABC Variety would serve as complimentary offering to Power Up when consumers miss out on shows. Similar to ePlesier and the former Rewind, the channel would invite nostalgia to viewer's screens.

Recap To The Year: SABC Silently Revived And Rebranded The Controversial SABC Encore Channel, Now On DTT As SABC Variety

SABC Encore was a general entertainment channel operated by the public broadcaster that was exclusive to MultiChoice's DStv alongside SABC News. It would broadcast content from the 1980s and 1990s including shows like Agter Elke Man and 'Sgudi 'Snaysi.

Following its exit from the DStv platform, the SABC was looking to continue the channel on another platform and since then there had been no updates or at least from the SABC. On their DTT platforms, the public broadcaster still had its remains within the channel number.

Often it would serve as a catch-up/pop-up channel to content viewed on SABC 1-3 (including Sports). This channel would often stream on TelkomOne (now SABC+) for mostly the sporting content before being removed.

During the year, the public broadcaster gave SABC Encore a facelift with the channel undergoing yet another name change, SABC Variety. As mentioned, the public broadcaster remained silent regarding the developments of this channel alongside the much anticipated SABC Lehae.

We assume similar to SABC Sport's expansion to Openview, the public could be looking to possibly launch these channels on more platforms. It doesn't seem fetched as their current STBs aren't seen as sustainable with consumers base said to be in less than 500,000 households.

Development Alert: SABC Reportedly Registered A New Channel On DTT, SABC Variety

Last month, SABC through a small press release on their website had unveiled their second news channel, SABC Lehae. After losing rights to SABC News, the channel would telecast news segments seen on SABC 1-3 alongside archived material with plans to offer live news.

Prior to that time, it was reported that the public broadcaster was in production of another TV channel with sources suggesting it to be a general entertainment channel which led to speculation of SABC Encore.

Following its demise on DStv, SABC was looking to revive the channel and for 3 years there has yet to be an update on when or if that is still on the cards. They had used it as a pop-up channel on their DTT platforms during that time but other than that nothing until now.

Not long ago, a viewer had spotted a channel on DTT known as SABC Variety which we presume was the rumoured channel the public broadcaster was looking to unveil within the first quarter of 2024. It could be a new name for the long-speculated SABC Encore channel.

The public broadcaster hasn't shared details about the content but SABC+ has a variety section known as SABC Reality for shows like Nyan Nyan, Motswako, Afro Cafe and Spykaart. So we can only assume that this a rival brand to eKasi on eReality, Via, Moja Love and HONEY.